Sacramento Bus Accident Attorneys

Who Could Be Held Responsible for a Bus Accident?

Driver negligence accounts for nearly 80 percent of bus accidents. Therefore, the bus driver and the bus company or agency are likely to be defendants in a bus accident claim.

Even though bus drivers are often found at fault, other third parties may also share partial responsibility for an accident. It is not unusual to find that improper maintenance or a defective automotive system, part, or component on a bus failed and contributed to an accident. In some cases, problems with the roadway itself may contribute to a bus crash.

Depending on the circumstances of your case, we may be able to pursue a personal injury claim against one or more parties, such as:

• The bus driver. In most bus accidents, the driver was negligent in one way or another and caused or at least contributed to the crash. Two common causes of bus accidents are distracted driving and, in interstate bus transportation, fatigued driving.
• The agency and/or corporation that owns the bus and employs the bus driver. In both the private and public sectors, employers can be held liable for the actions of their employees, particularly commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. This includes municipalities, other local governments, and school districts that operate transportation systems. Bus owners / operators may also be held liable if systemic negligence or other employees’ failures contribute to an accident, such as having hired an unqualified or unlicensed driver, failing to drug test an employee who is found to have been impaired, neglecting maintenance needs, or pushing a driver to violate hours-of-service rules for passenger-carrying CMVs.
• A service vendor, such as a firm hired to maintain a bus fleet. If contracted mechanics performed inferior work or failed to adhere to maintenance schedules, and this is found to have contributed to the accident, it may be the basis of a claim.
• Manufacturers and retailers of buses and/or bus components and parts. If a defective product – brakes, tires, steering systems, etc. – failed and caused a crash, this would be cause for a product liability claim.
• The federal, state, or local governmental agency responsible for building and maintaining roads where a bus accident happened. If faulty road design or maintenance contributed to a bus accident, the responsible government body and possibly its contractors hired for such work could be liable for their negligence. If a badly designed or erected highway work zone contributed to an accident, such as by not providing adequate warning and space for a bus to slow down, this could be cause for a claim.

Additionally, commercial bus operations are governed by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations and requirements, which are extensive and specific. At the state level, multiple agencies are responsible for setting or enforcing requirements for school-bus driver qualifications and training, vehicles, inspections, and other operational aspects not covered by the FMCSA. Bus companies and local transportation agencies are also legally required to maintain rigorous documentation of their adherence to federal regulations.

When oversight is lax and regulations aren’t followed, accidents happen. Our skilled Sacramento bus accident lawyers can identify any violation of federal, state, or local regulations by a motorcoach company, a local transit agency, their bus driver, and/or another party. However, we need to launch an investigation as soon as possible after a crash.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with our knowledgeable legal team. Our law firm has the resources to conduct the investigation required of a serious bus accident and to take on multiple, potentially powerful defendants.

What to Do If You Are Offered a Bus Accident Settlement Check

It is important to not speak with an insurance claims adjuster if you are contacted after being injured in a passenger bus accident. Anything you say to the company could be used against you.

A bus company may contact you with a settlement offer, with hopes that you will take a quick payout before you understand the total costs of your injury. Insurance companies base initial accident settlement offers on what they have settled similar claims for in the past, not on your specific injuries.

Do not accept a check or sign anything presented by an insurance company after being injured in an accident unless you have a full accounting of your costs and losses. You can easily sign away your right to further compensation that you need and deserve.

Instead, let your legal team at Demas Law Group review the settlement offer and conduct the investigation necessary to determine what you truly deserve.

Why Bus Accident Injury Claims Are So Complex

Whether it’s a city bus run by Sacramento Regional Transit, a school bus, or a large or small motor coach company, when a bus gets into an accident, it is likely to be a more involved matter than a simple car accident. Consider that:

• The physical size of a passenger bus compared to passenger cars means car occupants are likely to suffer serious injury if a car is hit by a bus. Pedestrians and cyclists are likely to suffer catastrophic or fatal injuries if hit by a bus.
• There may be multiple passenger injuries in a bus accident. Many buses – including school buses – lack seat belts and other safety equipment. When a collision occurs or a bus rolls over in an accident, passengers are thrown about the interior of the bus, resulting in broken bones, head and brain injuries, and other serious injuries.
• Buses are operated by government or private organizations, or public-private partnerships, and may be serviced and maintained by additional “third parties.” This can complicate assigning responsibility for accidents.
• Buses are regulated as commercial motor vehicles by technically dense federal, state, and local laws.

Don’t let the complexities of a bus accident claim prevent you from pursuing the compensation you need to recover from a crash. Our dedicated California bus accident lawyers at Demas Law Group have the experience and resources necessary to fight for you.