Bus Accident Lawyers in Lexington, South Carolina
In a town like Lexington, with a growing public transit system, many commuters and students depend heavily on public transportation. Although a generally safe mode of transportation, bus accidents do occur. A bus’s capacity to cause damage is drastically increased by its weight and size. These accidents, like car accidents, often result in devastating injuries, leaving an injured victim with mounting medical bills and treatment, lost earnings, and serious or permanent disability. At Strom Law Firm, our Lexington Bus Accident Lawyers fight for compensation from negligent bus drivers, their employers, and transportation companies.
We understand South Carolina’s transportation statutes and the complex legal questions that can arise in bus accident cases. We have experience handling cases with multiple injured parties who have suffered numerous and significant injuries. Strom Law Firm attorneys will devote time and resources to fight for fair compensation on behalf of our injured clients. We take the necessary steps to hold bus companies accountable for the injuries they cause due to their negligence and/or other wrongful behavior. We fight for compensation from negligent bus drivers, their employers, and transportation companies. Strom Law Firm attorneys will devote time and resources to fight for fair compensation on behalf of our injured clients. We take the necessary steps to hold bus companies accountable for the injuries they cause due to their negligence and/or other wrongful behavior.
Two thousand sixteen data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Large Truck and Bus Crash studies show the extent to which buses contribute to the mortality rate in United States vehicular accidents. NHTSA conducted a 10-year study, School-Transportation-Related Crashes, documenting an average of 128 fatalities every year. Driver error is often the primary factor.
Common Types of Bus Accident Injuries
When bus accidents occur, they cause detrimental injuries with serious and often permanent, life-altering effects. In addition to causing harm to passengers on-board, when a bus crashes into pedestrians and causes other accidents, such as a scooter accident, the individuals on the other end of the accident can sustain life-altering injuries. This is most likely due to the bus’s weight and size. These injuries may include:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Disc injury
- Child Injury
- Muscle tear and strain
- Spinal cord injury
- Broken or fractured bones
- Amputation
- Wrongful Death
- Damaged organs
- Burn
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Bus Accident?
After investigating bus accidents, many times, the driver is found to have been negligent or at-fault. Examples of negligent operation by bus drivers include distracted driving, reckless behavior, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and other risky behavior. In addition, since a bus is usually a commercial vehicle, the driver may be held to a higher standard than a non-commercial driver. In addition, people and companies beyond the driver may be responsible:
- Employers: Bus companies are often responsible because they make hiring decisions and have control over the budget, training, scope, and actions of their drivers. If employers know their employee has prior driving violations, has ever been accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, has any other safety infractions or poor record, the employer may be liable for claims related to negligent hiring and negligent entrustment.
- Mechanics: Mechanics may contribute to an accident if they negligently complete maintenance and repair.
- Bus Owner: When a bus owner improperly maintains his or her vehicle or does not fix known defects, he or she may be exposed to liability.
- Bus Manufacturer: Sometimes, a bus or its parts are defective. If a bus defect causes an accident, the manufacturer can be liable for damages.
What Damages Can Be Recovered for Bus Accident Injuries?
Economic damages include:
- Current and future medical bills
- Mobility devices or prosthesis
- Physical or mental therapy
- Current and future income
- Medical transportation costs
Non-economic damages consider the effects of injury complications on somebody’s life, like:
- Loss of ordinary functions
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Ongoing disabilities
- Impact on relationships
Will the responsible party try to Avoid Payment?
Similar to what happens with other pedestrian accidents, Insurance companies often try to convince victims to accept a quick settlement of a low amount. They may request recorded statements early on when an injured party does not yet know the full extent of the injuries or may request access to protected health information. This is all in an effort to reduce or otherwise deny a valid claim. Additional tactics can include:
- Denying Any Negligence: The defendants and their insurance company do not accept liability for an accident.
- Denying The Existence Of A Defect: A defective product’s manufacturer will likely defend their company through denials of the existence of the defect.
- Comparative Negligence: Arguing that the fault is either that of the injured party or of a third party;
- Disputing Damages: The attorneys of negligent parties who have no real liability defense often deny causation of the plaintiff’s injuries or call into question the extent or mere existence of the plaintiff’s injuries.
Contact Our Lexington Bus Accident Lawyers Today for a Free, No-Obligation Consultation
We offer free case evaluations, and we do not collect a fee unless we recover for you. If you have been injured in a bus accident in Lexington, Lexington County, or anywhere else across South Carolina, contact us. Contact the experienced Lexington Bus Accident Lawyers at Strom Law Firm at 803-252-4800 or online. Our Lexington bus accident lawyers look forward to hearing from you and finding out how we can help you.
