The CobbLinc Transit Service is a public bus service that provides public transportation across Cobb County and parts of neighboring Fulton County. Unfortunately, the people who rely on public transportation are sometimes injured by driver or government negligence.
Injuries involving CobbLinc Transit Services might happen almost anywhere transportation services are provided. You might be injured on a bus, at a bus stop or park and ride location, or while using paratransit services. After an accident, you can take legal action to get fair financial compensation. Depending on the situation, you might be able to sue the bus driver who caused the crash and the local government. Damages may be significant, especially if your injuries are severe. Not only must you submit your claims before the statute of limitations expires, but you must also submit a notice of your claim to the government shortly after your accident.
If you were injured in an accident, call our CobbLinc accident and injury attorney of Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 to schedule a free case review.
Possible Injuries in CobbLinc Accidents
CobbLinc public transportation services are mostly comprised of bus lines, but paratransit is also available to those with disabilities. Accidents with CobbLinc vehicles might happen almost anywhere. This includes bus accidents on the road and injuries at bus stops or park-and-ride locations. Paratransit accidents can also be quite serious.
Bus accidents are so incredibly dangerous because buses are very large and very heavy. When these vehicles speed down the road, an accident could spell utter disaster. Bus accents often happen because of bus driver negligence. If the driver is distracted or commits traffic violations (e.g., speeding, failing to signal, running red lights), they could cause a bad crash.
Accidents might also happen at places where CobbLinc buses make scheduled stops. For example, if you are waiting at a covered bus stop for a CobbLinc bus, but the covering at the stop is damaged and falling apart, you could be injured by broken glass or other debris. You could also be injured at park-and-ride locations where riders park their cars to wait for the bus.
CobbLinc also provides paratransit for people with disabilities. Paratransit vehicles are wheelchair accessible, and riders may make reservations in advance of riding. Much like bus accidents, crashes or collisions involving paratransit vehicles are very dangerous.
Legal Action for CobbLinc Accidents and Injuries
After an accident involving CobbLinc, you can take legal action to get the full value of fair compensation. Accident victims often file insurance claims to cover various costs and expenses. While our CobbLinc accident and injury lawyers can help you navigate the insurance claims process, it might fall short of your needs. A lawsuit may help you recover damages unavailable through insurance.
Negligent bus drivers cause many CobbLinc bus accidents. As a result, bus drivers are often named as defendants in accident lawsuits. To prove liability, we have to prove that the bus driver owed you a duty of care, breached that duty, that the breach was the direct cause of the accident, and that you suffered real damages.
All drivers on the road, including CobbLinc bus drivers, have a duty to drive with reasonable safety under the circumstances. A breach might involve traffic violations like speeding, distractions behind the wheel, or even drinking and driving. Whatever the breach may be, it must be the direct cause of the accident and your injuries.
You can also sue the government for a CobbLinc bus accident because the buses are part of the local public transportation network managed by the local government. Suing a government entity, even at the local level, is often very difficult. A lawyer can help you navigate the complex legal procedures of your claim, so you get fair compensation from those responsible.
Damages You Might Recover for CobbLinc Accident Claims
Various damages are recoverable in your CobbLinc accident claim. While compensatory damages, including economic and non-economic losses, are available, punitive damages might not be if you are suing the government. On top of that, the law limits damages in cases where the government is a defendant. Even so, an attorney can help you get the most compensation allowable under the law.
Economic damages may include things like your medical bills, the income you lost because you could not go back to work, and the value of damaged property. Non-economic injuries are more subjective and include pain, suffering, humiliation, and other painful personal experiences.
The law under O.C.G.A. § 36-92-2(a) waives the government’s sovereign immunity from civil liability in motor vehicle claims, but only up to limited damages amounts. You can recover no more than $500,000 for bodily harm or death for one person or $700,000 for more than one person. You may also recover up to $50,000 for property damage.
When to Submit Your Claims for CobbLinc Accident
It is important to submit your claims before the statute of limitations expires in your case. In Georgia, the statute of limitations for most personal injury claims can be found under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 and imposes a 2-year deadline. However, when suing a government entity or municipality, such as in many claims involving public transit accidents, there are additional deadlines to follow.
When suing a local government entity, you must submit a notice of your claim to the authorities within 6 months of the accident, according to O.C.G.A. § 36-33-5(b). This is an extremely tight deadline, and many plaintiffs are not even fully recovered 6 months out from an accident. As such, you should speak with an attorney about the notice of your claims as soon as possible.
Contact Our CobbLinc Accident and Injury Attorneys for Help Today
If you were injured in an accident, call our CobbLinc accident and injury attorney of Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 to schedule a free case review.
