Have you been involved in a bus accident in Los Angeles? If this is the case, you need to talk to an attorney. Bus travel is one of the most common modes of travel in Los Angeles. Bus companies fight aggressively to withhold injury claims or offer less than the actual claim. According to the California Civil Code Section 2100, buses are regarded as common carriers when used to transport people for cash or any form of compensation and are required to exercise utmost care and diligence for the safe carriage of their passengers.
Causes of Bus Accidents
The large size of buses, unclear visibility, and the limited capacity to maneuver are some of the reasons for frequent bus accidents. Bus accidents lead to serious fatalities and injuries resulting in claims of wrongful death. These injuries take place in several ways including when a bus collides with other vehicles, cyclist, or pedestrians. Accidents also occur when anxious bus drivers move quickly when passengers are getting on board or alighting often resulting in serious injuries.
Statistics on Bus Accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that every year, 14 pedestrians of school age die due to school bus accidents, and 6 die when other vehicles are involved in school bus crashes. Since 1989, up to 1,445 people died from school bus related accidents. A majority of the casualties were passengers or drivers in the other vehicles in the crash. 25% of the deaths involved non-occupants such as cyclists, pedestrians, etc. 10 percent of the deaths involved school bus occupants. In 45% of the crashes, the front of the car was the primary point of impact.
Bus accidents are not limited to school buses. Buses transporting passengers also account for a huge percentage of vehicular accidents. Most recently, a tour bus was reported to have collided with a truck resulting in the death of 13 people and the injuries of a dozen more. The USA holiday tour bus accident took place at 5:17 am on Sunday, 23rd October 2016. The accident took place in the 10 Freeway in Desert Hot Springs. According to police, the speed the bus was travelling at was so significant such that it hit the back of the trailer causing it to enter 15 feet inside the bus.
The 44 passengers involved in the USA holiday tour bus accident were adults. The tour bus company based in Los Angeles transports passengers from LA to the casinos in the area. The owner of the company, who was also the bus driver, died in the crash. The bus was reported to be in good condition having shown no mechanical deficiencies in inspections conducted in 2014, 2015, and earlier this year. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration records show that the bus had not been involved in any recent crashes.
Victims of Bus Accidents
The main victims of bus accidents include:
Since passengers in buses are either seated or standing with no safety belts, injuries from bus accidents can be very critical. In addition, due to the size, momentum, and force of a bus, pedestrians of vehicles stuck by buses normally sustain significant injuries, including fatalities that involve wrongful death claims.
What to do after a Bus Accident
Bus accident injuries that involve government-operated buses like those leveled against the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transport Authority; require that a claim for damages be filed with the right agency within six months from when the accident occurred. These procedural requirements and deadlines differ from other kinds of injury cases and must be adhered to otherwise; one could lose their remedies and rights.
If you are involved in a bus accident, the following are some of the measures you should follow:
PACIFIC COAST INJURY LAW CENTER REPRESENTS VICTIMS OF BUS ACCIDENTS
An attorney is the best chance you have of getting the compensation you deserve after an accident. A bus accident lawyer will fight to acquire the compensation and evidence that bus accident victims deserve in accordance with the California law. These include:
Free consultations:
Our firm provides free consultations to victims and family members. We will travel to your location and review your case with you.
At Pacific Coast Injury Law Center, we take motor vehicle accident cases on a contingency-fee basis. This means that we do not charge any legal fees unless we make a recovery for you. When we do secure financial compensation for your damages, our fees are paid as an agreed upon percentage of that settlement.
Most accidents are unexpected and almost always stressful. Sometimes accidents are unavoidable no matter how much care or precaution you take. If you are in a motor vehicle accident or slip/trip and fall, we are here to help you.
If you or your loved one has been a motor vehicle accident, give us a call today.
