Who Is Responsible for a Bus Accident?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that over 60,000 bus accidents occur in the U.S. annually. If you’re ever involved in one, consider hiring a catastrophic accident lawyer to help take legal action against the party responsible for your bus crash. This may make it possible for you to make a quicker recovery from your accident injuries.

Determining liability in a bus accident case isn’t always easy. Any number of parties may have demonstrated negligence and led to your bus crash taking place.

So, who could be to blame for an accident involving a bus? Check out several potential options below and begin working through them with the personal injury lawyer you bring on board to provide legal representation.

Bus Driver

When you’re first wondering who may have been to blame for a bus accident you were in, the first person you’ll likely consider is the bus driver who was behind the wheel at the time of your crash. They might be held responsible for an accident if they showed any signs of negligence.

A bus driver may receive the bulk of the blame for an accident if they caused your crash by:

• Speeding
• Performing improper driving maneuvers
• Driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol

A bus driver might also come under fire if they were distracted by their smartphone, their GPS, or even the passengers they were transporting during an accident.

Bus Company

In the immediate aftermath of a bus accident, it’s only natural for a bus driver to shoulder some of the blame, at least at first. But they aren’t the only party placed under a microscope during a bus crash investigation.

The bus company that employs the driver involved in the accident might also share responsibility. You may include a company in an accident claim if you can prove it:

• Fails to provide its bus drivers with adequate training
• Neglects to perform the necessary maintenance and repairs on buses in its fleet
• Hires bus drivers without conducting enough background checks

Vicarious liability is a legal concept that sometimes applies to bus crash cases. This means that attorneys can hold an employer responsible for a bus driver’s actions.

Proving bus company responsibility is tricky from a legal perspective, so those who plan to go this route must work with lawyers experienced in this particular aspect of personal law. The lawyer you hire to help with your case should know the ins and outs of common carrier duty and how it factors into the equation to build a compelling case.

Another Driver

Buses are much larger than the average passenger car. Because of this, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to hear that many people automatically pin the blame for bus accidents on bus drivers and/or the companies they work for.

However, you’ll find that bus drivers and bus companies aren’t always the problem in accidents when you sift through the latest bus crash facts. In some instances, other drivers cut buses off, slam into the backs of buses, and cause bus crashes by making otherwise dangerous driving maneuvers.

You may maintain the right to sue another driver and their auto insurance company to recover damages following a bus crash. However, these cases can quickly become complicated if others who were on a bus with you follow your lead. It’s another good example of a time when it will help to have a reliable accident attorney on your side.

Government Agency

Were you using public transportation when you were involved in a bus accident? In this case, a government agency might shoulder some blame for a bus crash.

Just like with suing a private bus company, you will need to prove that this agency didn’t do enough to train the bus driver who caused your crash. You might also want to explore the idea of proving that this agency doesn’t maintain and repair its buses enough, which played a part in your accident.

One important thing to remember is that the statute of limitations for accident claims involving government agencies is sometimes shorter than usual. In certain states, you might only have a matter of months to take legal action against agencies that operate public buses rather than several years like usual.

Bus Manufacturer

Did an investigation into your bus accident find that faulty parts in a bus were the cause of your crash? You might want to look into suing a bus company or a government agency for not doing enough to repair and/or replace these parts accordingly.

But you don’t necessarily need to stop there. The company that manufactured the bus you were on when it crashed is another party you should consider taking legal action against. If you can showcase negligence on the part of this company, a judge or jury may hold it liable for an accident.

Your accident case might also quickly turn into a product liability case if any of the faulty parts used in a bus were produced by a third-party company other than a bus manufacturer. You may include a bus parts supplier in your legal complaint and aim to hold it accountable for its flawed product designs.

Bus crash lawsuits that involve bus manufacturers and bus part suppliers are usually very complex. You’ll need to hire a bus crash lawyer with the right blend of experience and knowledge to guide you down the right path.

Look for the Right Bus Accident Lawyer To Handle Your Lawsuit

Following a bus crash, your first instinct might be to blame whoever comes to mind first. You may improve your chances of scoring a settlement or judgment in a bus accident case by narrowing down the list of parties that could be responsible for a crash.

Accident Hotline can help you locate the right personal injury attorneys in your area to work on your bus crash case. Give us a call at (844) 343-9609 today to connect with a local accident lawyer for a free consultation.