Bus and truck accidents can change the lives of individuals and entire families forever. Vehicle occupants, bus passengers, truck occupants, motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians can all suffer horrendous injuries and damages in tragic bus and truck accidents.
If you suffered injuries in a crash with a bus or truck, you could potentially receive compensation. You may be able to sue if a driver or company’s negligence caused your accident. Your Bartlett bus truck accident lawyer can assess your case and advise you on the best course of action to get what you deserve.
If someone else caused your injuries, suffering, and financial losses, they should make you whole again. We can help. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today for your free consultation to determine whether you have a case at (800) 223-5115.
Bus and Truck Accidents
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), 4,889 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal accidents in 2017. Most bus accidents between 2007 and 2017 involved transit buses or school buses.
Unfortunately, getting into an accident with a large vehicle such as a bus or powerful truck can cause horrific and disabling injuries as well as considerable property damage to cars, motorcyclists, and other vehicles. If you suffered extensive injuries and property damage in such an accident, and the accident was the bus or truck driver’s fault, you might want to find out how to collect compensation for your damages.
Liability in a Bus Accident
Your first step will be to find out whether you have a claim. You will need to establish the other party’s liability and negligence. Unfortunately, this is almost always a complicated task when it comes to accidents with buses or trucks, as various parties could be at fault for your accident. However, your Bartlett bus truck accident lawyer can help determine liability and negligence.
The Driver Might Be Responsible
While there can be many different causes of bus accidents, in many cases a driver’s conduct is responsible for an accident. A driver is wholly or partially responsible for your accident if at the time of the crash they were:
- Driving intoxicated
- Driving distractedly
- Driving fatigued
- Speeding
- Following too closely
- Ignoring traffic signs and signals
- Driving generally recklessly
The Bus or Truck Company Might Be Responsible
A bus or truck company might also be liable for your accident and damages. This can happen when a company is too profit-centered and cuts corners when it comes to training drivers or servicing vehicles. The company can potentially be held to account if they:
- Hired negligently
- Failed to repair vehicles in a timely fashion
- Failed to service and inspect vehicles regularly
- Failed to adhere to hours-of-service regulations
- Pressured drivers into tight schedules
Bus and truck companies have to comply with a number of federal and state regulations. A bus truck accident lawyer can find out whether violations of any laws and regulations on part of the company played a part in your accident.
A Third-Party Contractor or Vendor May Be Responsible
Occasionally, a bus manufacturer can also be responsible for an accident. This generally occurs when an inherently faulty part on the truck fails and causes an accident. Responsibility can also fall on a third-party company, for example a garage servicing and repairing buses and trucks.
Truck and Bus Accidents Can Be Complicated
Accidents with a bus or a truck can be very much different than a simple car accident. Responsibility and negligence could be shared by various negligent parties.
Your accident may require extensive research to understand it fully and pursue all avenues for compensation. This can include scouring the records of a truck or bus company pertaining to hiring, out-of-service logs, and other regulatory issues. Your truck accident lawyer will most likely consult with accident reconstruction experts and look at evidence such as:
- Police accident reports
- Traffic camera footage
- Pictures of the accident scene
- Black boxes of trucks and buses
- Witness statements
- Your medical records
Compensation You Could Recover
Bus and truck accidents, if not fatal, can cause horrific and life-threatening injuries. Serious injuries are not only painful and emotionally distressing, they may also require ongoing costly medical treatment and rehabilitation therapies. Depending on the severity of your injuries and other factors of your accident, you could potentially recover various types of compensation, including but not limited to:
Medical Costs
Ideally, if someone else is at fault for your accident, you should receive compensation for past, present, and future medical costs that arise due to the accident. Medical expenses should cover all your needs such as surgeries, hospital stays, out-patient treatments, specialist visits, and physical therapy. You could also receive funds for any medical devices you need for your recovery, such as prostheses, crutches, or a wheelchair, and others. You may also receive costs for any in-home nursing care.
Loss of Income
When accident victims suffer catastrophic injuries, they may be absent from work for a long time. In some cases, they may never be able to return to their career. If this has happened to you, you could potentially receive compensation for any loss or reduction of income. This can also include loss of future income as well as future earning capacity.
Out-of-Pocket Expenses
It is likely that you will have a number of out-of-pocket expenses after a serious accident, including transportation costs, a rental car, and potentially others. You should receive compensation for any costs connected to your accident.
Pain and Anguish
If you suffered extensive injuries and had to endure painful medical treatments, you could receive awards for emotional as well as physical pain and suffering.
Property Damage
That at-fault party should compensate you for any property damage suffered in an accident. This can include your car, motorcycle, bike, or any other property damage.
You may be able to recover other types of compensation, depending on your specific bus or truck accident. Your Bartlett bus truck accident lawyer can advise you on any compensation that may be due to you.
For a free legal consultation with a Bus Accidents Lawyer serving Bartlett, call (800) 794-0444
Contact Us Now
Do not let a negligent driver or company get away with causing your injuries and damages, or those of your loved ones. Contact us for a free case evaluation today to find out if you have a claim. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm for help and speak to one of our team members now at (800) 223-5115.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form