Pittsburgh Bus Accident Attorney
If you are injured in a bus accident or other public transportation vehicle crash, you may be able to file a personal injury claim against the responsible transportation company. Your case will largely fall under the purview of personal injury law, just like many other types of vehicle crash cases (with a few exceptions). Accidents involving buses and public transportation vehicles are subject to Common Carrier Law, which stipulates that companies providing transportation as a business must meet a higher standard of reasonable care.
Types of Bus Accidents We Help With In Pittsburgh
Our Pittsburgh bus accident attorneys can help victims with the following:
- Bus rollover accidents
- Pittsburgh Port Authority Transit claims (bus and light rail)
- Bus passenger injuries
- School bus accidents
- Bus driver negligence
- Greyhound bus accidents
- Megabus accidents
- Tour bus accidents
- Transit van accidents
Proving Negligence in a Bus Accident Lawsuit
All personal injury cases hinge on the concept of negligence. To win your case, you must prove that the defendant (the person or party that injured you) was negligent by establishing three facts to the court:
- Duty – The defendant had a duty to act with reasonable care. In bus accident cases, the transportation company is responsible for the injuries and damages caused by its driver’s actions, such as speeding, distracted driving and driving under the influence, as well as vehicle part failures and inadequate driver training.
- Breach – The defendant breached this duty in some way. This could be through a specific action, such as talking with a passenger, or a specific inaction, such as failing to notice a hazard or a red light.
- Damages -The plaintiff’s (the injured party filing the lawsuit) injuries were the direct result of the defendant’s breach of duty to act with reasonable care.
Your bus accident attorney will help you gather the necessary evidence to build your case and obtain fair compensation for your damages and injuries. Your compensation could include:
- Medical expenses incurred because of your accident, such as hospital bills, subsequent surgeries, physical therapy, medical devices, medications and accommodations for permanently disabling injuries, such as prosthetics.
- Pain and suffering for the physical and psychological pains caused by the accident. Assessing an accurate monetary figure for your pain and suffering will largely depend on expert witness testimony.
- Property damage to your belongings or vehicle.
- Lost wages from time the accident forced you to stop working. If your injuries prevent you from returning to work, you also can sue for the potential income you would have expected to earn had you not suffered your injuries.
- If a bus or a public transportation accident kills a loved one, certain surviving family members may be able to file a wrongful death claim.
Winning Your Pittsburgh Bus Accident Case
One thing that you must remember about bus accidents and accidents involving public transportation vehicles is that state and local governments often run them. The usual statute of limitations, or time you have to file a lawsuit for a personal injury, is two years from the date of the accident or the date you discovered an injury that wasn’t immediately apparent. When you attempt to sue a government body, you typically have a much shorter window of time to file your claim. If you’ve been involved in a bus or public transportation accident in the Pittsburgh area, it is critical that you contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
At Ronald J. Bua & Associates, we keep a small caseload at any given time so every one of our clients receives our undivided attention for the entirety of their legal proceedings. We also operate on a contingency fee basis for most of the cases we represent, meaning you don’t have to pay us any legal fees unless we win your case.
Our team has served clients in the Pittsburgh area for more than 30 years in a wide array of personal injury cases. Contact our team to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation about your case. Let our knowledge and experience work for you.