We typically consider buses as friendly, lumbering neighborhood vehicles transporting community members, tourists, and children through our neighborhoods and on major highways. Fortunately, most bus trips end with passengers arriving safely at their destinations, but 175 people lost their lives to bus accidents in 2021. After experiencing injuries in a bus accident, it’s important to know your legal rights and options for economic recovery with a St. Louis bus accident lawyer, while also focusing on your physical recovery.
Passengers Have a Right to Seek Compensation In a Bus Accident Claim
Unlike in other traffic accident claims, there is no question of sharing liability for damages as a bus passenger after an accident. A bus passenger is never liable for injury damages. Instead, they can recover compensation from the liable party through a bus accident claim for damages. Common damages recovered by injured passengers include the following:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical expenses
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Lost earnings
- Future income loss
- Diminished future earning ability (if the accident caused disability)
- Compensation for pain and suffering
If a bus passenger suffers catastrophic injuries, they may recover additional compensation for damages such as loss of limb, disfigurement, loss of vision, hearing loss, loss of enjoyment of life, or diminished quality of life. If a bus accident causes the wrongful death of a loved one, a close family member could recover compensation through a wrongful death claim.
What Should I Do After a Bus Accident?
It’s important to protect your physical safety and future financial well-being as soon as possible after a bus accident. If you are incapacitated by severe injuries, you may be able to do little other than wait for help, but if you can safely use a cell phone, taking the following steps is important to protect your rights:
- First, call 911 to report the accident if no one else has called
- Then, apply reasonable first aid
- Use your phone’s camera to photograph the accident scene, including the crashed bus, any other damaged vehicles, and anything relevant to the accident, like a hazardous road condition, signal light, or traffic signs
- Photograph your visible injuries
- Add the contact information of the bus company or city agency to your phone
Always seek medical treatment immediately after an accident. This ensures that you receive emergency treatment and provides clear evidence that your injuries occurred in the bus accident. Your medical report and the police report of the accident are essential components of a successful bus accident claim.
Who Is Liable for Bus Accident Damages?
Although a passenger has the right to seek compensation for their damages through a direct claim against the liable party’s insurance or a personal injury lawsuit, the fault-based accident laws of Missouri and many other states require the injury victim to file a claim against the at-fault party with compelling evidence of their liability. This can be a complex process in a bus accident claim because there are multiple potentially liable parties, depending on the cause of the accident. It often takes a thorough investigation by a bus accident victim’s attorney to identify the liable party and file a claim against one of the following entities associated with busing:
- The driver
- A private bus company
- A city transit agency
- A public school system
- A negligent bus maintenance company
- The manufacturer of a defective part
In some cases, the liable party is unrelated to the bus industry at all, but instead, is a third-party driver or a negligent road maintenance agency.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, you shouldn’t have to navigate the complex claims process alone while trying to recover. A St. Louis injury attorney can help you understand your legal options, investigate your case thoroughly, and fight for the full compensation you deserve. Don’t wait to get the guidance and representation you need—contact a trusted attorney today to protect your rights and begin your path to recovery.