Bus Accidents

Bus Accidents

Have you or a family member suffered an injury or loss of life as the result of a collision or incident involving a bus? Bus passengers, occupants of other vehicles, and pedestrians are all at risk to be injured in an incident with a bus. If you or a family member were injured or suffered loss of life, you have the right to financial compensation. You owe it to yourself to retain the sound counsel of a highly competent attorney well versed and up to date with in the intricacies of insurance policies and the claims process. The skilled personal injury attorneys at Malamut & Associates can help you.

At Malamut & Associates, we know how unsettling a bus related injury can be. Contacting the right attorney as soon as possible will help to ensure your rights are protected. As with all injury causing incidents, each bus collision is unique. There may be a single cause or multiple nuanced causes that could require the retention of experts to verify or uncover liability. Our experienced personal injury attorneys know this, and will proactively make sure you have the strongest case possible in order receive all that you and your family are entitled to. We recommend that you do not give a statement to bus company’s insurance carrier prior to speaking with our highly competent attorneys. The bus company’s insurance carrier is a business whose job it is to make and save money. They do not always have a victim or their family’s best interests in mind when evaluating a claim. Our meticulous attention to detail will give you time to heal, while we compile and present the best case possible on your behalf. We offer free consultations in person at our office in Cherry Hill, NJ, or we can come to you. Contact Malamut & Associates today to schedule your free consultation. We look forward to meeting you.

Why are Bus Accidents Different?

As a “common carrier” buses owe their passengers a heightened duty of care. In other words, buses are not held to same standard we hold personal vehicles. When we place our children on a bus, or board a public or private bus ourselves, we trust that the bus operator will exercise the highest level of care in carrying out their responsibility to safely deliver their passengers to their final destination. Bus accidents are often completely avoidable when the driver is properly trained and the buses are maintained within the accepted industry standards. Sadly, that is not always the case.

According to the most recent statistics, about 22,000 people suffered injuries in bus crashes in 2014.[1] There are approximately 80,000 bus crashes per year in this country. In addition to basic negligence in a collision, some common factors in these incidents include driver fatigue, drivers operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs (prescription or illicit), moving violations (such as failure to observe traffic signal or speeding), and mechanical failure.

In order to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses, the government created the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). In carrying out its safety mandate, FMCSA develops and enforces data driven regulations that balances safety with efficiency. Given the efforts of the FMCSA and other industry efforts, there has been a decrease over time in injuries and death caused by bus accidents. However, that delicate balance between safety and efficiency can lead to often predictable safety oversights when business goals get in the way of regulations.

While not as common as passenger vehicle accidents, bus accidents often cause catastrophic injuries and death. Furthermore, public transport does not often carry medical insurance that extends to their passengers. Injured victims are left with medical bills to be paid through their own PIP coverage or employer provided health care, much like a normal personal auto accident. Should a victim not be insured at all, they may be eligible for PLIGA. PLIGA applications need to be filed within 180 days of the incident. Do not hesitate to contact a personal injury attorney well versed in such matters.

References
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration “ LARGE TRUCK AND BUS CRASH FACTS 2014”
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/docs/Large-Truck-and-Bus-Crash-Facts-2014%28April%202016%29.pdf