Monterey Bus Accident Lawyers

Whether you were a passenger on a bus or in another vehicle hit by a bus that was involved in an accident, you have a legal right to pursue compensation from the at-fault party if you were injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault. However, navigating legal claims involving the government or a large corporation can be difficult without legal representation. An experienced Monterey bus accident lawyer from Allen Law Firm can discuss your legal rights and options during a free case review. Contact us today to learn more.

How a Monterey Bus Accident Lawyer Can Help

Bus accidents tend to cause severe injuries. When you’re already suffering from such serious injuries, it can be daunting to try to handle a complex legal claim on your own. A Monterey bus accident lawyer can help by taking on all the legal details of your case so you can focus on what matters: your health and recovery.

An experienced attorney can help with a bus accident claim by:

Answering your legal questions
Explaining various laws that apply to your case and how they can affect it
Investigating your accident to identify all at-fault parties and legal theories for compensation
Gathering and preserving valuable evidence to prove your claim, including black boxes, onboard video cameras, traffic camera footage, witness statements, and accident reports
Handling communications with insurance companies and defendants or their attorneys
Handling the insurance claims process for you, including making your claim
Calculating the full value of your damages
Driving settlement negotiations to fight for fair compensation
Taking your case to court, if necessary

You can learn more about how we can help when you call for a free, no-obligation consultation. Because we operate on a contingency basis, there are no upfront costs, and you only pay for our legal services if we recover compensation on your behalf. Call today to get started with your legal claim.

Types of Buses Involved in Accidents

Various types of buses can be involved in accidents in Monterey, California, including the following:

Monterey-Salinas Transit buses
Groome Transportation buses
Long-distance buses, such as Greyhound
Tour buses
Shuttle buses
School buses
Church buses

If you or your child was injured in an accident involving any of these buses, reach out today for legal assistance. You may have a limited period of time to provide notice of your claim, so don’t delay.

Common Bus Accident Injuries

Passengers in buses can experience serious injuries because they may not have seatbelts, and other passengers can become projectiles in the event of a collision. Occupants in smaller passenger vehicles can also endure severe injuries due to the significant size difference between them and the much larger bus. Bus accident victims may suffer various catastrophic injuries, such as:

Traumatic brain injuries
Spinal cord injuries
Facial injuries
Dental trauma
Back and neck injuries
Arm and hand injuries
Leg and foot injuries
Shoulder injuries
Internal injuries
Severe burns
Fractured bones and other orthopedic injuries
Soft tissue injuries

Be sure that you seek medical attention immediately if you suffer these or other serious injuries. Then, reach out to Allen Law Firm for legal assistance.

Common Carrier Laws and Bus Accidents

Most buses are classified as common carriers under California law. Under these laws, bus drivers and companies “must carry passengers or property safely. Common carriers must use the highest care and the vigilance of a very cautious person. They must do all that human care, vigilance, and foresight reasonably can do under the circumstances to avoid harm to passengers or property.” This heightened duty of care requires common carriers to:

Ensure all drivers have adequate training and are knowledgeable about the safe operation of the vehicle
Maintain the vehicle appropriately and ensure that it is in good working order
Maintain the safety of passengers by operating the vehicle appropriately
Remain attentive to their passengers’ needs and protect them from harm
Accommodate passengers with disabilities or the elderly
Advise passengers of known threats or dangers
Remove unruly, disruptive passengers who are a potential risk to others

If the bus driver or company violated any of these or other rules they are subject to and you were injured as a result, you may have a viable claim for compensation.

Common Causes of California Bus Accidents

While bus accidents can occur for many of the same reasons as typical motor vehicle accidents (such as drunk driving, running red lights, or disobeying traffic signs), there are special factors that can contribute to bus accidents, including the following:

Distracted driving caused as a result of being in contact with dispatchers, listening to instructions or information on GPS devices, or loud or unruly passengers
Driver fatigue due to bus drivers working long, hard hours, often beginning in the early morning and ending in the late evening
Speeding to keep on schedule, since speeding makes it more difficult for a large vehicle like a bus to come to a complete stop once the driver recognizes a hazard
Unsafe merging or changing lanes since buses have much larger blind spots than passenger vehicles
Unsafe loading or unloading, such as if a driver pulls away before a passenger properly boards the bus or is seated, or doesn’t look for passengers who recently disembarked when they pull away from the stop
Mechanical issues caused by auto defects or inadequate maintenance

Getting to the bottom of a bus crash often requires a thorough investigation. An experienced legal team can conduct this type of investigation, potentially obtaining digital evidence and findings from accident reconstruction experts.

Who Is Responsible for Bus Accidents?

The circumstances surrounding the accident will dictate who is responsible for it. Some possible parties include:

Bus drivers who speed, drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or otherwise violate traffic laws
Employers who are generally responsible for the negligence of their employees
Bus companies, which are responsible for hiring qualified drivers, properly vetting them, training them, and maintaining vehicles
Public transit companies, when the bus involved was operated by a governmental entity
Private bus operators, when the bus involved was not operated by public entities
School districts, when the accident involved a school bus
Maintenance contractors, when mechanical problems contributed to the accident
Other negligent motorists

Our California bus accident lawyers can conduct a thorough investigation to determine who is responsible for your injuries and prepare a legal strategy designed to hold them liable.

Financial Compensation You Can Recover After a Bus Crash

Public transit bus accidents can cause severe injuries that lead to long-term disabilities. Injured individuals may have to undergo a long physical rehabilitation regimen. Their ability to earn a living could be compromised, and they could suffer from chronic pain.

An experienced personal injury lawyer from Allen Law Firm can work closely with you to determine the full extent of your damages and demand maximum compensation for your accident-related injuries and losses, including:

Medical costs for emergency medical treatment,
Ongoing medical care
Future medical expenses
Lost wages
Property damage
Reduced earning capacity
Physical pain and suffering
Mental anguish
Emotional distress
Reduced quality of life

Evidence in Bus Accident Cases

To recover compensation for the injuries you suffered in a bus accident in Monterey, CA, you must be able to prove how the accident happened and why it was the bus driver’s, the company’s, or another party’s fault. An experienced attorney can conduct a thorough investigation to obtain and compile evidence to establish fault, such as:

Police reports
A history of traffic violations against the bus driver
Bus maintenance records
Dash cam and onboard camera footage
Photos of the accident scene
Event data recorders
Cell phone records
Reports from accident reconstruction specialists
Witness statements

Additionally, you will need evidence of the damages you suffered. We can help gather strong evidence to present to insurance carriers to establish the full extent of your injuries. This evidence may consist of:

Medical bills
Statements from your medical providers about any long-term disability that you suffered or your prognosis
Other medical records, such as diagnostic test results, doctor’s notes, and prescription receipts
Injury documentation related to your lost income
Daily pain journal entries detailing your pain, suffering, and psychological distress

Let us leverage our legal experience and insight in these types of cases by identifying, gathering, and preserving the evidence necessary to establish your personal injury claim. Contact Allen Law Firm for legal help during this difficult time.

Legal Complicating Factors for Bus Accident Cases

Public transportation and bus accident cases can be much more complicated than a typical car accident case for the following reasons:

Sovereign Immunity

Sovereign immunity is a legal concept that stands for the premise that the government cannot be sued. This legal doctrine sometimes protects the government or its employees from civil liability. For example, if your child was injured in a school bus accident, this legal concept could apply.

However, the government can consent to be sued, which it may do in cases involving negligence.

Different Rules

Whenever you are suing the government, different rules may apply. For example, you are typically subject to much stricter statutes of limitations that require you to file a lawsuit much sooner than if you were injured in an accident caused by a private individual or business. Additionally, you may be required to provide a written notice of your claim that details the accident and your damages. Making mistakes with these rules could bar you from seeking compensation for your injuries.

Federal Regulations

Buses are actually under the purview of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which is most known for regulating commercial truck operations. Being able to point to a violation of a federal rule may be able to help establish a case for negligence per se. Working with a lawyer experienced in handling truck accidents can give you a strategic advantage, as they will be familiar with the rules that are most often violated in this context.

Multiple Insurance Claims

Bus accidents may injure many people in the same incident. This could lead to multiple injured individuals filing insurance claims at the same time. Insurance adjusters may try to minimize the value of each claim to protect their employer’s interests. Also, there will only be so much insurance coverage to go around, so you could find it difficult to obtain fair compensation without the help of an experienced attorney.

Statute of Limitations for Bus Accident Claims

The statute of limitations provides claim deadlines. If an injured party does not file a lawsuit within the time provided by law, any subsequent case that they file can be dismissed as untimely.

The particular statute of limitations for a bus accident claim will depend on the circumstances and the parties involved. Typically, the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits is two years from the date of injury. Claims against California governmental entities – such as cities that operate the bus for mass transit or school districts – must be filed within six months.

Working with an experienced lawyer can help safeguard your rights. Lawyers can file your legal claims before the applicable deadline expires.

Contact Our Monterey Bus Accident Lawyer for Legal Guidance

The compassionate Monterey bus accident attorneys at Allen Law Firm understand the significance of a serious injury suffered in this type of accident. We work to hold common carriers and other at-fault parties responsible for the harm they cause through their negligence. We can discuss your legal rights and answer your questions during a free case review. Contact us today for your free consultation.

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