Ask Personal Injury Lawyers: What if You’re Hit by a City Bus or Other Public Transit?

If you’re looking for the best motorcycle injury or auto injury attorneys, look no further than Avera & Smith. As Personal Injury Lawyers in Gainesville, we’ve seen it all. And that includes injuries suffered as a result of an accident caused by a city bus or other public transit. If this sounds like your situation, reach out to an attorney soon because you may need to act right away. And you don’t want to miss the opportunity to get what’s rightfully yours.

There are some key legal differences between typical auto accident cases and cases involving public transportation. At Avera & Smith, our car accident attorneys are well versed in these nuances and can help you navigate the choppy legal waters.

Public Transportation Cases: Key Points Your Auto Accident Attorney Should Understand

Although personal injury claims can be fairly complex, the typical procedure for filing a lawsuit and negotiating your settlement with an insurance company in court is relatively straightforward. But accidents in which a city bus driver or other operator is at fault are necessarily more complex because the government is involved.

Depending on the nature of the accident, your personal injury lawyer may need to pursue any or all of the following parties:

• The city
• The state’s department of transportation
• The bus driver
• The bus driver’s union, if applicable
• The company that services the buses

You can see how a case like this could quickly become complicated. Your car accident attorney may even need to contact more than one insurance company.

Preparing and Filing a “Notice of Claim” with Your Personal Injury Attorney

States and cities have their own requirements and rules about what to include in your notice of claim. And there is also likely a time limit within which you must report your claim. This is why you’ll need an experienced auto injury attorney to help you through the process. Typically, your notice will include everything from your name and address to a description of the circumstances and the level of compensation you will pursue for damages.

Unique Factors in Personal Injury Cases Involving a City Bus

Special investigations may be required to determine liability, or who is at fault, for a bus accident. Buses are massive vehicles and, therefore, can cause even more destruction and serious injury than sedans or other private vehicles. But that’s not the only reason bus accident cases are unique.

Public transportation drivers and operators have a greater responsibility for the safety of their passengers than private drivers. This means that we’re not just talking about potential personal injury cases from people in other automobiles. We’re also talking about personal injuries that occur on the bus itself due to driver negligence or the negligence of a third party. Examples of fault factors include, but are not limited to:

• Drivers working while fatigued
• Drivers who haven’t been properly trained or screened
• Intoxicated drivers
• Incorrectly loaded or overloaded buses
• Buses or equipment that have not been properly serviced or maintained

Consult a Personal Injury Law Firm in Gainesville to Get What You Deserve

Any car accident attorney will tell you that these types of personal injury cases can get complicated. And that goes double for cases involving public transit. If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident—whether as another motorist, a pedestrian or a bus passenger—the personal injury lawyers at Avera & Smith are here to help.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ve been representing personal injury victims in and around Gainesville for over 65 years, so our extensive trial experience will be your strength when it comes to getting the compensation you deserve.