If you’ve ever been involved in a bus accident, you know how difficult things can become, especially if injuries are involved. Should this ever happen in Lawrenceville, Georgia, a bus accident lawyer can help.
Bus accidents can be difficult because there are more victims and injuries that occurred in one single incident at the same time. Couple with that the lack of seatbelt and airbags inside a bus, and you’ll want to make sure you call a qualified bus accident attorney to help you with your claim.
Types of Compensation your Bus Accident Lawyer will Pursue
The problems that stem from bus accidents can be many and can affect almost every area of your life. A bus wreck lawyer can help to get you compensation for any of the following areas that have been impacted because of a bus accident.
Financial
Unfortunately, both medical bills and lost wages go hand in hand when it comes to bus accident victims. When you sustain an injury, you need to get medical care. A bus accident lawyer is fully aware that extensive medical care could lead to lost wages because your injuries prevent you from going to work. Is it right that you should have this financial responsibility? No, it is the responsibility of the person or the company at fault in the bus accident, and a bus accident attorney will make sure they do their part to help in your healing process.
Getting the bills pinned on you is a very real possibility because insurance companies don’t want to pay unless they are forced to pay. Retaining the services of a bus accident lawyer is the best option to make sure you are fully compensated and can cover your medical bills and lost wages.
Physical
There are a host of injuries and complications that can happen in a bus accident, so you’ll need to make sure you have a Lawrenceville personal injury lawyer on your side. Bus accident victims are entitled to be paid for the pain, for the suffering, and for the losses they experience as a result of these injuries. It can be difficult to manage the injuries on your own, and that’s why a bus accident lawyer can help.
Mental/Emotional/Spiritual
Pain and suffering don’t just relate to physical pain. It also speaks to the distress you may feel at times following an accident. This can be post-traumatic stress syndrome or depression that can relate to injuries that keep you from doing the things you love. A bus accident attorney will make sure compensation for this distress is included in your compensation package.
For example, an avid runner may no longer be able to take a daily jog or participate in races because of injuries sustained in a bus accident. A back injury may mean extended time spent on bed rest that keeps you from gardening. These are very real issues that a bus accident lawyer can help navigate in the quest to get you financial compensation for your traumatic experience.
Common Bus Accident Injuries Seen by Car Accident Lawyers
Bus accident lawyers have assisted in hundreds of cases with clients who have been injured in bus accidents. Some of the injuries are minor while others are very serious. Either way, a bus wreck lawyer will help guide you through the steps of the legal system if you find yourself the victim of a bus accident.
There are several different injuries that happen in bus accidents. The most common injuries seen by bus accident lawyers include:
Whiplash
This is when the soft tissue is damaged in the neck and occurs at the sudden impact if the collision. Some victims don’t know they have whiplash until days or even weeks following a bus accident when they begin to suffer from headaches. Other symptoms set in immediately, with neck pain and discomfort. More seriously, whiplash can show itself as neck spasms. These symptoms need to be treated immediately or the victim risks worsening symptoms. A bus wreck lawyer will make sure you are fully compensated for whiplash and its accompanying complications.
Lacerations and Deep Cuts
Buses are made of glass windows, hard plastic, and metals. When an accident happens, there are numerous ways a victim can sustain laceration or deep cuts. This can happen from something else being broken at the time of the accident or if a victim is thrown during impact.
It may seem minor, but getting a cut taken care of at the hospital is crucial to your case, because not only will your wound be properly cared for, but you will also receive proper documentation to support your case to get the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
More serious cuts and lacerations may require stitches or plastic surgery. Permanent scars could also leave behind permanent nerve or tissue damage. A bus wreck lawyer will make sure you have proper documentation for your injuries that can help you to receive maximum compensation for your injuries.
Broken Bones
Being thrown from a seat can not only result in cuts and lacerations, but broken bones are a very real possibility as well. At the time of the collision, passengers can be thrown from their seats, striking poles, seats or anything else in the interior of the bus. A bus accident lawyer has vast experience in representing clients who have been injured under these circumstances.
The result of broken bones certainly isn’t just physical pain. Broken bones are a huge inconvenience and can involve prolonged physical therapy appointments, possibly surgeries, and mounting medical bills. It is not the victim’s responsibility to handle all this on their own. A bus accident attorney can step in and make sure you are properly compensated for the pain, the impact of the inconveniences, and the medical bills.
Head and Spinal Cord
A bus accident can cause a passenger to hit their head on glass, seats or any other bus interior object if they are thrown when the collision occurs. The results of this sudden blunt force trauma can lead to symptoms such as blurred vision or nausea. More severe head trauma cases can result in seizures, loss of mobility, paralysis and can even affect cognitive abilities.
Being thrown around a bus can also result in spinal cord injuries that can lead to paralysis or even death. If you have suffered a head or spinal cord injury as a result of a bus crash, a bus wreck lawyer will help.
What to Do if You Are in a Bus Accident:
A car wreck lawyer advises that the first thing you should do if you are injured is to get medical attention immediately. Your health and wellness are the top priority and getting medical attention can be the difference between life and death.
Next, a bus wreck lawyer will say you need to call the police so that you can file a police report. While you wait for the police to arrive, gather evidence such as witness contact names and information and pictures of the accident scene, if possible. Be sure to get snapshots of the scene after the accident, vehicle positioning and any injuries you have sustained. When an officer arrives on the scene, get the name, phone, and badge number of that officer. The more information and documentation you can give your bus wreck accident attorney, the better.
Next, do not give any statements. You may feel comfortable speaking candidly since you know you are the victim, buts know that your words can be used against you in the form of reduced or no compensation. Once you get all the above handled at the scene of the accident, your next call should be to a bus accident attorney.
Who is at Fault for Your Bus Accident
There may be a lot of unanswered questions, but one thing is for sure: you are NOT at fault for being a victim in a bus accident, and your bus accident attorney will support you from the beginning to the end of your case. The responsibility does, however, fall somewhere and knowing a car accident lawyer can help can be a significant stress reliever in these trying times.
The possible defendants include:
The bus driver:
This may seem to be the most obvious scenario. It is the responsibility of the bus driver to drive safely and keep their passengers and other drivers safe on the road. If a bus driver causes an accident for any reason, he can be held liable for the accident.
The bus company:
It is the responsibility of the bus company to make sure its employees are properly trained. A car accident lawyer can help to determine: Did the bus driver make a mistake as the result of improper, poor or not enough training? Or was the bus not a reliable form of transportation? If the company that owns the bus didn’t fulfill all its own responsibilities, then it too can be held liable for the bus accident.
The bus part manufacturer:
If the bus was not in proper working order and part – that was deemed safe – was instead defective – the part manufacturer can be held liable for the accident.
The negligent driver of another vehicle:
If none of the above is the cause of the bus accident, a police report will determine if the accident was caused by another vehicle. Bus accident lawyers are familiar with bus accidents that involve a negligent driver who may have been drinking and driving, texting, or perhaps a simple – yet serious mistake of failing to yield. A bus wreck attorney will help to determine fault for your injuries and fight hard to get the compensation you deserve.
Settling A Bus Accident Lawsuit
There are a lot of questions that go into the topic of settlements, and a bus accident lawyer will explain that there is no one right answer for every case, especially when it comes to bus accidents.
One positive side of settling your lawsuit is that you can typically get compensation much faster than if you choose to take your case to trial. But, a bus accident attorney will explain: to get that compensation, it must be an agreed upon amount by both you and the other party involved. When a case is settled, that typically also means the victim legally agrees to no longer pursue any other claims for compensation in this incident.
Bus accident lawyers say the most common approach when considering a settlement is to determine your case’s settlement value. Your bus accident lawyer will compile every area, large and small, in which you were affected by a bus accident. Your bus accident lawyer will place a monetary value on each item, and this will then determine your settlement value. Once the defendant makes a settlement offer, you can make an informed decision as to whether that offer is acceptable as it compares to your settlement value.
You may decide to accept or reject the settlement offer or you can also extend a counter settlement offer for a higher value that the defendant can either accept or reject. The most important factor a bus accident lawyer wants you to know is that you shouldn’t accept less than what you rightfully deserve for the bus accident.
Your bus accident attorney is on your side and knows that you are the victim. If you endured suffering or are still suffering because of a bus accident crash, you are entitled to full compensation for what happened to you. No one is doing you a favor by offering you a settlement. A great settlement with a favorable outcome is only fair and right.
Your bus accident lawyer will support you in the decision you make. It is 100% up to you to decide what is best for your situation and your bus accident lawyer will guide you each step of the way.
A bus accident lawyer can help you through the process and help you to decide if settling your lawsuit is your best option or if going to trial is your best bet.
How Can a Bus Accident Lawyer Help?
Here at The Weinstein Firm, the bus accident lawyers are on your side. Bus accidents are different from the typical car-on-car collision because there are so many other victims involved. The laws also vary for different buses because some may be owned by the city or the county or the bus could be run by a privately-owned company.
And if you happen to speak to an insurance company before you have a chance to get in touch with us, the insurance company could lead you to believe that you don’t need or deserve compensation for being involved in a bus accident.
If you have been involved in a bus accident, a bus accident lawyer at The Weinstein Firm can help. We get the absolute maximum compensation for your bus accident injuries no matter how big or small you may have been impacted.
We offer free consultations so call The Weinstein Firm today, so we can review your case and get you the compensation you deserve.
