With its large size and professional driver, a bus often feels safe—but buses do get in accidents that can be serious. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, more than 5,000 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal crashes in a recent year, including intercity buses, transit buses, and school buses.
Not all bus accidents are fatal, of course, but even non-fatal bus accidents can cause severe injuries. If you were hurt or lost a loved one in a bus accident in Marietta, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Contact the Marietta bus accidents lawyers at Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group for a free consultation with a bus accident attorney, so we can help you seek damages for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and more.
Marietta Bus Accident Guide
Our Lawyers Can Help With Your Bus Accident Case
Dealing with the aftermath of any type of vehicle accident, including bus accidents, is one the most trying experiences anyone can go through—especially if you’re left with serious injuries.
Nothing can make it easy, but the team at Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group can make it easier by taking over the administrative, insurance, and legal aspects of your case. Let us manage these tasks for you, so you have time to rest and recuperate after your bus accident in Marietta.
Some people attempt to seek damages from a bus accident without a lawyer’s help, but most people lack the experience or knowledge necessary to get the compensation they deserve. Our lawyers know the ins and outs of the legal and insurance industries, including how to estimate your total losses and argue for full compensation. If you try managing your bus accident case on your own, you may walk away with far less money than you should.
Our lawyers can help you by:
Investigating Your Bus Accident in Marietta
The first step in seeking damages is investigating your bus accident and gathering evidence that the bus driver or bus company was negligent—and, therefore, liable for your losses.
To do so, we collect evidence such as:
- Footage from security and traffic cameras
- Bus driver logs (either written or electronic)
- Toxicology reports
- Cell phone records
- Eyewitness statements
- Police reports
- Bus maintenance records
Handling All Communication With the Bus Insurance Company
Insurance adjusters may sound friendly and sympathetic, but they are not really on your side. They work for the insurance companies, and their goal is to minimize payouts on bus accident claims or refuse them altogether. If you speak with them, be sure not to apologize or say anything that could be construed as admitting fault. The insurance companies can use these statements to deny your claim.
Our legal team can help you avoid any risk by talking to the insurance company for you. Our years of experience dealing with insurance companies give us the expertise and know-how to stand up for your rights and advocate for your best interests. We can also file an insurance claim for you and submit all the necessary documentation, such as medical bills and car repair receipts.
Negotiating an Insurance Settlement
Next, we can negotiate an insurance settlement for you, seeking full compensation for your losses. We will use our estimate of your damages as a starting point in these negotiations and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Filing a Lawsuit Against the Bus Driver or Company
Most of the time, both sides prefer to settle bus accident cases out of court. However, sometimes the bus driver or bus company’s insurance provider will not agree to a fair and reasonable settlement that compensates you appropriately. In these situations, we are prepared to file a bus accident lawsuit against the negligent party that caused your accident.
Positive Reviews for Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group
Since 2013, our team has secured over $100 million in jury verdicts and settlement awards for people just like you—people whose lives were changed in an instant because of someone else’s negligent behavior. We can never guarantee the outcome of a particular case. However, our past results show the quality of our legal work and demonstrate the level of care you can expect from our team.
Our many positive testimonials are the best testament to the work we do on behalf of our clients. For example, Tyreke C. describes us as reliable and credible and would recommend our lawyers to anyone. Rhiannon B. feels that we treated her with compassion and care during one of the hardest times of her life. These statements reflect the compassionate but aggressive legal care we can provide to you as well.
How Much Is My Bus Accident Case Worth in Marietta?
Every case is different, and the value of your damages depends on the extent of your injuries, your ability to work after the accident, your previous income, and many other factors.
Our Marietta bus accidents lawyers can investigate your case, collect evidence of your losses, and use that evidence to estimate how much your case is worth. You can recover both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages in a Bus Accident Case
If you are a bus accident victim and suffered tangible losses directly caused by the crash, you can recover economic damages for things like:
- Medical bills for your emergency treatment, doctor appointments, diagnostic imaging (such as X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans), surgeries, wound care, rehabilitative therapies, and prescription medications
- Future medical care if your doctor anticipates you will require future surgeries, therapies, or other treatments
- Ongoing care if you need assistance with activities of daily living
- Medical equipment such as crutches, braces, walkers, wheelchairs, motorized scooters, shower chairs, and hospital beds
- Loss of income including salary, wages, tips, commissions, and bonuses
- Property damage for your vehicle’s repair or replacement
Non-Economic Damages in a Bus Accident Case
Non-economic damages cover any intangible losses, such as physical pain and emotional trauma, you experienced because of the bus accident.
For instance, you can seek non-economic damages if you:
- Endured an especially painful or long recovery
- Became permanently disabled or disfigured in the accident
- Suffer from chronic pain
- Developed a mental health condition such as depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Can no longer participate in your preferred hobbies or activities
- Experience a reduced quality of life
Wrongful Death Damages in a Bus Accident Case
No amount of money can replace your family member, but recovering damages from the negligent bus driver or company’s insurance provider is a way to hold them accountable for their actions. Under state law, the surviving spouse can seek damages for wrongful death. If there is no surviving spouse, then the surviving children can seek damages.
You can recover wrongful death damages for:
- Medical expenses for any treatment your family member received after the accident
- Funeral and burial expenses such as the cost of cremation or embalming, memorial service fees, flowers, transportation, and more
- Full value of the life of your family member, depending on their age, expected future income and benefits, expected retirement income, and household contributions (such as childcare and chores)
How Much Does a Marietta Bus Accidents Lawyer Cost?
At Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group, we structure our payment options so that everyone can afford our legal services. We believe that anyone who sustains an injury in an accident has a right to fair and prompt payment from insurance companies and negligent drivers. Please do not deprive yourself of legal services because you think a lawyer is too expensive.
Our lawyers work on contingency, which means that we only get paid if we win your case. After we win your case, we take our fees directly from your jury award or insurance settlement. You pay nothing up front or out of pocket. Contact our office today for your free consultation to learn more about our affordable legal services.
Common Causes of Bus Accidents
Negligent bus drivers cause many bus accidents. Just like other drivers, they may speed, ignore traffic signs and signals, or text while driving. Bus drivers also need to take extra care because of the large size and weight of a bus. Some drivers back up improperly, neglect to consider their blind spots, or fail to drive appropriately for current weather. They may also drive under the influence or drive for too many hours straight.
Other times, bus accidents are not the driver’s fault but the fault of the bus company. Bus companies are responsible for the safety and upkeep of their buses, but some companies scrimp on maintenance to save money. Old and worn parts or missing safety equipment can lead to accidents and injuries. Bus companies may also fail to properly train their drivers, which means they do not know how to properly handle the bus in all situations.
Negligence and Liability in a Marietta Bus Accident Case
In legal terms, negligence is defined as reckless or irresponsible behavior. The party that commits negligence is legally liable for the accident. A skilled Marietta bus accident attorney will work to prove that you were not at fault and are not responsible for any accident-related expenses—instead, the at-fault party should compensate you.
To accomplish this, we must demonstrate that your bus accident case contains the required four elements of negligence:
- First, we must show that the bus driver or company owed you a duty of care, which is an obligation to drive safely and avoid putting other drivers and passengers at risk of harm.
- Second, we must show that the bus driver or company violated the duty of care with their negligent behavior.
- Third, we must show that when the bus driver or company violated the duty of care, they directly caused your accident. In other words, your accident would never have happened if they had not breached their duty.
- Fourth, we must demonstrate that you suffered losses (also known as damages) because of the accident. These losses may include medical expenses, car repair or replacement costs, pain and suffering, and more.
Legal Deadlines in a Marietta Bus Accident Case
You must file your lawsuit against the at-fault bus driver or company before time runs out, or you will forfeit your right to sue. The length of time you have to file a lawsuit depends on whether you are suing a bus driver, bus company, or municipality (such as a city or county).
State law generally gives you two years to file a lawsuit for personal injury or wrongful death against the bus driver or bus company. In a personal injury case, the clock starts on the date of the accident. In a wrongful death case, the clock starts on the date your loved one passed away, which may be long after the date of the accident. Our lawyers will review your case to make sure you meet the appropriate deadlines.
If the bus responsible for your accident is a municipal bus (such as a city or state bus), you would sue the appropriate municipality. Different deadlines apply in these situations. You have six months to file a lawsuit against a city, one year to file a lawsuit against a county, and one year to file a lawsuit against the state.
Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group Is Ready to Represent You
Bus accidents can have tragic consequences and leave a lasting impact on your health and your life. The team at Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group is ready to represent you if you were hurt or lost a loved one in a bus accident in Marietta. Our lawyers can help you seek damages for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and more.
We offer free, no-obligation case reviews, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by reaching out to us. We will listen to your story, give you an honest appraisal of your case, and present you with a plan of action.
The sooner we talk with you, the sooner we can get to work on your case. To get started and learn more about your legal options, contact us today at (678) 235-3861 for your free consultation.
Client Testimonial
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