Vestavia Hills is very close to Birmingham, and the area is accessible by public transit, including buses. Taking the bus should be safe, but accidents sometimes occur, and people are badly hurt.
Bus drivers are often directly responsible for bus accidents, but other parties might bear some blame. Other drivers might have contributed to the crash, and government entities or organizations might be implicated if the bus is part of public transit. Damages in bus accident cases often revolve around physical injuries and high economic damages related to medical bills. You should also account for emotional pain and psychological trauma, which can be significant in deadly accidents. A lawsuit is a good idea for several reasons. Not only can it help you get fair compensation, but a lawsuit might help you get justice for all the pain and anguish you endured due to the defendant’s negligence.
Arrange a free, private case evaluation with our experienced bus accident lawyers at Howe Law by calling our team at (844) 876-4357.
People Responsible for Bus Accidents Around Vestavia Hills, AL
Bus accidents are often large-scale collisions involving multiple drivers, passengers, and even pedestrians that happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. As such, determining who is directly responsible for the crash might be challenging. In many cases, more than one party shares blame, and multiple defendants might be named in a lawsuit.
Bus Drivers
The bus driver is often the direct cause of a bus accident. Common examples of bus driver negligence include traffic violations, distracted driving, aggressive driving, and errors due to a lack of experience. Bus drivers are often the primary defendant in lawsuits related to bus accidents.
Traffic violations are common, and people tend to disregard them when there are little to no consequences on the road. However, even a minor violation could lead to a serious crash, especially when a bus is involved. For example, speeding, failing to signal turns, and running lights or stop signs can lead to severe collisions. Driving aggressively is another common problem, especially when bus drivers run behind schedule.
Distractions behind the wheel are becoming more and more prominent. All drivers, including bus drivers, are confronted with distractions from phones, GPS devices, and even passengers in the vehicle. If the bus driver cannot dedicate their full attention to driving, they might cause an accident.
Bus drivers require special licensing and must meet rigorous standards to obtain such licensing. Of course, new bus drivers might have different skills and experience than veteran drivers. Unfortunately, new bus drivers sometimes lack the experience to navigate dangerous situations on the road, and they might cause an accident.
Government Entities
Vestavia Hills is a suburban area near the larger city of Birmingham. The area is serviced by the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA). Fixed bus routes serve multiple towns and neighborhoods around Birmingham, including Vestavia Hills. If your bus accident involved a BJCTA bus line, the government might be implicated in your case.
You might have a claim against the government for a bus accident if you were hit by a public transit bus, were a passenger on the bus during an accident, or were otherwise injured because of a bus accident. Suing a governmental entity is different than suing a private citizen, and there are legal hurdles to jump before your case can be heard.
The Tort Claims Act in Alabama typically does not allow plaintiffs to sue the state, but they are permitted to sue state agents (i.e., employees). Since the BJCTA only serves the area of Jefferson County, it is not a state entity but a local one. Local government entities may be sued, but there is a tight deadline to abide by. You must submit a notice of your claim to the appropriate governmental entity or agency within 6 months of your accident. If you do not, you cannot sue the local government.
Third Parties
Other parties besides the bus driver might have been involved in the accident. In cases of private bus companies, including tour buses and charter buses, you might be able to sue the bus company that employs the negligent driver.
Employers may be vicariously liable for damages incurred from employee negligence as long as that negligence is part of the employee’s normal job functions and duties.
If the bus accident happened because some part of the bus malfunctioned, we might have a claim against the manufacturer of the defective part. For example, faulty brakes are incredibly dangerous and can cause serious collisions. If the brakes on the bus fail because of a defect, we can sue the company that manufactured the brakes.
Ascertaining Your Damages and Potential Compensation in Vestavia Hills, AL Bus Accident Cases
Physical injuries tend to take center stage in bus accident lawsuits. You and several other victims might have severe injuries, long-term medical complications, or even disabilities because of the accident. Injuries, including bone fractures, brain damage, and spinal cord injuries that leave victims permanently injured, are common.
Medical bills are a major contributor to damages in bus accident cases. You should account for all the medical costs you have incurred so far in addition to those you can reasonably expect in the future. For those with severe injuries and in need of long-term care, damages for medical bills can be incredibly high.
When people are badly injured, they usually take time away from work to rest and recover. As such, they lose income, making it even harder to keep up with medical costs. An attorney can help you estimate how much money you lost because you could not return to work and add it to your overall damages.
Just because you survived the accident does not mean everything goes back to normal. The trauma of the accident and the emotional anguish of recovering from painful injuries takes a deep psychological toll. People often live with the mental scars of the accident for years. Even though non-economic injuries do not cost money, they still should be financially compensated in your lawsuit.
Call Our Vestavia Hills, AL Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Today for Legal Support
Schedule a confidential case review free of charge with our bus accident lawyers at Howe Law by calling our team at (844) 876-4357.
