Although a bus accident is a type of motor vehicle accident, determining who is responsible, meeting deadlines, and pursuing fair compensation for your injuries can be much more complicated than it is in a typical car accident case. That’s why it’s to your advantage to talk with a Brooklyn bus accident lawyer as soon as possible after your accident.
Types of New York Bus Accident Injuries
Bus accident injuries can occur in many different ways. Some of the most common bus accident cases arise when:
- A pedestrian is struck by a bus
- A bicyclist is struck by a bus
- A bus collides with a car or other motor vehicle
- A passenger on a bus is injured due to driver negligence
- A passenger on a bus is injured due to faulty maintenance
For a free legal consultation, call (212) 540-2984
Complications Associated with Bus Accident Cases
Determining Liability in a Bus Accident Case
The party or parties responsible for a bus accident may be private companies, individuals, governmental entities, or some combination. For example, you might assume that if a public school child is injured in a school bus accident, the school district or local government would be responsible. However, school districts often contract with outside providers to transport children, meaning that the bus company may be partially or wholly responsible.
Similar issues may arise with regard to buses rented or chartered by individuals, private companies, or non-profit organizations.
Safety Regulations May Vary Depending on the Type of Bus Involved
The standard of care and specific safety regulations for maintenance, driver training and operation may vary depending on whether the bus is privately owned and operated, part of the New York public transportation system or a school bus or bus serving a school district. An experienced bus accident lawyer can determine which party or parties may be liable for the accident, and the applicable legal responsibilities.
Short Deadlines May Apply in Bus Accident Cases
When you’ve suffered any type of injury due to someone else’s negligence, recklessness or disregard of the law, it’s smart to seek advice from a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Although the statute of limitations for most personal injury cases in New York is measured in years, when a governmental entity such as a school district or the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is involved, the time limit for filing a notice of claim may be measured in days. A delay in consulting with a bus accident lawyer could mean that you are unable to recover for some or all of your damages.
Dansker and Aspromonte Helps Bus Accident Victims
Our attorneys are experienced in representing people who have been injured in bus accidents or have lost loved ones in bus accidents. For example:
- Paul Dansker tried a case involving the death of a developmentally disabled young man who was hit by a city bus, ultimately settling the claim for $3.5 million.
- Attorney Dansker also used accident reconstruction and old-fashioned door-to-door investigative techniques to recover $2.8 million for a woman severely injured by a private transportation company vehicle.
If you’ve been injured, your child has been injured or you’ve lost a loved one in a bus accident, don’t delay. To schedule a free consultation with an experienced bus accident lawyer, call our office at (212) 540-2984 or fill out the contact form on the right-hand side of this page.