Statistically speaking, traveling by bus is a lot safer than driving or riding in a personal vehicle—but try telling that to someone who has just been seriously hurt in an accident involving a commercial or private bus. If you have found yourself in this kind of situation, you may need to take proactive legal action against anyone and everyone who played a role in causing you harm, which is a process that can be a lot more complicated in practice than it might seem in theory.
Fortunately, you have help available from a Chandler bus accident lawyer with a track record of getting positive results from cases much like yours in the past. Whether you just need help covering short-term medical bills or have sustained debilitating injuries that will affect you for the rest of your life, your dedicated personal injury attorney can make sure your rights are respected and work tirelessly to get you every cent of compensation you deserve.
Establishing Grounds for a Bus Injury Lawsuit
Everyone who operates any kind of motor vehicle on public roads in Arizona assumes a “duty of care” requiring them to obey traffic lanes and generally act responsibly behind the wheel, and anyone who causes a wreck by “breaching” this duty can usually be held civilly liable for ensuing injuries and losses. Notably, though, bus drivers are subject to an even stricter duty of care than the average driver thanks to their status as “common carriers”—in other words, because of the fact that they carry human passengers around for a fee rather than just cargo.
In addition to traffic accidents caused by a bus driver’s misconduct or a bus service’s failure to maintain their vehicles in good working order, it also may be possible to file suit over injuries caused by negligence that did not lead to a collision—for instance, a bus driver accelerating too quickly away from a stop and causing a boarding passenger to fall before they could safely find a seat. A Chandler bus accident attorney could discuss whether a particular scenario could give rise to a civil claim during a private initial consultation.
Are There Unique Rules for Public Bus Accident Claims?
Fortunately, Arizona does not put any artificial “caps” on how much money an injured person can demand from a negligent person who injured them regardless of whether their named “defendant” works for—or is—a government entity. However, state law does prohibit courts from imposing punitive damages against public bus drivers and services, which would only be applicable in situations involving egregious negligence or intentionally malicious conduct.
In addition, anyone who wants to file a civil claim against any government body in Arizona must submit a completed claim form to the prospective defendant(s) within 180 days of the accident resulting in injury. This is a much shorter deadline than the two years usually allowed for claims against private individuals and companies, so contacting a skilled lawyer quickly can be especially important after a public bus accident in Chandler.
Get in Touch With a Chandler Bus Accident Attorney
Getting hurt in a traffic accident involving a fully loaded bus can be traumatic under any circumstances, but especially if it leads to you dealing with serious physical injuries and the financial and psychological losses that come with them. You still have rights in situations like this, though, as well as assistance from compassionate legal professionals in enforcing them to the fullest extent possible.
Your Chandler bus accident lawyer can help you demand fair financial recovery for your damages and minimize the impact this incident has on your life as a whole. Learn more by calling today.
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