Whether you are traveling a long distance on a commercial bus, commuting to work, running errands on public transit, or even riding on a school bus as a young child, you deserve to be safe at all times while on a common carrier vehicle. Unfortunately, not every bus driver or operating entity takes the duty of care they owe to their passengers as seriously as they should, and that sometimes leads to accidents with life-altering repercussions for everyone involved. Even worse, lawsuits and settlement demands over bus-related injuries can be uniquely complicated for numerous reasons, especially if you try to pursue the compensation you need without a skilled personal injury attorney’s support. From start to finish of your legal proceedings, a Crown Point bus accident injury lawyer from the Law Offices of David W. Holub can provide the custom-tailored legal guidance you may need to achieve the favorable case resolution you want.
Possible Grounds for a Bus Injury Lawsuit
Everyone who operates any kind of motor vehicle on public roads assumes a duty of care while behind the wheel. This is basically just an implicit legal obligation to obey traffic laws, pay attention to surrounding vehicles and obstacles, and generally act rationally at all times in order to avoid causing harm to anyone else.
However, because buses are common carriers that carry passengers for a fee, their drivers and operating entities have an expanded duty of care compared to a typical driver. In addition to following traffic laws and acting responsibly behind the wheel in order to avoid collisions, buses also have to operate in such a way that their passengers are not put in harm’s way while onboard.
This means that an injury on a bus caused by a bus driver slamming on their brakes hard enough to make a passenger fall out of their seat could be grounds for a lawsuit, just like a traffic wreck caused by speeding or drunk driving could. A Crown Point bus injury attorney’s assistance can be crucial to achieving positive results from both types of claims.
Filing Deadlines for Bus Crash Cases
A skilled legal professional can also play a key role in building a strong lawsuit or settlement demand over a bus-related injury within applicable filing deadlines. If someone intends to sue a commercial bus driver or company over an injury, they generally have two years from the date of their initial injury to file suit, as per the statute of limitations established under Indiana Code §34-11-2-4.
However, if someone intends to sue over a public transit accident, they likely have no more than six months to give notice of their injury claim, starting from the date on which the accident occurred. This is because of the notice requirement established under I.C. §34-13-3-8 and expanded upon in succeeding statutes, all of which a bus crash lawyer in Crown Point can go into further detail about as needed during a confidential consultation.
Talk to a Crown Point Bus Accident Attorney Today
Bus crashes can be difficult to move on from both physically and financially, and they can also be hard to recover for through legal means. Fortunately, you have help available to you from knowledgeable legal professionals who know from years of practical experience how to handle claims like this as effectively and efficiently as possible.
A consultation with a Crown Point bus accident lawyer could give you answers to questions you have about your legal options and confidence about the next steps you should take towards civil recovery. Call the Law Offices of David W. Holub today to set up a meeting.