Bus accidents might not be quite as common as typical car accidents, but they are incredibly dangerous. Bus accidents often leave people severely injured, and figuring out who is responsible is not always easy.
The exact cause of your accident will be unique to your situation and should be discussed with your attorney. There are several common causes of bus accidents, including distracted drivers, inexperienced drivers, and speed. Whether you should file a lawsuit depends on your injuries and expenses after the accident, but many accident victims need compensation from a lawsuit to cover their damages. Our legal team can help you start a lawsuit and find the evidence you need to prove your claims against the defendant. Bus accident cases tend to be worth a lot of money due to the severity of injuries, and you should discuss the matter more in-depth with an attorney.
If you were injured in a bus accident, the driver, bus company, and quite possibly the city or municipality can be held liable. Call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 for a free case review.
How Bus Accidents Can Happen in Hattiesburg, MS
Many bus accident survivors are not entirely sure how their accidents happened. In many cases, accident victims are so traumatized that they cannot fully remember the details of the accident. Our Hattiesburg, MS bus accident lawyers can help you piece together the events of that day so we can hold the right people responsible.
Distracted drivers are perhaps the biggest concern on the road today, and bus drivers are no exception. A distracted bus driver is incredibly dangerous, as it only takes a few moments of distraction for an accident to occur. Common distractions include cell phones and other communication devices used while driving. Bus drivers might also be distracted by passengers on the bus. Either way, the bus driver has a duty to remain focused on the road.
Inexperienced bus drivers are another major concern. New bus drivers must be properly licensed and receive adequate training from their employers. If this training is inadequate or the driver does not have the credentials to operate a bus, their inexperience could lead to a bad accident. Buses are huge vehicles far more complex than ordinary cars, and inexperience behind the wheel could be a disaster.
Speeding is a problem in many accidents, but it is especially harmful in bus accidents. Buses are very big and heavy, and if a bus is speeding down the highway, the driver might be unable to stop in time to prevent a collision. Even going just a little bit above the speed limit could lead to a serious crash and severe injuries for many.
Should I File a Lawsuit After a Bus Accident in Hattiesburg, MS?
Many injured accident victims are unsure whether their case warrants legal action, and speaking to our Hattiesburg, MS bus accident attorneys might help clarify some important issues regarding the matter.
Generally, you should consider filing a lawsuit after a bus accident if the accident left you with painful injuries and expensive costs that you cannot cover on your own. Not only do accident victims have to contend with painful bodily injuries, but they might also face costly property damage, lost income from missing work, and numerous other expenses. A lawsuit might be the best way to get your damages covered so that you can move on with your life.
Your attorney can help you get your lawsuit started. Before filing the case, we must prepare evidence and important legal documents for your formal legal complaint. We need details about you, the defendant, how the accident happened, and what kind of relief (i.e., compensation) we want from the court. Preparing all this is far from easy, and an attorney can do the heavy lifting while you recover from your injuries.
Liability for Hattiesburg, MS Bus Accidents
Before filing your lawsuit, we must determine who should be named as a defendant. Contrary to popular belief, many lawsuits are filed against multiple defendants, not just one. If more than one person contributed to the bus accident, all of them may be named in your lawsuit. Our Hattiesburg, MS bus accident attorneys can help determine who should be held liable.
The bus driver in a bus accident is often the primary defendant in lawsuits by injured victims. The bus driver’s actions or lack thereof are often the direct cause of the accident, so the bus driver should almost always be considered as a defendant.
In cases where a private bus company employed the bus driver, the bus company can also be named in the lawsuit. Often, companies are vicariously liable when their employee’s negligence occurs within the scope of their job. In cases where the bus driver was unfit to drive, and the bus company knew or should have known better than to hire them, the bus company can be liable for negligent hiring.
Some bus accidents involve buses for public transportation, and the city, town, or municipality in charge of the public transportation system may be held liable. These cases are particularly complicated as there are several additional hurdles to jump because a government entity is involved. According to Miss. Code Ann. § 11-46-11(1), we have to submit a notice of your claim to the appropriate government entity at least 90 days before we actually file the lawsuit.
How Much Are Bus Accident Cases Worth in Hattiesburg, MS?
How much your bus accident is worth depends on the extent of your damages. Damages can be complex and involve economic and non-economic injuries and losses. Our Hattiesburg, MS bus accident attorneys can help you figure out how much compensation might be at stake in your case by calculating your damages.
Economic damages include monetary losses and expenses from the accident. Medical expenses, vehicle repair costs, and lost income from missing work are common economic damages. Non-economic damages cover the painful personal experiences you experienced because of the accident. Physical and emotional pain and suffering are common non-economic damages, and you might also claim humiliation or damage to your reputation, depending on the circumstances.
Generally, bus accident lawsuits tend to be worth quite a bit of money, and the stakes tend to be high. Bus accidents often involve severe injuries, sometimes even death, and the damages are very high. Our Hattiesburg, MS bus accident lawyers can help you make sure you get the most compensation possible.
Call Our Hattiesburg, MS Bus Accident Lawyers for Help
If you were hurt in a crash with a bus, our Hattiesburg, MS bus accident attorneys will assist you in whatever way they can to get you justice. For a free case evaluation, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
