Some people take city buses to commute rather than drive. Many parents also put their children on school buses to get them to school each day. Others use Greyhound and other bus carriers as a more affordable way to travel from place to place.
No matter the type of bus, when you or a loved one boards as a passenger, a bus accident is likely the last thing on your mind. Even if you’re commuting in your own car alongside buses, you may not realize the danger you could face if there were a crash.
When there is a bus accident though, the injuries can be catastrophic. From passengers to other drivers on the road, the extent of damage is usually profound. If you are hurt in a bus accident, you must know the right legal steps to take to protect your rights.
Get Help on the Accident Scene
When a bus crashes, it can be a chaotic scene. If you’re on the bus as a passenger, others around you may also be hurt. If you’re in your own vehicle and a bus has crashed into yours, you will want to take the same steps to get help. Call the police and report the bus accident immediately.
The 911 operator will likely ask where the crash occurred and if there are any injuries. Inform them of injuries, which will ensure they send paramedics to the accident scene.
One of the most important things you must do is speak to the police. As a bus passenger, they will want your statement. If you are another driver that the bus plowed into, you will need to get a copy of the police report to submit for your bus accident claim.
Get Medical Attention Immediately
You’re probably still in a state of shock after the bus you were riding on crashed. It’s certainly not what you expect, and the aftermath can be incredibly upsetting. There will be others with injuries too, some of them panicking while some of them may be unconscious.
If you do not see any visible wounds on your body, do not make the mistake of assuming that you are fine. You should get prompt medical treatment immediately to rule out any hidden injuries. The adrenaline surge you experience after a crash can mask dangerous symptoms. You may have a traumatic brain injury from being flung out of your seat or from the impact of the bus as it slammed into your own vehicle.
Additionally, internal bleeding and spinal cord injuries are also possible in these events. You should get medical care to create medical records that can be used to recover the costs of your medical bills from the parties responsible for the bus crash.
Gather Evidence
It will usually not take long for law enforcement and emergency responders to descend upon the accident scene. They will be busy investigating the cause of the accident and taking care of injured victims. As they document the aftermath, you can also do the same if you are capable.
Take out your phone and make a video as well as take photos of all the damage. Be sure to take photos of any visible injuries you may have, the intersection or stretch of road you are on, and anything that shows the weather and time of day.
If you are a driver of your own vehicle, you will want to take photos of your own car as well. You will additionally want to speak to others who witnessed the bus crash and get their contact information. They’ll be able to provide a statement that can be used to determine fault.
Organize All Related Documents and Records
If you were on a bus when it crashed or your vehicle was hit by a bus, you should create a file devoted to organizing all documents related to this incident. Make sure you put your medical records for all treatments in this file along with any medical bills you’ve paid or received, your pay stubs if you missed work from your injuries, and all receipts for out-of-pocket expenses.
It’s also smart to keep a journal about your injuries and how they have impacted your life. Along with the photos and other evidence, you will have all of these things to support your claim, giving you a better chance of recovering the full amount of compensation you deserve.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney with Bus Accident Experience
Bus accident cases are always complicated because there are so many parties involved both on the liable side as well as victims. The company that operates this bus and its insurer will likely make it difficult for you to recover the money you are owed. They may try to claim that your injuries aren’t as serious as you say and offer you much less to the point that it won’t cover enough of your expenses.
It requires resources to hire the right kind of experts to delve into a bus crash investigation. Accident reconstructionists and transportation experts will be tasked with determining how the bus accident occurred. When that happens, it may come to light that the responsible parties go beyond the bus driver, the bus company, and the insurance carrier. It may also involve the bus manufacturer, the mechanic responsible for servicing the fleet of buses, the parts manufacturer, or even a third-party driver in a passenger vehicle who drove negligently and caused it all.
A Greyhound bus accident attorney is an asset for victims of bus crashes because they can take over all the communications and negotiations with the insurer, the bus company, law enforcement, and all other parties. They also have the resources needed to get experts to examine the accident and determine how it was caused to discover who is liable.
Your attorney will take over and represent your best interests, allowing you to focus on healing from your injuries. If you or a loved one were hurt in a bus accident, set up a free consultation to determine your next steps.
