Need an Injury Attorney in Washington for Your Bus Accident?
How do you get to where you need to go when you live in a crowded town with lots of sights to see or a city where you have to commute to work? In Washington, there are many modes of transportation, but many people settle on taking a nice bus to and from places they need to go. You see the same familiar faces every day, and you trust your bus drivers to protect you from all harm. But what happens when you’re suddenly involved in a frightening accident due to the negligence of a bus driver? Bus accidents can be extremely serious in nature due to the fact that they are so much larger than other types of vehicles. This is why you should be prepared for these accidents and what they could bring.
Bus Accidents: A Type of Common Carrier?
If you have ever ridden on a bus, then you have engaged in a service known as a “common carrier.” Common carriers are an entity unlike any other and do not abide by the same rules as other drivers on the roads. This is because a common carrier offers their business as a way to transport people and goods from one place to another for a fee. Have you ever ridden on a plane? How about in a taxicab as you navigate the city? Then you have ridden in a common carrier, and there are many different rules that dictate how to bring a claim against them, and the duty of care that they owe you.
Common carriers are supposed to act with the highest standard duty of care than any other driver on the roads because they have been entrusted with your life as well as the lives of others. So what happens when they fail to protect riders from harm? What if a bus driver knew that there was a serious, threatening condition on their bus but did nothing to remedy the situation and as a result, you were seriously injured? What if a bus driver knew that they had worn brakes or another issue with their vehicle but continued to drive and couldn’t stop in time, slamming into another vehicle? These are accidents that could have been prevented but weren’t due to the negligence of a liable party. And, in these cases, you could be compensated for your injuries by the bus driver or another entity.
When Negligence Occurs in a Bus Accident
Many bus drivers understand the given safety rules and will do whatever it takes to prevent you from incurring harm when you ride in their vehicle. When a bus driver acts negligently, there are many things at risk. Not only is your life at risk, but they could also lose their ability to drive a bus, which is why many bus drivers take their job seriously and aim to protect. However, it is not just the bus driver who may be liable in one of these accidents; in some cases, it could also be the bus driver if they failed to maintain the vehicle or did not properly train a driver, or a manufacturer when defective parts were added to a vehicle.
Because buses are commonly government agency run, this means that you could run into a lot of liability issues or have to file your claim in a shorter period of time than other cases. If you have received extensive injuries due to the negligence of a bus driver, it’s time to act and work toward the compensation you deserve. Don’t miss out on filing your claim, and give us a call today.