Alabama Bus Accident Attorney
In 2018 alone, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) estimates that there were more than 15,000 bus accidents in the United States, and at least 27,000 people were injured. Bus accidents can happen anytime, anywhere, and may involve charter busses, school busses, and public transit busses, among others.
Pedestrians and bicyclists may also sustain serious injuries after being involved in a bus accident. If you or a loved one was injured or killed in a bus accident, you and your family could be entitled to compensation from the responsible party. Find out more about how bus accident claims work from Brian Plant, an experienced Lerner and Rowe Alabama bus accident attorney.
What Are The Causes of Alabama Bus Accidents?
Like Alabama car accidents, bus accidents are most often the result of driver error or negligence. Contributing factors to Alabama bus injury accidents may also include:
- Distracted driving (by the bus driver or other drivers on the road)
- Fatigued or drowsy driving
- Driving under the influence of alcohol, illicit drugs, or certain prescription medications
- Poor road conditions, such as heavy construction or old infrastructure
- Bad weather, such as rain, snow, sleet, or fog
- Defective bus equipment which leads to mechanical failure
- Lack of proper bus maintenance
- Unequal weight distribution, which can affect vehicle stability
In some cases, bus accidents are also more likely to result in catastrophic injury or wrongful death due to a lack of standardized bus safety features such as seatbelts.
What to Do If You Are in a Bus Accident
Because they aren’t as common as car accidents, most people don’t ever expect to be injured in a bus crash. If you find yourself in a bus accident, the most important thing you can do is ensure your own safety by seeking medical attention as soon as possible. If you can, try to document your injuries and the accident scene, and talk to witnesses. Both ambulances and police should be called to transport the injured and file an official accident report.
If you’ve been seriously injured, your top concerns are probably how long you’ll be in the hospital, if you’ll make a full recovery, and how you’ll afford your medical bills or make up for your lost wages. In cases like these, an Alabama bus accident attorney can assist you in gathering the necessary evidence to file a claim and get you the compensation you need.
Most importantly, bus accident injury victims should be prepared to hear from bus insurance carriers, many of whom will try to offer a settlement much lower than what you are actually entitled to. You should always talk to an experienced attorney before talking with or accepting a settlement offer from any insurance company.
Do I Really Need An Alabama Bus Accident Attorney?
While you might not always need a lawyer for minor motor vehicle accidents in which there were no injuries and little property damage, an Alabama bus accident attorney can mean the difference between a low-ball settlement offer and the compensation you actually deserve for your lost wages, pain and suffering, and medical bills.
When you’ve already suffered a debilitating injury, dealing with insurance companies and their legal jargon can be overwhelming. When you consult with a lawyer at Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys, your focus can remain where it should be: on recovery. Our Alabama lawyer Brian Plant and support legal team will handle everything else, from gathering evidence, calculating how much you’re actually owed, and standing up to the big insurance companies on your behalf.
That said, we understand that hiring a personal injury lawyer is a big decision, and one that shouldn’t be made lightly. That’s why we offer all prospective clients a free, no obligation consultation to review the details of your case and help you decide if pursuing a bus accident claim is right for you.
Call us anytime day or night at 844-977-1900 to arrange your complimentary case review. Have questions? Talk to one of our LiveChat agents who are standing by 24/7. You can even request your no cost case review online by submitting this form.
Best of all, you won’t pay us a penny unless we make a financial recovery on your behalf.