Buses are an efficient method of public transportation. They exist to allow people to get places without driving themselves, worrying about traffic, or thinking about parking. They’re generally great, cost-effective options for the people of Columbia to easily get around our city. However, riding a bus doesn’t always protect you from a collision.
Buses can get into accidents just like cars and other motorized vehicles do, and they can cause serious damage to anything or anyone they crash into. If you’ve been injured in a bus crash, you could use the help of our Columbia, SC bus accident lawyer. We’ll fight to get you the full and fair compensation you deserve for your injuries and damages.
Who Causes Public Transportation Accidents?
When you get onto a bus, you expect the bus driver to get you to your destination safely. Sometimes the driver makes mistakes and acts negligently, which leads to bus accidents. However, they’re not the only person who can cause an accident. Sometimes drivers of other vehicles cause collisions, too. Here are some causes of public transportation accidents:
- The bus driver or another driver was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- The bus driver or another driver was drowsy while driving.
- The bus driver or another driver was distracted.
- The bus has not received proper maintenance.
- There were poor road conditions for the driver to deal with.
- The bus company employed a driver who was not qualified.
- The bus manufacturer included defective parts, like bad brakes or tires.
- The bus company has done improper maintenance on the bus.
It’s important for drivers of all vehicles to be sober and vigilant while driving at all times. When they exhibit distracted driving or drunk driving, or if they start driving in a reckless manner and display negligent behavior behind the wheel, they can get into an accident. Bus crashes not only cause serious injuries but also cut into many people’s commutes and disrupt the bus schedule.
How Is Liability Determined in a Bus Accident?
If you were harmed through the negligence of another party, you would likely want to file a bus accident claim against the person or company responsible for the collision. This could include bus drivers, bus companies, and more. South Carolina’s comparative negligence law acknowledges that more than one party could be held liable, with so many potentially-involved entities in a bus accident, determining fault can be complicated.
Experienced personal injury attorneys at a Columbia law firm will know where and how to investigate the causes of bus accidents. Your bus accident lawyers can examine multiple pieces of evidence to determine and prove liability. The following evidence can be analyzed by your legal team and used to prove negligence in a bus accident lawsuit:
- Police reports made at the collision site
- Footage from nearby traffic or surveillance cameras
- Reports from credible eyewitnesses of the accident
- Physical damage to passenger vehicles, roadways, surrounding areas, and buildings
- Photographs of the crash scene showing damage, weather, and road conditions
- Dashboard camera footage (when available)
- Vehicle black box or event data recorder (EDR) information
- Testimonies from expert witnesses like traffic forensic experts and traffic accident reconstructionists
Parties who are partially responsible for a collision may still be able to recover compensation. Under South Carolina’s 51% rule, a party 50% or less at fault in the accident can still receive compensation in the bus accident case, and the percentage of their fault is deducted from their compensation amount. In bus accidents, the bus driver, another driver, the bus company, or a manufacturer are most likely to be the most at-fault parties. Your attorney will examine the evidence, including medical records, to determine the amount of compensation you should be awarded following the accident.
Bus accidents are harmful for many reasons, but the biggest reason is that the injuries victims suffer from can be severe. Let’s look at the injuries that bus accidents can cause.
What Are Common Bus Accident Injuries?
Just like collisions with other motor vehicles, accidents involving buses can cause severe injuries. Much like large trucks, buses are larger and weigh more than regular-sized vehicles. What’s unique about buses compared to other vehicles is that even though they carry many people, the passengers inside usually don’t wear seatbelts, even if available.
Since passengers on public transportation most likely aren’t wearing seatbelts to keep them strapped in, they can suffer more injuries in a collision when their bodies are thrown in the cabin. Here are some of the most common injuries that occur to a bus accident victim:
- Broken bones
- Bruises and lacerations
- Soft tissue injuries, like whiplash
- Burns
- Internal injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Amputation
- Wrongful death
The physical damage that bus accident victims face could be anywhere from mild to severe, and might even cause permanent disability. Even if you don’t think you’re injured after a collision with a bus, it’s important to seek medical attention. If you were seriously injured, it’s possible the injury could affect you for the rest of your life, make you miss work, or require lifelong treatment. A Columbia, SC bus accident attorney from our law firm can help you fight for a fair settlement.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Bus Accident?
With the help of a bus accident lawyer, you’ll be able to recover compensation from whoever was responsible for the collision that injured you. Like many other accident claims, you’ll likely be able to recover economic and noneconomic damages from the injuries and other damages you suffered.
Economic damages are costs that are easily calculated and documented. For instance, you can usually recover compensation for accident-related losses caused by the accident, like medical bills, repair costs for personal property, and lost wages from missed work. The same goes for future medical expenses, future missed work, and the price of ongoing physical therapy and any necessary medical equipment. Documentation, such as bills and medical charts, will help your lawyer calculate these damages.
The other kind of compensation that you can likely recover with the help of bus accident lawyers are noneconomic damages. These are harder to calculate because they’re based on more abstract ideas rather than firm costs that you suffered. But you still suffered from these damages, so you deserve to receive financial recovery for them. Pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium are all examples of noneconomic damages that your attorney will investigate and fight to get for you. They’ll refer to experts and their experience to determine how much you’re owed for these damages.
How Can We Support You Through Your Claim?
When you’ve suffered injuries from someone else’s negligence, you’ll want to hold the responsible party accountable. Our Columbia, SC bus accident attorney can help you get the justice you deserve. Solomon Law Group, LLC has experience providing clients with the necessary legal support they need. Whether your case settles out of court or goes to trial, we have the legal experience to help you.
We’ll investigate what caused the collision, look into your injuries, and consult any experts we need to determine who was at fault and how much you’re owed in compensation. With us on your side, you can feel peace of mind in your case. Contact us today at 803-219-8870 for a free case evaluation so we can get started immediately.
