Bus Accident FAQ

• What Is a Bus Accident?
• Why Do Bus Accidents Usually Happen?
• Where Do Most Bus Accidents Happen?
• What Injuries Are Common in Bus Accidents?
• How Can I Reduce My Risk of Injuries in a Bus Accident?
• What Should I Do If I’m in a Bus Accident?
• Who Is Liable and How Much Can I Recover?
• Can I Sue as a Pedestrian or Bicyclist?
• Can I Sue If I’m Assaulted on a Bus?
• Will My Bus Accident Case Go to Court?
• Why Do I Need an Experienced Bus Accident Claims Attorney?

Buses transport South Florida residents all over the region. City buses take commuters where they want to go while chartered and tour buses transport tourists to major local attractions. School buses get children to and from school, and shuttle buses are a way to get to airports or tourist sites.

While bus accidents are rarer than car collisions, they are devastating when they occur. Flaxman Law Group has put together this FAQ to answer the most common questions people have about bus collisions. If you have been injured while riding a bus and need more personalized help, you can schedule a free, no obligation consultation with a bus accident attorney. Just call 866-352-9626 or contact us online to schedule your consultation.

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A bus collision is a crash between a bus and another user of the road. It can involve pedestrians, trucks, cars, or others. In some cases, bus accident injury claims also result from on-board injuries. For example, if a bus brakes too quickly and passengers are injured, this can lead to a claim.

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Bus accidents can happen for many reasons:

• Driver inattention
• Poor driver training
• Distraction
• Drivers under the influence
• Human error
• Other users of the road being negligent
• Violence on board the bus
• Poor security on the bus
• Mechanical defects
• Insufficient bus maintenance
• Road design

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Florida is fourth in the nation when it comes to bus accidents. The good news is that most city buses remain on city streets, so collisions involving these vehicles tend to not involve high speeds. For these buses, collisions commonly happen at intersections and when the bus is pulling out of a bus lane or away from a bus stop. However, shuttle buses and other tourist buses can sometimes also be involved in higher-speed accidents on highways.

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With the exception of some smaller shuttle buses, buses usually do not have passenger air bags, which reduces the protection to occupants in a collision. In addition, people and objects (such as luggage) on a bus can collide or become airborne in an accident, which can put passengers at risk of many serious injuries, including:

• Head injuries
• Spinal cord and back injuries
• Contusions and abrasions
• Scarring
• Fractures
• Amputations
• Whiplash and soft tissue injuries
• Internal injuries
• Fatalities

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You can reduce your risk of injuries by choosing bus tour companies carefully. Look into the owners and any safety measures the company takes, as well as past accidents. No matter what kind of bus you’re on, you can stay safer by:

• Becoming familiar with safety features of the bus, including emergency exits or seat belts (if possible)
• Sitting within sight of the driver, if possible
• Securing any items, such as backpacks or luggage
• Avoiding distraction so you can focus on personal safety
• Sitting down or holding onto a secure bar to maintain your balance

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If you’re in a bus accident, the bus driver, if he or she is able to, will go through the emergency procedure. Follow his or her directions. If the bus driver is incapacitated, stay calm and exit the bus if it is safe to do so. Get emergency help for anyone who is seriously injured. After your accident, you may also want to:

Report any criminal activity to the police

Take photos of the scene and note down the bus number, the time, and the bus driver’s name

Get the contact information of any other passengers and witnesses, if you can

Report the incident to the bus company

Contact a bus accident injury claims attorney in Hollywood or your community so you have someone to negotiate for compensation for you

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In many cases, there may be multiple liable parties after a bus accident. Other drivers on the road may be partly liable, and the bus owner or operator as well as the bus driver may be partly at fault. Even the manufacturer of the bus may be held liable if their faulty product design contributed to the accident. One challenge with city bus accidents, however, is that city buses may be the property of a municipality and in Florida there are limits to civil claims against governments and government agencies. Working with an experienced personal injury attorney can help you uncover all liable parties.

An attorney can also help you determine how much your claim may be worth. In Florida, if someone’s negligence caused your bus accident injuries, you may be able to seek compensation for lost wages, medical costs, property damage, pain and suffering, and other losses related to your injuries. The more severe and life-changing your injuries, the more you may be able to recover.

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Yes. If you are walking or biking and a bus strikes you, you can seek compensation for lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, property damage, and other losses if someone else’s negligence led to your injuries.

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Yes. If you can prove negligence or insufficient security allowed the assault to happen, you may have a claim against the owner of the bus, the driver, and the assailant. Even if the assailant is not caught, you may have a claim against the company who owns the bus or the tour operator. This type of situation can be more complex, which is why you may want to speak with an experienced bus accident injury claims attorney, who can evaluate your situation and help you understand whether you have a claim.

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In many cases, bus accident claims may be settled out of court. However, an experienced attorney is willing to take your case before a judge, if that is the best way to get compensation for your injuries.

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An experienced attorney has knowledge about the law and about cases similar to yours, so he or she is ready to pursue compensation for you. When you work with a bus accident claims attorney, your attorney will investigate the accident to determine the liable parties and the value of your claim. Your attorney will file all the paperwork and will follow the correct process for your claim, so your claim is not thrown out.

One important role your attorney plays is to negotiate. An experienced attorney understands the tactics insurance companies and other parties use to try to pay you less compensation, and this means your attorney is prepared to counter those strategies to get you fair compensation.

For example, the legal team at Flaxman Law Group has more than 60 years of combined experience. We have negotiated with many insurers over the years and have taken cases before the courts, recovering over $100 million for our clients. We understand a serious traffic accident can change your life and our goal is to help you understand your legal options so you can make decisions about your future from a position of strength.

Our team offers contingency fee arrangements, so you don’t have to pay unless and until we win compensation for you. We also offer no-cost, no obligation consultations. Just call Flaxman Law Group at 866-352-9626 or contact us online to schedule your free accident consultation.

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