While traveling by bus may not always be faster than traveling in a personal vehicle, it is much more environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and much safer on top of all that. However, accidents involving commercial and public buses do still happen from time to time, and because there may be many people on board at once who are not protected by airbags or seatbelts, a single bus crash could lead to dozens of serious injuries at once. If you have been hurt in any way through the negligence of a bus driver and/or his or her employer, you may have a right to civil recovery, which a Munster bus accident lawyer could help you enforce. Even if you just have questions about exactly what legal options you have under your unique circumstances, a talented personal injury attorney from the Law Offices of David W. Holub could provide the answers and information you need to proactively protect your best interests.
When Is a Common Carrier at Fault for an Injury?
Bus drivers and bus companies are classified as common carriers because they transport human passengers rather than goods, raw materials, or animals. This classification holds them responsible not only for preventing traffic accidents through safe driving but also for ensuring the safety of passengers while on board.
This means it may be possible to sue over a variety of circumstances leading to injury aboard a commercial or public bus other than just traffic collisions, including:
- Slipping and tripping accidents
- Assaults by other passengers, under certain circumstances
- Falling out of a bus seat because of aggressive or erratic driving
- Lacerations and other injuries from something like a jagged broken seat
Additionally, it is often possible to hold bus companies vicariously liable for injuries caused mainly by the negligence of one of their employees if that employee was acting in the course of their normal employment when they were negligent. A Munster bus injury attorney could go into further detail about what circumstances could give rise to a civil claim during a private initial meeting.
Seeking Recovery for All Compensable Damages
Legal counsel could also provide irreplaceable assistance with identifying, accurately valuing, and proactively demanding restitution for every compensable loss that a bus accident will cause an injured person to experience. On the economic side of things, this can include both past and future medical bills, expenses related to personal property damage, lost short-term work income, and lost long-term working ability, among other things.
Non-economic damages typically cover physical pain and discomfort from injuries, as well as psychological trauma, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life from long-term disabilities. However, state law imposes damage caps on civil claims against government-operated public transit services. A qualified lawyer can assess whether these caps apply to a specific bus accident claim in Munster during a confidential consultation.
Contact a Munster Bus Accident Injury Attorney for Help With Your Case
Injuries on public and private buses alike can be much more challenging to file suit over than you may expect. On top of the stiff opposition you will likely face from insurance providers and defense counsel, you may also find your pursuit of civil recovery stymied by state law in some cases, especially if you want to sue an agency of the government that made those laws in the first place.
In both scenarios, representation from a skilled Munster bus accident lawyer could make all the difference in how well you can pursue the compensation you need and what chances you will have of achieving a favorable case result. Contact us today to learn how the Law Offices of David W. Holub could help with your claim.