After you have suffered critical injuries in a bus accident, you may be overwhelmed and unsure of what your next steps should be. You should not be stuck coping with the costs of your damages if another party is responsible for your injuries. Get help bringing the culpable party to justice.
Contact a dedicated Duluth bus accident lawyer at Barrios Virgüez for a free consultation today. You have the right to justice when someone else is at fault. An experienced personal injury attorney at our firm can help you find out more about how much your insurance and civil claims could be worth. When we take on your case, you can rest easier, as we will do everything in our power to get the most out of your claim and hold the liable party accountable for their negligence.
Bus Accident Injuries Can Turn Your World Upside Down
Bus accident injuries can be far more severe than many people realize. Whether you were a passenger on the bus or were involved in a collision with a bus, the injuries you suffered may be life-changing. However, it is important to remember that the injuries you are diagnosed with do not influence whether you have the right to take action.
There is no specific type of injury that warrants a personal injury claim. It is the extent of the injuries and the impact of these bus accident injuries on victims’ lives. We will also consider the future impact of your injuries when calculating the value of your claim.
Your bus accident attorney in Duluth, GA with Barrios Virgüez does, however, deal with some types of injuries more often than others. If you are coping with another type of injury not included in the list above, do not hesitate to contact us to explore your options further. Some of the more common types of injuries our lawyers see include:
Physical Injuries
Physical injuries are common in Duluth bus accidents. They are also often disabling and life-threatening. Victims have reported suffering from one or more of the following injuries:
Emotional Injuries
The emotional injuries people experience following bus accidents in Duluth are undeniable. They have been known to turn victim’s lives upside down. Bus accident victims have reported suffering from many debilitating emotional injuries, including:
- Depression
- Anxiety disorder
- Panic disorder and fear
- Insomnia and nightmares
- Social isolation
- Flashbacks of the accident
- Trouble concentrating
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
These are just a few types of physical and emotional injuries you could have suffered in a Duluth bus accident. If you have suffered other types of injuries we did not list here, that does not mean you do not have grounds for a case. In fact, you could be entitled to compensation for every single loss, and our legal team is committed to finding out whether you have grounds for a claim.
The Grounds for a Bus Accident Claim Are Clear
Your injuries should have had a significant impact on your life in some way to have grounds for legal action. To know whether you have grounds for a bus accident claim in Duluth, it is important to consider whether someone else is or could be responsible for causing your injuries. Some of the questions you can consider include:
- Was another passenger responsible for causing the accident?
- Was the bus driver drunk or under the influence?
- Was there an incident on the bus immediately prior to the collision?
- Was the accident caused by another driver?
- Could a bus defect have caused your collision?
- Were the road conditions dangerous at the time of the accident?
Many bus accident victims assume their injuries need to be life-threatening or catastrophic to have grounds for an insurance claim. However, this is often not the case. In fact, the type of injury you suffer will have little to no impact on your ability to pursue your case.
How to Prove You Have Grounds for Legal Action
Your bus accident lawyer in Duluth, GA, will gather evidence to support your case. This evidence will demonstrate how another party’s negligence or misconduct is the cause of your bus accident. Our team will fight tirelessly to secure full compensation for your damages.
Bus Accident Causes Are Not Always Clear
One of your Duluth bus accident attorney’s most important tasks will be establishing liability. Proving fault is one of the only ways bus accident victims can recover compensation for their damages. There are several reasons for this.
First, filing a claim with the insurance company is not always possible. Insurance settlements also do not fully compensate victims for their damages. This means you may need to go to trial if you hope to get the most out of your claim.
The burden of proof is based on a preponderance of the evidence. The evidence we present must clearly demonstrate how the defendant owed and breached their duty of care, thereby causing your injuries and damages. Some of the more common causes of Duluth bus accidents and their respective liable parties include:
Road Conditions Are Dangerous
Conditions of the roads are often dangerous. There are several parties who could share liability. Some examples of dangerous road conditions could include:
- Intersections with broken traffic lights
- Roadways lacking street lamps
- Missing street signs
- Lack of crosswalks and bike lanes
The parties who are responsible for road safety and maintenance could be at fault for the accident. They will be required to compensate you for your damages if dangerous road conditions cause your bus accident in Duluth. This could include government officials, government agencies, municipalities, construction workers, contractors, subcontractors, and other third parties.
Drivers Are Negligent
Reckless drivers are one of the top causes of bus accidents across Duluth. Any type of unsafe driving could be considered negligence. Some examples of negligent driving include:
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Failure to yield to the right of way
- Driving while fatigued
- Distracted driving
- Making illegal turns, including illegal U-turns
- Failure to stop at a traffic light or stop sign
- Driving over the speed limit
- Aggressive driving and road rage
If a negligent bus operator or other driver is responsible for causing your injuries, they can be compelled to compensate you for your damages in full. You may be able to file a claim with the liable driver’s insurance company to recover compensation for certain types and amounts of damages. Your attorney’s investigation will uncover the identities of those responsible.
Passengers Are Reckless
Bus accidents can also be caused by reckless passengers. If bus passengers are not adhering to the rules of the bus, they could be responsible for causing your accident. If a fight broke out, if passengers brought items on the bus that they were prohibited from bringing, or if passengers became rowdy, they could be held accountable for the victims’ damages.
Vehicle Parts Are Defective or Malfunctioning
When bus parts or the parts on any other involved vehicle were defective or malfunctioning at the time of the accident, there are multiple parties who could share liability. The evidence we collect during the investigation will identify those responsible. Some of these parties could include:
- Motor vehicle maintenance technicians
- Bus safety inspectors
- The owner of the bus
- The bus company
- Government agencies, including the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT)
- Municipalities
- Motor vehicle parts manufacturers, distributors, and designers
- Motor vehicle dealerships
- Other third parties
The Statute of Limitations Is Already Counting Down
Georgia does not give bus accident victims an unlimited amount of time to pursue their claims. The law strictly requires all personal injury claims to be filed within two years of the accident date unless extenuating circumstances allow the statute of limitations to be tolled. If you wait, you may not have enough time to build a powerful case and could even be barred from going to trial.
Hire Duluth’s Leading Bus Accident Law Firm Today and Demand Justice for Your Suffering
If you are feeling overwhelmed at the thought of pursuing your bus accident claims, you are not alone. We want to help you with your legal case. Reach out to an experienced Duluth bus accident lawyer at Barrios & Virgüez for a no-cost, risk-free consultation.
Our firm is proud to offer complimentary case evaluations to bus accident victims across Duluth and surrounding cities. Take advantage of this opportunity. Complete our convenient contact form or call our office to get started on your case today.
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