Bus Accident Injuries

In large urban areas like Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Santa Barbara, many people rely on buses to transport them to work, to school, to appointments, and for other errands and activities. Thousands of individuals every day board city buses, school buses, smaller commuter buses, and long distance buses, such as Greyhound and tourist buses. When doing so, these thousands of individuals are relying on the competence and safety measures taken by bus drivers and the bus companies who employ them, train them, and service and maintain their vehicles. When a driver or bus company employee acts in a negligent manner, whether it is failing to properly maintain equipment, driving too fast, following too closely, or some other negligent action or inaction, accidents may occur in which passengers and other motorists are injured or even killed. Thus bus drivers and bus companies are ultimately responsible for the safety of passengers they transport as well as others on the road, which often entails a large number of people at any given time. Safety, therefore, should be one of their primary commitments.

In a bus accident, passengers on the bus can be harmed through the sudden impact of a collision, such as being thrown to the floor, against seats, windows, and rails, and other objects. Without seat belts, it is highly likely that bus passengers will sustain injuries in a bus crash. Others may be hurt as well, including the driver and passengers of any other vehicle involved, or bicyclists, motorcyclists, or pedestrians caught in harm's way in a bus accident.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, most bus accidents occur in urban areas. About 1,000 persons are injured every year in intercity and cross-country bus accidents. The majority of these accidents have been determined to be caused by negligence on the part of the bus driver, the bus company, or another driver.

How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

In the aftermath of a bus accident, you may be seriously injured and unable to attend to the legal details involved in an injury claim. An experienced attorney can investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding the bus accident to determine all of the factors which led to the occurrence of such an event. At the Law Offices of Haleh Shekarchian, we may spend a significant time in investigating these factors, including using professionals such as accident reconstruction experts and others who can shed light on who may be responsible for an accident. Where negligence has occurred, whether a driver's negligence, negligence of the bus company, the bus manufacturer, or a governmental agency, legal responsibility and liability may ensue.

Our firm can also assist with your claim by thoroughly documenting your medical expenses, what your potential future medical care may be, your lost earnings, future potential loss of earnings, and other impacts on your life and future. We have considerable experience in dealing with all of these repercussions of an accident and in dealing with claims against large companies or corporations and their insurance carriers. We are not afraid to aggressively pursue justice for our clients, whether through negotiated settlements, or through courtroom litigation if that is the best course of action to take for a fair financial recovery.

If you have been injured in a bus accident in the greater Southern California area, such as in the counties of Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura, or Santa Barbara, let our firm work to fully document and manage your injury case and to aggressively fight on your behalf for damages that reflect the full extent of your injuries.