Bus Accident Lawyers Fighting for Victims in New York and New Jersey
Have you been injured in a New York or New Jersey bus accident? Contact the bus accident lawyers at Metro Law to explore your legal options and right to compensation.
The New York and New Jersey school bus accident attorneys of Metro Law will thoroughly investigate the factors contributing to a school bus accident to better understand who should be held liable. You may be able to file a claim against the bus company to recover compensation for your damages.
If you were a passenger on a bus that was involved in an accident, the bus company, whether public or private, owes you the “utmost duty of care” associated with being a common carrier. This “duty of utmost care” is higher than the duty owed by the bus company to drivers of other vehicles and pedestrians.
Because we entrust them with our children’s safety and lives, school bus drivers must abide by all transportation laws, including laws that prohibit speeding and consuming alcohol before or while driving. In addition, companies that maintain public transportation vehicles like buses are liable for the safety of their vehicles. If you or your child has been injured in a school bus accident, we can help.
For decades, Metro Law’s personal injury lawyers have fought aggressively to protect the legal rights of victims harmed in accidents due to the negligence of others. Our team can meet with you at your earliest convenience to review the circumstances surrounding your crash and identify all liable parties.
We will build the strongest case possible to get you justice and hold negligent parties accountable. Contact our bus accident lawyers in New Jersey today to get started on your case.
How Serious are Bus Accidents?
School bus accidents can be the most tragic of all motor vehicle accidents due to the inherent involvement of young children. As a result, substantial damages are often an issue in cases of this type, and vigorous representation is required to bring all responsible parties to justice.
School bus accidents can be caused by such contributing factors as driver negligence, dangerous roads, weather conditions, defective products, and improper maintenance, among others. These accidents may lead to death or serious physical injuries such as:
- Head injuries
- Burn injuries
- Brain and spinal cord injuries
- Herniated discs
- Concussions
- Cuts, scrapes, and abrasions
- Sprained or torn ligaments
- Fractured bones
- Amputations
- Internal injuries
A school bus accident can impact the lives of victims and their families. Depending on the severity of the accident, victims may need to undergo surgery or visit numerous specialists. Treatment for school bus-related injuries may be expensive and cause financial stress on a family. If you retain a skilled bus accident injury lawyer, you may be able to recover monetary compensation for your injuries and other accident-related costs.
Common Causes of Bus Accidents
Although New Jersey bus accidents can take place for a variety of reasons, we often see various patterns between them. Some of the most common causes of crashes Metro Law’s bus accident attorneys have helped victims with claims for surrounding crashes caused by:
- Drivers who are impaired
- Drivers who are distracted
- Dangerous driving conditions
- Product liability and malfunctioning parts
- Reckless driving behaviors
These and other actions continue to cause severe injuries to people sharing the roads. If you have been injured as a result of another driver’s reckless, negligent, or malicious actions, you must act quickly to protect your legal rights.
Recoverable Damages for Your Bus Accident
If you have been harmed in a bus accident due to the actions of another driver it is imperative that you reach out to a bus accident attorney in New Jersey to ensure you are able to recover the maximum amount of compensation available for your injuries and damages. The bus accident lawyers at Metro Law firmly believe victims deserve to recover from their accidents and hold wrongdoers accountable. Some of the most common damages our law firm helps victims collect compensation for include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Property damages
- The costs of all past, current, and anticipated medical treatment for their injuries
- Long-term therapy or treatment costs
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity
- Punitive damages
Metro Law’s seasoned legal team is committed to helping you get the compensation you need and deserve after being harmed in a bus accident. Our lawyers will put together the strongest case possible on your behalf as we pursue legal action against negligent parties.
Liability for Bus Accidents
In the New York City area, bus drivers are expected to provide a duty of care to passengers and to other drivers sharing the road. If you choose to use a bus for transportation you should expect to have:
- Bus drivers who are responsible and considerate of others sharing the road.
- Drivers who are licensed, trained, and qualified to operate the vehicles.
- Drivers who are able to maintain control over their vehicles.
- Safe entrances and exits for you to pass through on the bus.
- Effective security measures to ensure your safety.
- An immediate response should any problems arise.
Although we want to believe that all riders are safe while utilizing buses in our area, there are many circumstances that place the lives of riders at risk. Drivers who fail to adhere to their duty of care can be held liable for any resulting damages to victims. In New York and New Jersey, there are various parties who can be held liable for bus accidents. These include:
Bus drivers: The person who is in charge of operating the bus can be held liable for resulting injuries and damages to victims of accidents. When drivers are impaired, drowsy, speeding, or engaging in other acts of negligence, they assume liability for any and all damages that may occur as a result of their actions.
Transit Compensation: Depending on the circumstances surrounding your crash, you may be able to pursue legal action against the transit company. There are numerous crashes that occur due to companies failing to maintain or inspect their vehicles. In other cases, companies hire drivers who are entirely unqualified to operate the vehicles.
School boards and districts: When school buses are involved in crashes, there are various parties who can be held liable for resulting injuries. There are many instances where school bus crashes take place due to improper maintenance, negligent hiring practices, and the lack of enforcing safety standards.
Manufacturers: When bus crashes take place due to defective or malfunctioning parties, manufacturers and various parties who participate in the design, manufacturing, or distribution of these products can be held liable.
Municipal Entities: When bus crashes involve city buses, the city, county, and even state government may be held liable for your resulting injuries and damages. Claims against municipalities often have a stricter statute of limitations, so it is crucial that you act quickly to take legal action.
Third-party drivers: There are instances where bus crashes take place due to the negligence of other motorists sharing the road. These parties can be held liable for their actions in crashes.
Tour Operators: There are many instances where people are harmed in bus accidents operated by tour bus companies. Quite often, riders purchase tour packages that include bus transportation. Whether you are heading to New York City’s Chinatown, or to one of Atlantic City’s casinos, it is crucial that you are able to make it to your destination safely. If you are harmed in an accident involving a tour bus, the operator or driver of the bus can be held liable for any resulting injuries and damages.
Dealing with the legal processes surrounding bus accidents can be intimidating to victims. Most accident victims have never had to deal with bus companies and their insurance providers and may be unaware of what to do moving forward. For this reason, our bus accident lawyers at Metro Law are committed to helping you hold wrongdoers accountable.
Our lawyers will investigate your crash, identify all liable parties, and pursue timely legal actions against them to help you maximize your financial recoveries.
Leading Causes of Bus Accidents in New Jersey
Like other types of crashes, bus accidents can take place for a variety of reasons. In many instances, drivers engage in reckless actions that cause life-changing crashes. Some of the leading causes of bus accidents we see include:
- Drivers who operate their vehicles while impaired by drugs or alcohol
- Drivers who engage in reckless driving behaviors
- Drivers who are inexperienced
- Drivers who are not familiar with the roadways
- Traveling in urban areas
- Inclement weather conditions
- Poorly maintained road conditions
- Obstructions in the roadway
- Construction issues
- Problems with weight distribution on the bus
- Driving at a high rate of speed
- Drivers who fail to yield the right of way
- Running red lights or passing stop signs
These and other acts of negligence continue to cause harm to victims every day across our state. When people are harmed in bus accidents, they must reach out to our personal injury lawyers at Metro Law as soon as possible. Our team is committed to helping each client we work with maximize the amount of compensation they recover for their legal claims.
Available Compensation for Bus Accident Victims
After being involved in a bus accident, you must avoid signing any forms presented to you by the driver, Transit Company, or any insurance company. Quite often, these parties will attempt to persuade victims into accepting minimal financial settlements. Accepting a settlement of any type can prevent you from taking legal action.
Offers presented to victims often fail to provide them with the compensation they need to adequately cover their resulting damages. Instead, victims are encouraged to seek the assistance of a skilled and aggressive bus accident lawyer as soon as possible. Injured victims are often able to take legal action against one or more liable parties to get the justice they deserve.
People who are harmed in bus accidents are often able to recover compensation to help alleviate the financial burdens they face. Our team at Metro Law is committed to helping each person we work with collect the maximum amount of compensation available to them for various economic and non-economic damages, including:
- Lost earning potential
- Lost wages
- Loss of benefits
- Loss of consortium
- Mental anguish
- Pain and suffering
- Medical costs
- Long-term care expenses
- Vehicle repairs (whenever applicable)
- Disfigurements
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Our lawyers will gather and analyze the evidence surrounding your accident to build the strongest legal case possible. We will aggressively negotiate full and timely compensation to ensure you are able to get the care you need and move forward from your crash in the best position possible. Contact our bus accident lawyers at Metro Law as soon as possible to get started on your case.
Metro Law Can Help You Get Justice
Every day, over 150 people throughout New Jersey are hospitalized for injuries sustained from motor vehicle accidents. These accidents often result in debilitating injuries that force victims into area hospitals for weeks as they go through surgery, therapy, and various other treatments.
Our team at Metro Law has helped victims get the compensation they deserve for their accidents for over four decades. Our competent personal injury attorneys are committed to helping victims gain the best position possible to move forward after devastating collisions and tend to their financial burdens so they can focus on getting better.
We fight to ensure those harmed collect the maximum amount of compensation available and protect their legal rights and best interests. For a free consultation with us, call 973-344-6587.