Harm caused in a bus crash can be tremendous, and can include financial, emotional, and physical damages to those involved. An experienced bus accident attorney is your best bet at pursuing and achieving both justice and compensation following the event, so that you are better able to pay for the following medical costs.
- Ambulance transportation up to the hospital or emergency room
- In-patient care that is required for your recovery
- Multiple surgeries required to repair damaged bones or for saving limbs from having to be amputated
- Outpatient treatment and visits by doctors and medical specialists
- Physical therapy visits aimed at rehabilitating injuries and ailments
- Walkers, wheelchairs, are other medical devices which you may require
Collisions are not the only scenarios covered under bus accidents. If, for example, a child injures or loses a finger because a bus driver closed the door without first checking, then litigation can be brought on grounds of recklessness, as well as other factors, which are legally punishable. The victim may be able to recover compensation out of this, and that often goes a long way in mitigating their suffering.
Financial Compensation That Can Be Recovered for Vehicle Damage
Most clients represented by Los Angeles bus accident attorneys would have incurred loss of their vehicle, whether for the time it requires repairs after the crash, or because of extensive damage rendering it completely useless on the road, and demanding a full replacement. Loss of vehicle compensation is often the main aim of the legal strategies that accident lawyers employ. This factor is rarely overlooked when working out the damages to present and prove in court. Generally, a team is assigned the job of figuring out how extensive the damage to the vehicle is, as well as by how much the crash has reduced its market value.
Californians frequently depend on transportation to get places, which is why this aspect of bus accidents is so vital. All rental options are investigated, with the finer lawyers double checking the victim’s insurance policy to ensure the latter have their ongoing transportation needs met in a reasonable way. Car rental expenses generally go nowhere but upwards, and these costs are supposed to be included in the compensation, which the plaintiff seeks and fights for in court.
Filing a Bus Accident Lawsuit
Buses, like other motor vehicles, need to carry insurance. That means if another driver causes a bus accident, their insurer is liable to pay; this does not mean, however, that they will concede to paying maximum compensation. Often, your lawyer would have to fight tooth and nail for that last bit.
A bus accident lawyer who knows how to deal with such cases would examine the specifics of the claim and leverage them towards achieving the highest possible compensation. If the insurance offers a low amount at first, then the following general actions are taken by the lawyer.
- A claim or a letter of representation is sent to the bus company and driver as an official notice that an accident lawyer is representing you in your pursuit of compensation. This communication precedes involvement of the court, and serves as a warning that litigation will be brought if a fair and adequate resolution is no achieved quickly.
- A legal “complaint” is filed with the court. Following a crash, the drafting and submission of this document constitutes the first official move to show three things: that you have sustained injury or injuries in the crash, that the bus driver is believed to be liable for said injury, and that you seek financial compensation as a means to achieve justice.
- Any “answer” from the company is reviewed in detail. This is their legal response, and if push came to shove, they would certainly file it as evidence with the court. Based on whether the answer admits liability on their part or denies it, your lawyer would help you decide which way to move from there.
- If the bus company refuses to acknowledge fault, then your bus accident lawyer would take the matter to trial on your behalf. A fair and quick settlement is often easier on both or all parties involved in the dispute, but sadly, it is not always reached. Even when a settlement is offered, its terms need to be clear and fair; otherwise, a lawsuit is the best way to win compensation.
Both the bus company and driver can be taken to court so that a jury and judge can decide their level of guilt, as well as the extent to which they should compensate the victim. A capable lawyer would not just aim for a favorable verdict, but also achieve it for you.