Get Legal Insight on Bus Accidents by Our Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys

San Bernardino has 14 bus routes available. These bus routes offer convenience and affordability to those who need to travel to another location. Once a passenger enters the bus, the bus driver must provide a duty of care until the bus reaches its destination. Unfortunately, many circumstances may occur during these trips, which will likely result in serious damages and/or injuries.

For example, in May of 2019, an OmniTrans bus collided with a car that had veered into its path. Seven people were sent to the hospital. One was in critical condition while the other six were being treated for minor injuries. For this type of situation, the main cause of the accident was the negligent driver.

If you were involved in a bus accident and would like to pursue legal actions against the party at-fault, West Coast Trial Lawyers has experienced San Bernardino bus accident attorneys who have won over 5,000 personal injury cases and recovered more than $1 billion in settlements for our clients. Due to our achievements, we have been recognized as one of the top personal injury law firms in San Bernardino.

To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation at our San Bernardino personal injury law firm, reach out to our 24/7 legal team by calling (909) 787-2178 or emailing info@westcoasttriallawyers.com.

Bus Accidents Lead to the Most Injuries

Bus accidents may trigger a lot of injuries. An obvious reason is due to the lack of protection given to passengers. Since there are no seat belts or airbags available, a passenger may endure serious injuries from an accident. Making matters worse, several passengers on public transit buses are forced to stand because of overcrowding. Strong impact from an accident can cause these passengers to fly out of the vehicle and land aggressively onto the ground. Severe injuries may result, such as broken bones, arm and leg injuries, face injuries, internal bleeding, brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries.

Unfortunately, bus accident claims are notorious for being complex. This fact often prevents people from seeking compensation that they are entitled to. Thankfully, bus accident attorneys can make the whole process of filing a personal injury claim much easier.

Filing a Claim

You’ll need to file a personal injury claim to recover any damages that occurred as a result of a bus accident. You must also identify the at-fault party prior to starting the process of starting a personal injury claim.

Typically, guilty parties of a bus accident may include the following:

• Bus driver
• Other drivers
• Bus company
• Bus manufacturers/designers

Since California is a comparative fault state, more than one party can be held liable for contributing to an accident. Liability will be divided based on the amount of negligence each party contributed to the crash.

It is important to have an experienced bus accident attorney on your side as you go through the process of filing a personal injury claim. Your attorney will help strengthen your claim, negotiate with insurance companies, and get you the compensation you deserve for your losses.

Statute of Limitations for a Personal Injury Claim

A bus accident is identified as a type of personal injury. The statute of limitations to file a personal injury claim is two years from the initial date of the incident. If you exceed the deadline, you will not be eligible to file this claim. However, there are a few exceptions that can extend the limit. This includes the following:

• The plaintiff is a minor.
• The plaintiff is incapaticated.
• The plaintiff is in prison.
• The plaintiff is legally insane.
• The plaintiff lives out-of-state.

Available Damages

The type of reparations that you’re entitled to after a bus accident varies from case to case. However, a bus accident attorney will work on your behalf to get you the compensation that you deserve.

Typically, this includes economic and non-economic damages, such as:

• Medical Bills
• Property Damage
• Loss of Past and Future Earnings
• Pain and Suffering
• Emotional Distress
• Loss of Consortium
• Loss of Enjoyment of Life

The damages that you could receive for a wrongful death differ from what you could get for personal injury claims. Recoverable compensation for a wrongful death settlement include:

• Medical Bills
• Funeral and Burial Costs
• Loss of Companionship
• Loss of Financial Support
• Loss of Future Earnings from the Deceased

West Coast Trial Lawyers Is Here to Help

If you or a loved one were involved in a bus accident, our experienced San Bernardino bus accident attorneys at West Coast Trial Lawyers will help you get the compensation you deserve for your losses.

Contact our 24/7 legal team by calling (909) 787-2178 or emailing info@westcoasttriallawyers.com to schedule a free consultation at our San Bernardino personal injury law firm.