Florida has about 60,000 registered buses across the state. If you’ve spent any time on the roads, you’ve likely seen tour buses, public transit vehicles, and other types of buses. While these can be a comfortable way to travel, accidents involving these vehicles are devastating. 

If you’ve been involved in a bus accident, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Bus accident lawyers in Hollywood, FL can help you pursue fair compensation so you can start rebuilding.

If you’d like to speak to a bus accident lawyer in Hollywood, contact Flaxman Law Group. Our boutique law firm offers a compassionate approach. With over 60 years of combined experience, our father-son attorney team is ready to help, ensuring you understand your rights and options. Our goal is to make the process as stress-free as possible, from the initial consultation to the resolution of your case.

Common Causes of Bus Accidents

Bus accidents, although less frequent than car crashes, can result in devastating consequences due to the size and weight of buses and the number of passengers involved.

Bus drivers are expected to get plenty of training, and most have years of experience on the road. Despite this, bus accidents do happen. The most common causes are: 

• Driver error. Driver fatigue, speeding, or inattention are significant contributors to many bus accidents. While we may call these “errors,” drivers can be held accountable if they are negligent when operating their vehicle.
• Poor road conditions. Potholes, construction zones, poor signage, and other problems can cause bus collisions. Uneven surfaces, for example, can cause a bus to rollover due to its higher center of gravity.
• Vehicle malfunctions. Mechanical issues or a company’s failure to maintain the bus can lead to accidents.
• Bus design. Since buses are larger, they take longer to come to a complete stop. They also have many more blind spots than a passenger car, which can create a risk for accidents. Bus drivers are required to take more care to account for the design of buses.
• Other road users. A motorcycle accident can happen if a motorcyclist cuts in front of a bus, for example. Drivers may fail to yield for a bus, may be driving distracted, or may otherwise be acting recklessly, and this can lead to a collision even if a bus driver is obeying the rules of the road.

Getting answers about what caused your accident can bring you closure. It can also help you get fair compensation. If your bus accident was caused by someone acting negligently, you may have a right to compensation, so finding out the cause can be essential to determining if you have a claim.

Bus accident lawyers in Hollywood, FL can help you get answers. For example, the legal team at Flaxman Law Group work with accident reconstruction experts, engineers, investigators, and other professionals who can find out why an accident happened and who can gather evidence to strengthen your case.

Types of Bus Accidents

No two bus accidents are the same, but they can be grouped generally into categories, each with their own challenges if you decide to file a claim. Common types of bus accidents include:

• Rollovers. Due to their high center of gravity, buses are prone to rollovers, which can cause significant harm to passengers, especially when the bus is making sharp turns or is involved in high-speed collisions.
• Rear-end collisions. Buses may be involved in rear-end accidents when drivers fail to maintain safe following distances, especially in heavy traffic.
• Side impact accidents. These accidents often happen when another vehicle hits the side of the bus.
• Pedestrian accidents. Buses, particularly those that stop frequently, may strike pedestrians or cyclists, often causing fatal or catastrophic injuries.
• Multiple vehicle accidents. Due to their size, buses can crash into multiple vehicles or pedestrians before coming to a full stop. In a bus accident, this can create multiple moments of impact, increasing the risk of injury. When multiple vehicles or individuals are involved, it’s also more challenging to find all liable parties since there may be multiple drivers whose actions contributed to the crash.
• Accidents with other vehicles. Buses don’t just collide with cars. Truck accidents involving buses can happen because both vehicles have large blind spots. Buses can also collide with motorcycles and other users of the road.
• Charter bus and tour bus accidents. Tour buses and charter buses can be more complicated because there can be more parties involved. For example, a school may have hired a bus company to drive students to the event, and the company may have hired a third-party driver. In the event there’s a bus accident, the school and bus company will likely point fingers at each other.
• Mass transit accidents. Public transit is usually overseen by a government entity, and governments enjoy added protection from lawsuits. If you’re in a mass transit accident, you likely have less time to file a claim.

Each of these accidents can result in slightly different claims. In some cases, you may even have a workers’ compensation claim after a bus accident, if you were driving or riding a bus as part of your work duties.

It’s important to work with bus accident lawyers in Hollywood, FL who have worked on similar cases. At Flaxman Law Group, for example, our attorneys have more than 60 years of combined experience and have worked with thousands of clients.

In addition, our father-son attorney team worked with insurance companies early in their careers. They know how bus company insurance companies may try to deny your claim and are ready to pursue your rights to compensation.