Bus Accident Lawyer
The Long Island bus system provides affordable, fairly convenient transportation to hundreds of thousands of riders every year. These buses have a fairly good safety record, but when accidents do happen, they can be devastating.
A bus accident has the potential to seriously injure passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and occupants of other vehicles on the road. These victims can end up with significant medical bills and other losses. As a recourse, they may be able to recover some or all of these losses through a personal injury claim against the bus service responsible for their accident.
TonaLaw can provide injury victims with a bus accident lawyer in Long Island to represent their case and give their claim the maximum chances of success. We vigorously pursue all New York bus injury claims on behalf of our clients. Using proven litigation methods and a thorough knowledge of state law, federal law, and prior rulings for similar bus injury cases, we forge strong claims that have a high likelihood of leading to a favorable settlement or court ruling.
If you have been hurt by a bus accident in Long Island or NYC, you should know your rights for pursuing your claim and how to give yourself the best chances of obtaining compensation. You can speak to an experienced Long Island bus accident attorney for free to learn about your legal rights and possible best options during your initial case review.
Schedule your free, no-obligation consultation now by dialing 1-833-TONA-LAW or by using our quick, convenient form to contact us online.
Common Causes of Bus Accidents in Long Island
A bus accident can occur in Long Island for any number of reasons, and a significant volume of them can be traced to negligent acts.
Examples of common types of negligence that can lead to a bus accident include:
- Driving bus under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Failure to obey traffic laws
- Driver inattention
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Dangerous bus design
- Risky MTA (or other bus systems) policies
- Inadequate vehicle maintenance
- Poor hiring practices leading to inexperienced/unqualified drivers
Driver negligence, which refers to acts of carelessness by the operator of the bus, can lead to any number of major accidents involving one or more vehicles. Even a seemingly small mistake, like turning too abruptly, can lead to an incident inside the bus where passengers get jostled and subsequently injured.
Negligence can also occur at higher levels of the bus system’s organization. Improper hiring practices, lax maintenance standards, and bad policies that lead to high accident risks are just a few examples of top-level negligence that can directly cause the conditions allowing an accident to occur.
A Long Island bus accident lawyer can help you determine what factors contributed to your bus accident and whether negligence was involved. Proving negligence is a key component in establishing your claim and demonstrating why the bus system should be liable for your injury costs and other associated damages.
10 things you need to know if you have been injured in a car accident
Free “No Stress” Personal Injury eBook by Thomas Tona, Esq.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Bus Accident in Long Island?
Depending on what type of bus injured you, there are different parties that can be liable for the wreck. If the wreck was caused by a privately-owned bus, like a charter bus, you can potentially sue the driver if their own actions caused the collision. You may also be able to hold the company accountable if they failed to maintain the vehicle properly. If a defective part of the bus led to the accident, the manufacturer may be held liable.
If the accident was caused by a city bus driver, you would have to make your claim against the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). In these instances, you need to act quickly. Your claim must be filed within 90 days of the incident. At TonaLaw, our Long Island bus accident attorneys have over 30 years of combined experience representing victims of these types of collisions. We can make sure your claim is filed properly, and the legal aspects of your case are handled effectively.
What To Do When Injured In An Accident On A School Bus/ Public Transit
Get a Full Medical Diagnosis After Your Public Transit Injury
One of the most important steps when considering litigation is obtaining a clear, conclusive medical examination detailing your injuries. As soon as you are hurt or suspect that you have been hurt, go to a doctor.
After being injured, go to the emergency room for any major injuries and do not delay treatment for moderate, minor, or suspected injuries. For less severe injuries, you may visit an urgent care clinic, your primary care doctor, or another physician’s office.
Getting prompt medical treatment is important for two main reasons:
- You can begin treating your injury now, reducing the risk of complications.
- You can document the connection between your injury and the public transit accident.
Regardless of your circumstances, do not delay going to the doctor. You will be unable to pursue a claim without a conclusive medical diagnosis and medical records. You also want to have your visit coincide with the date of your transit accident as closely as possible.
Filing a Timely Claim
After being injured, you have a very limited window to take action and seek a claim for damages against the appropriate public agency. Generally, you have 90 days to report a potential claim. However, this depends on the specific circumstances of your case. Waiting to consult a professional regarding your case may lead to missing an important deadline, leaving you with little to no recourse. Therefore, it is necessary to contact a professional if you believe you have a claim.
Determining Who Is Liable
The biggest question in your claim is: who to file against? A public transit accident could be the fault of the main service provider, but it could also be because of a negligent contractor. If your accident happened on a bus driving on a public road, it is possible that another vehicle driver caused or contributed to it.
Filing a claim against the wrong public entity will result in your case being dismissed. Unfortunately, this may lead the injured party to miss the window to file their claim with the appropriate agency.
To ensure you file your claim against the right entity, your attorney will conduct legal research and investigate your accident.
Proving Negligence
When filing a claim or trying to sue a public entity, the standards for proving liability are higher.
For example, let’s say your injury was caused by a broken floorplate leading up to a train platform on the Long Island Rail Road. This is an injury that resulted from a hazardous condition the MTA failed to address. However, the MTA is allowed a reasonable timeframe to address the hazardous condition. To prove the agency’s negligence, you will need to document that the agency had received written notice of the hazard at least 15 days prior to the date of your accident. You may need to show that the MTA failed to act within a reasonable timeframe to correct the hazard.
In cases involving an allegedly negligent driver, you will need to show that the driver’s actions or the agency’s failure to hire and train were to blame. However, each case is unique and must be analyzed on a case-to-case basis.
How a Bus Accident Attorney Can Help Your Case
Cases involving bus accidents in Long Island can be quite complex, with one or more public agencies defending against your claim. These entities often have significant advantages when it comes to negotiating with injured victims, not the least of which is their extensive financial and legal resources.
If you have been injured by a bus in Long Island, you may be contacted by representatives from the MTA or related bus service agency. They may offer you a settlement to pay for the costs of your injuries, but these settlements are often inadequate compared to the actual losses you have experienced.
A bus crash injury attorney in Long Island can help you estimate the complete extent of all your damages — past and future. These damages include not just your medical bills and property loss but also related expenses, lost wages, and in many cases the pain and suffering you have experienced. If you have a permanent disability or disfigurement as a result of your accident, your claim could qualify for compensation for your lifelong losses, including the potential loss of earning capacity.
You may never know what your case is truly worth and how much compensation you should fight for until you speak with a Long Island bus injury attorney who has handled multiple cases like yours before.
Schedule your free, no-obligation initial case review to begin the process of estimating your full damages and strategizing your claim to give it the maximum chances of success. Call 1-833-TONA-LAW now or contact us online to schedule your free consultation today.
