Injury Lawyers Representing Accident Victims Across the Country

Buses, due to their sheer size and weight, can cause devastating harm in an accident. If you or someone close to you was injured in a bus accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. It can be difficult to know what to do after a bus accident, but we can help you with all of the steps involved in bringing a claim for compensation. At Tony S. Kalogerakos-Injury Lawyers, our bus accident lawyers will assess the details of your case and help you seek the financial support that you need to get back on the right track. We understand how to navigate complicated motor vehicle collision claims, including those related to public transportation, and we can put our knowledge to use in your case.

Legal Claims Based on Bus Accidents

Bus accidents happen on America’s streets and highways more often than you may think. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 30 fatal bus crashes take place each year across the United States. The NHTSA defines a bus as any motor vehicle designed to primarily transport nine or more persons, including the driver. Data show that in 2015, approximately 4,300 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal crashes, an eight percent increase from 2014. Among the factor that can cause bus accidents are:

• Distracted driving;
• Malfunctioning bus equipment (i.e., brake failure);
• Driving the bus while under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
• Excessive speeding;
• Adverse weather conditions;
• Bus driver fatigue; or
• Dangerous roadways.

If you are injured in a bus accident, you may be able to file a negligence claim against the at-fault party. Negligence laws are designed to hold individuals and entities responsible when they cause a bus accident due to their carelessness or recklessness. To establish negligence, a bus accident lawyer will try to prove that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care, the defendant breached the duty of care, and the defendant’s breach was a direct cause of the bus accident and the plaintiff’s resulting harm. The duty of care refers to every person’s obligation to act as a reasonably prudent person would act in the same or similar circumstances. It varies according to the situation.

Illinois follows a doctrine of modified comparative negligence, which means that any damages awarded to the plaintiff are reduced by an amount equal to the plaintiff’s percentage of fault for the injuries. However, the plaintiff can only recover damages if they were no more than 50 percent at fault for the crash. In other words, if a plaintiff is 51 percent or more at fault, he or she would be barred from recovering any compensation at all. Retaining a bus accident attorney is an important step to take in ensuring that you are not unfairly blamed for a crash.

Establishing liability in traffic accident cases involving buses can be complicated, since there may be a number of liable parties, such as the bus driver, the bus management company, bus equipment manufacturers, other negligent drivers, and perhaps a government entity if the accident involved a public bus.

A bus accident can leave a victim with serious injuries that can be extremely costly to treat. You should not need to deal with the burden of these expenses on your own. Depending on the nature and extent of your injuries, we may be able to help you obtain a variety of damages, such as medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering, lost wages, property damage, and more.

Our Bus Accident Lawyer Team is Here to Help

If you or your loved one has been injured in a bus accident, we know what you are going through. Bus accidents can lead to catastrophic injuries and even death. At Injury Lawyers, we are committed to getting bus accident victims the compensation that they deserve for their injuries. We represent people throughout Illinois and the United States. To discuss your case in more detail with a bus accident attorney at no charge, contact Tony S. Kalogerakos, Esq.-Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation and a case evaluation today.