When driving your own vehicle, you have a certain degree of control and can practice defensive driving to avoid accidents. But when you’re traveling in a bus, you forgo that level of control and entrust the bus driver to drop you off at your destination safely. When things go awry, you need to take steps to protect your legal rights to compensation. Our best Los Angeles bus accident lawyer, Michael Ehline, has prepared the most important tips to protect yourself and your financial interests as a bus crash victim.
Here are the five general steps you should take as a newly minted bus accident victim:
Many of us feel much safer traveling in a bus than our own vehicles, which is why the idea of a bus accident does not spring to mind. However, bus accidents are more common than you think. On December 13, 2022, one passenger died, and 11 passengers suffered injuries after a bus rollover on Interstate 15 south of Baker, California.
Buses carry numerous passengers, and a serious accident can have devastating consequences for multiple bus passengers. Ehline Law and our bus accident attorneys work closely with our injured clients to understand their needs and protect their rights. Contact us to learn more about your rights as an injured victim and discuss your legal options.
Before you can file a personal injury claim, it is crucial to identify the liable party.
There could be one or multiple parties responsible for your bus accident, some of which include the following:
It’s not always clear who is responsible for your bus accident, which is why accident victims need to work with experienced personal injury attorneys. A reputable law firm has the resources to investigate a bus accident case and determine the liable party to pursue a bus accident claim.
If you’re a bus passenger and get involved in a bus accident, taking the right steps to protect your bus accident case is essential. Here’s what to do if you are in a bus accident.
After experiencing a bus accident, you must call 911 for help. The bus crash could cause severe traffic disruption, or other passengers may be severely injured and require emergency medical attention. Don’t rely on the bus driver to report the accident to the relevant authorities.
If you require medical help and are in pain, remain calm and stay where you are. However, if your injuries are not so severe and you can move around, it is best to exit the bus and help others get to safety.
In cases where you were driving a vehicle and got hit by a bus, you must stay at the accident scene and exchange information with the bus driver.
Wait for authorities to arrive as they will be making a police report, which can be helpful when filing a claim.
The sooner you start to gather evidence, the better. Use your smartphone to snap pictures and take videos of the accident scene, the vehicles involved, and any visible injuries you suffered from the impact.
It is crucial that you get the bus driver, emergency personnel, witnesses, and other passengers’ contact information.
Regardless of whether you’ve suffered injuries, it is vital to head to a hospital for a thorough medical evaluation and immediate medical attention.
Sometimes, internal injuries, whiplash, or soft tissue injuries are not so apparent, like broken bones, and only imaging scans can help determine these types of injuries.
In some cases, injuries may take some time to manifest, and early medical intervention can help prevent further injuries or medical complications.
Maintaining a proper record of all the receipts and expenses is crucial as it will help you and your attorney determine the economic damages following your accident.
Keep a physical file and store all your receipts, including medical bills, home modification expenses, property damage bills, and other receipts.
Before you talk to the insurance company, contact a skilled bus accident attorney. Bus accident claims are challenging, and accident victims may face serious opposition from the bus company and the insurer. Worse, you may miss out on money damages from liable parties you couldn’t identify following your accident.
An experienced bus accident attorney understands the legal process and can look out for your best interests while you take the time to recover from your injuries. First thing first, your first priority after the emergency room is getting the right lawyer to take care of your legal and financial well-being. Don’t expect a public entity or bus staff to roll over. Public transportation companies are notorious for saying there are other responsible parties besides them, and more victims may be chasing the same pot of money.
Injured people need to lawyer up and preserve evidence in a car accident. Did the bus have seat-belts? Was it a tour bus leased by the school district? Did emergency services get you the proper medical treatment? Is your medical exam properly documented in your medical records? We want to know so we can prevent further injury!
Ready to form an attorney-client relationship with our experts? Whether it is a school bus or a public or private transportation bus, our personal injury attorneys have more than 15 years of experience handling bus accident claims. Don’t risk your emotional health further dealing with all these complexities. We know all the angles to make sure you receive the most compensation after a bus crash with a motorist, pedestrian, or fixed object.
Get started today, and we will study several different angles to win a bus collision case and begin negotiations on your behalf with priority as soon as we are hired! The sooner we start gathering information, the sooner you will have the right legal assistance. If you suffered severe injuries after getting involved in a bus accident, contact us at (833) LETS-SUE for a free consultation, as you may be eligible for compensation over your life.
Michael Ehline
Michael is a managing partner at the nationwide Ehline Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, APLC. He’s an inactive Marine and became a lawyer in the California State Bar Law Office Study Program, later receiving his J.D. from UWLA School of Law. Michael has won some of the world’s largest motorcycle accident settlements.
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Downtown Los Angeles Office
633 West 5th Street #2890
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 596-9642
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