Whether you take a Los Angeles city bus, watch your child board a school bus, or take a tour bus to head out of town, you trust the bus driver and company to take the steps necessary to transport passengers safely to their respective destinations.
Bus accidents, when they do occur, have the potential to result in major injuries or even fatalities. The Vaziri Law Group can help you pursue compensation for your bus accident injuries.
If you have been injured in a Los Angeles bus accident, you may be able to recover compensation for the injuries, damages, and losses you have sustained. Bus companies are public carriers with a duty of care or legal responsibility to ensure the safe transport of their passengers.
An experienced Los Angeles bus accident lawyer can help you better understand your legal rights and options.
Table Of Contents
- Our Los Angeles Bus Accident Lawyer Fights for Your Rights
- Who Can Be Held Liable for Bus Accidents in Los Angeles?
- What Steps Should I Take After a Bus Accident?
- If You Suffered an Accident on an LA City Bus
- How Our Bus Accident Lawyers Can Help You
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Contact Our Los Angeles Bus Accident Lawyer To Schedule a Free Consultation
Our Los Angeles Bus Accident Lawyer Fights for Your Rights
At Vaziri Law Group, our Los Angeles bus accident lawyers are committed to defending the rights of individuals injured in bus accidents across the city. We guide you through legal landscapes to ensure clients receive justice and fair compensation for their suffering and losses.
Our proactive approach involves thorough investigation, strong advocacy, and strategic negotiations to challenge large bus companies and governmental bodies. By standing firm for your rights, we strive to secure compensation, a sense of justice, and closure for the trauma endured.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Bus Accidents in Los Angeles?
While it may seem straightforward, identifying liable parties in bus accidents can sometimes be challenging.
Here are some of the parties who could potentially be held liable or financially responsible for a bus accident and the resulting injuries and losses:
A bus company
If your accident occurred on a private tour, charter, or party bus, the company that owns and/or operates the bus can be held liable. We can hold the bus company liable for a serious bus accident.
School district:
If your child has been injured in a school bus accident, the school district and/or the company that operates the bus (typically a contractor) can be held responsible. We have experience with bus accident cases involving school districts.
Governmental entity:
The government can be liable if you suffered injuries in an LA Metro accident. Our experienced bus accident lawyer can pursue compensation for your injuries.
Negligent driver:
If a negligent driver collided with the bus you were riding, his or her insurance company could be liable for damages. Bus drivers have a responsibility to keep their passengers safe.
Product manufacturer:
Suppose a defective bus part or component, such as a faulty seatbelt, caused the accident or your injuries. In that case, the defective product manufacturer can also be held liable for your injuries and damages. Sometimes, bus accidents occur due to faulty manufacturing.
What Steps Should I Take After a Bus Accident?
After any type of bus accident , including a bus crash, the most vital thing to do is check if you or anyone else has been injured.
If that is the case, you should seek medical attention right away. Call 911 so emergency personnel arrive at the scene and provide medical attention to those who need it. Do not decline treatment or help at the accident scene.
Collect as much evidence as possible if you can do so. Get names and contact information for eyewitnesses who saw the crash and can corroborate your account of what occurred. It is also crucial to get photos and videos from the crash scene.
Write down as many notes as you can, including how many vehicles were involved, the position of the vehicles, the weather on the day of the crash, traffic conditions, the bus driver's condition, etc.
Get prompt medical attention, treatment, and care for your injuries. This ensures that you get on the road to recovery and also helps document the type of injury you suffered and the treatment you sought.
In addition to taking these steps, seek the counsel of an experienced Los Angeles bus accident lawyer who can explain your rights and help you determine the value of your case.
Your attorney can also help gather other important evidence, such as police and incident reports. Contact us to discuss your bus accident case.
If You Suffered an Accident on an LA City Bus
Suppose you suffered injuries in a bus accident involving a Los Angeles city bus. In that case, you may need to file a claim against the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority , a county agency. Under California law, any personal injury claim against a governmental agency must be filed within 180 days or six months of the accident.
In general, you have two years from the date of an accident to file a personal injury claim in California. But, when it comes to governmental entities, that deadline—or statute of limitations—is much shorter. A governmental entity can be liable for a bus accident in other circumstances.
For example, when an accident occurs due to a dangerous roadway or intersection, the governmental entity responsible for maintaining that roadway can be held liable for the accident and injuries caused. These claims must also be filed within six months of the accident.
If your injuries did not occur on a city bus, the state's statute of limitations allows you to file a personal injury claim two years from the date of your accident.
How Our Bus Accident Lawyers Can Help You
Bus accident victims in Los Angeles are left with major injuries ranging from broken bones and brain injuries to burns and even paralysis. In some of these cases, victims may need ongoing treatment and lifelong care. Victims may no longer be able to return to work or earn a livelihood.
Our bus accident lawyers will help ensure that you have a vocal advocate fighting for your rights against bus companies or government transit agencies, which have powerful lawyers on their side. We will also help take care of the paperwork to be filed in court, the deadlines, and the documentation so you can focus on your health and recovery.
What Compensation Can I Recover as a Bus Accident Victim?
We will also help you determine the value of their bus accident claim and help you secure maximum compensation for damages, including:
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Medical expenses, including emergency care, hospitalization, surgeries, cost of medication, medical equipment, rehabilitation, etc.
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Lost wages refer to income you may have lost due to missing work.
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Lost earning capacity, which applies to individuals who have sustained catastrophic injuries or permanent disabilities that prevent them from returning to work.
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Non-economic damages include past and future pain, suffering and emotional distress.
Did you lose a loved one in a Los Angeles bus accident? In that case, we can help you seek compensation for damages through a wrongful death claim. This could include medical expenses, funeral costs, lost future income, pain and suffering, and loss of love, care, and companionship. Bus crashes can lead to all types of damage. Let us pursue a comprehensive compensation package.
Factors Dictating the Value of Your Case
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The extent of injuries: The severity and permanence of your injuries highly influence the value of your claim. More severe injuries typically require extensive medical treatment and prolonged recovery periods, increasing the compensation needed.
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Impact on quality of life: If the accident has led to disabilities that affect your ability to work, enjoy life, and perform daily activities, the compensation may be higher to address these life-altering changes.
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Medical costs: All past, current, and projected future medical expenses related to your injuries from the bus accident are considered. This includes emergency care, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, and long-term care needs.
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Lost wages and earning capacity: Compensation can cover lost wages from missed work and loss of earning capacity if you cannot return to the same job or work at the same earning level as before the accident.
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Liability and negligence: The clarity of liability and evidence of negligence can also affect the value of your case. Cases with clear liability and major negligence by the other party typically result in higher settlements or awards.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the most common causes of bus accidents in Los Angeles?
The most common causes of bus accidents in Los Angeles include driver negligence, mechanical failures, or hazardous road conditions. Our firm has extensive experience investigating these factors to build a strong case for your compensation.
How long must I file a bus accident claim in Los Angeles?
You must file a claim within two years for a standard personal injury claim deadline. You have six months to file a bus accident claim in Los Angeles for accidents involving city or other governmental buses.
What types of compensation can I recover from a bus accident lawsuit?
The compensation you can recover from a bus accident lawsuit includes medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. Our lawyers will help quantify these amounts to ensure you receive full compensation.
Can I file a lawsuit if a family member died in a bus accident?
Yes, you may file a wrongful death lawsuit if you have lost a loved one in a bus accident. We can assist you in recovering damages for funeral costs, lost future income, and loss of companionship.
What should I do immediately following a bus accident?
Following a bus accident, ensure you receive medical attention, even if you do not feel hurt, as injuries might not be immediately apparent. Then, contact our experienced bus accident lawyers to help protect your rights and gather the needed evidence for your claim.
Contact Our Los Angeles Bus Accident Lawyer To Schedule a Free Consultation
Have you been involved in a serious bus accident? Even common bus accident injuries can change your life forever. At the Vaziri Law Group, our Los Angeles bus accident attorney has experience with all bus accident claims. We can use that experience to fight for you.
Call the Vaziri Law Group at 310-777-7540 for more information about pursuing your legal rights. Schedule a free consultation to discuss your bus accident lawsuit.