Millions of people use public transportation such as the bus services for their daily commute. Due to unforeseeable circumstances or situations such as excessive traffic, road obstacles or accidents may occur, and you may suffer injuries. Recent reports indicate that there has been a rise in bus accidents owing to several factors which has resulted in serious injuries and death of passengers. If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident involving an MTA bus, you may be eligible to file for claims and receive compensation for your injuries.
According to very alarming information provided by the bus accident lawyers at Salamati Law in Los Angeles,CA, there are several disturbing factors that are contributing to bus accidents. Even if bus drivers act responsibly or drive safely, accidents may occur at any place, at any time. Some commonly cited causes for bus accidents include:
Driver negligence: This includes speeding, reckless driving, inattention, failure to follow traffic rules, breaking traffic signals or not yielding, running a red light and failure to notice any obstacles on the road.
Fatigued Driver: If bus drivers are working on long shifts, they may become tired and they can become slow in reacting to dangerous situations. Driver fatigue can also result in drowsiness, loss of focus and concentration.
Poor Bus Maintenance: The bus carrier such as MTA has a responsibility to ensure that all the buses are inspected regularly, and any defective parts are replaced immediately. However, failure to do so can result in serious consequences.
Common MTA bus Accident Injuries
Bus collision can occur when the bus collides with another vehicle, or a motorcyclist, bicyclist or pedestrian. Injuries can also be caused if the driver suddenly stops or starts the bus. There are a certain type of bus accident injuries that are found to be more prevalent than others based on the shape and size of buses and the physics of any collision. These include
Neck Injuries: Whiplash is the most common type of neck injury that you may suffer as a result of an accident. Such neck injuries can disrupt your ability to concentrate and focus and may also cause nausea, confusion, or other serious problems.
Brain Injuries: Traumatic brain injuries can be critical as our body is completely dependent on the brain for all the functions. Brain trauma can result in psychological, social or cognitive issues. A person suffering from brain injuries may face difficulties performing simple tasks like communication, have multiple concussions, or fail to orient themselves to the correct time and place.
Spinal Injuries: If the injury affects the spine it can hamper the entire nervous system causing paralysis. Back injuries may also leave the person permanently disabled.
Broken bones: Bone fractures as a result of a bus accident can range from minor fractures to major broken bones. If the impact of the crash is severe, it can result in complex fractures that may take several months to heal. There can be soft tissue damage also involved in certain cases.
Face Injuries: As the face is usually in the line of impact there can be different types of face injuries depending on how badly the face was hit to the body of the bus or other objects in the bus due to the impact. Face injuries include lacerations, dental injuries, contusions and many more.
Death: Unfortunate scenarios in a bus accident can lead to death. Fatalities can occur if the bus hits a motorcyclist or a bicyclist or if someone comes under the bus while the bus is in motion.
Some forms of injuries are easy to resolve and require minimum treatment. However, if you have incurred any serious injuries you may be required to undergo therapy, surgery, or may also have to face permanent disability. In some unfortunate incidents, injuries can be so severe that they result in death.
Liability in an MTA Bus Accident
Bus drivers have a duty to keep all the passengers safe at all times. If the driver breaches this duty and causes an accident, they are legally responsible if you have incurred injuries as a direct result of this accident. Under such circumstances, you can sue MTA for your damage and suffering. If the fault of a 3rd party such as the manufacturer or distributor of bus mechanical parts, or road maintenance body has caused the accident then you may be able to sue them and receive compensation.
Each state has their own statute of limitations governing bus accident lawsuits. If you want to file for a personal injury claim you are required to fill the form within the time period allotted by the court of law. In most states, this time period is up to 6 months from the day of the accident. It is crucial to understand that if you fail to file for your claim benefits within the stipulated period, you claim may be denied or rejected.
How Can a Good Bus Accident Lawyer Assist you?
If you have been a victim of a bus accident, you may be eligible to receive compensation for all your injuries, pain and suffering. If you have suffered gruesome injuries, you may not be able to start working immediately or may get permanently disabled. If you believe that you or your loved one have suffered such injuries as a result of negligence on the part of MTA or a 3rd party it is imperative to contact a bus accident lawyer immediately.
MTA is a complex body with several levels of employees who are focused on safeguarding the interests of MTA. Additionally, insurance companies may have their own interests in mind and may deny your claims or reduce your claim amount using devious tactics. Your case may be easily crushed by such authorities who have their own benefits in mind. Hence, it is important to hire a knowledgeable and experienced bus accident lawyer who understands the legal technicalities of such cases and will pursue your case for you so that the parties liable for the accident are held accountable for your losses.