Being involved in a bus accident can be a frightening and life-threatening experience. You should know that you may have legal options if you or a loved one was involved in a bus accident. Whether it was an accident caused by a negligent bus driver or by other factors, you can get help from an Orlando bus accident lawyer.
Dolman Law Group has a track record of helping bus accident victims in Orlando seek compensation. Our Orlando bus injury lawyers will help you understand your options and legal rights, using our resources to help you seek the compensation you deserve.
Damages You Can Recover in a Bus Accident Injury Claim
When you hire a bus accident attorney from our team, they will explain all forms of compensation that could be available to you. In Orlando, some of the recoverable damages include:
- Lost income
- Medical expenses
- Property damage
- Permanent harm to your earning power
- Cost of physical therapy
- The cost of rehabilitation
- The cost of purchasing mobility equipment such as wheelchairs
Bus accident victims can also seek a recovery for any home modifications they made to make their homes more accessible after a loss of physical mobility. These include wheelchair ramps and hospital beds.
Because injuries following a bus accident can be severe, our attorneys strive to seek the compensation you need to cover all your medical care bills—past, present, and future.
How Orlando Attorneys Can Represent Victims of School Bus Accidents
These cases can be complex. Therefore, if you or your loved one was involved in a bus accident, you may want to seek our help.
We can:
- Determine who was liable for the bus accident
- Gather evidence of negligence
- Demonstrate the extent of your injuries and losses
- Negotiate a fair settlement
- Handle conversations with third parties for you
- Take your case to trial if necessary
- Advise you throughout your case
In general, our attorneys can seek a settlement for a victim through out-of-court negotiations. However, if we don't receive a fair offer from the liable party, we can take your case to civil court and present evidence before a jury.
What Types of Bus Accidents Can a Lawyer Assist Me With?
We can assist you whether you were a passenger in a bus during an accident or a vehicle driver struck by a bus.
Also, our attorneys can help you in all kinds of bus accident situations. We can help you if your bus accident involved a:
- School bus
- Touring bus
- City bus (such as LYMMO and LYNK)
- Greyhound or other commercial bus
We can help you with bus accident types beyond those listed here.
Who's Liable for Bus Accident Injuries?
Ultimately, this depends on the type of bus accident and the facts of the case. A lawyer from our team will help you determine who was liable and if multiple parties may be responsible.
Liable parties may include:
Bus Companies
In many situations, when a bus driver's carelessness causes a crash, their employer could be liable.
Bus drivers are supposed to take care to protect passengers on board. They are required to follow all traffic rules and comply with any relevant local, state, or federal regulations. Failure to observe these rules can mean the driver was negligent—and may leave the bus company open to liability.
Additionally, bus companies are responsible for maintaining their fleet in good working order and hiring appropriate drivers for their bus services. If they fail to do so, this could constitute negligence on the part of the bus company as well.
Other Liable Parties
Bus accidents can be complicated because sometimes, more than one party could be held liable. This includes the bus driver, bus manufacturer, or the city where the accident occurred.
For example, if a defective part caused the accident, liability falls on the bus manufacturer.
Causes of Bus Accidents in Orlando
Many types of negligence can lead to bus accidents in Orlando, Florida. Our attorneys will investigate your case for evidence of negligence such as:
- Driving while intoxicated
- Driving while texting or distracted
- Tipping due to unbalanced weight or too many people on the bus
- Defective or malfunctioning parts
- Poorly serviced bus
- Speedy or reckless driving
These are just a few things that can lead to a bus accident. We will build the strongest case possible to show how a driver, a bus company, or another party caused you or a loved one harm.
School Buses Should Be Safe
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), several features should make school buses and other types of buses safer than passenger vehicles. School buses:
- Are generally bigger than passenger vehicles, making them more visible
- Have specialized safety equipment such as lights and stop signs
- May have a design intended to distribute force in an accident in a way that reduces the risk of injury
- May have protective seats that can absorb the impact of an accident
- Are typically heavier than other cars, which reduces their acceleration and ability to reach dangerous speeds
However, these factors primarily enhance the safety of bus occupants. When a bus is involved in a crash with a passenger vehicle, those features may do little to help the victims in the other car.
Injuries You May Be Facing After an Orlando Bus Accident
The severity of bus accident injuries may be determined by the vehicles' speed upon collision and whether the victim was a bus passenger, another driver, or a pedestrian. Examples of severe injuries from bus accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Back injuries
- Burns, bruises, and cuts
- Fractures
- Crushed limbs
- Spinal cord injuries
Besides these physical injuries, bus accident victims might also suffer from mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression (Mayo Clinic). If you are involved in a bus accident that wasn't your fault, it is your legal right to seek compensation for your injuries.
Get a Free Consultation With Dolman Law Group
Our firm can work to negotiate a just and fair settlement on your behalf. We understand that Orlando personal injury lawsuits can be complicated and expensive. As a result, we offer you a free consultation and case review.
Call us at (727) 451-6900 to talk to our someone from our team. We give all cases an equal priority, and we're ready to start the legal process immediately.
Orlando Office
1701 Park Center Drive, Suite #240-G
Orlando, FL 32835
Phone: (407) 759-4565