Who is Liable if I Am Injured by a Bus Accident?
We get this question a lot. As with many questions personal injury attorneys field, the answer is: It depends, primarily on the facts of your case. Typically, however, if you have been injured or damaged as a result of a bus accident, there are several parties the experienced team at Meldon Law may look to as having potential liability. We review them in-depth below.
Remember, however, that because Florida is a no-fault insurance state, your Personal Injury Protection insurance coverage may first need to cover the costs of an injury you sustain in a bus accident. Consult an experienced bus accident attorney if you are not sure where to turn to recover compensation for a bus accident injury.
Bus Drivers
Just as with most motor vehicle accidents, it’s common for the driver of a bus involved in a crash to bear some liability for injuring others. This may particularly be the case if the driver operated the bus while fatigued, while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or while distracted by a cell phone or other screen device.
Bus Companies/Owners
If the accident involved a private bus (such as a tour bus or long-haul passenger bus), the company that owns and operates the bus may have liability for your injuries. Liability for a bus company can stem from it having hired or failed to train a negligent driver, for having failed to maintain a bus in good working condition, or having forced a driver to operate under dangerous road or work conditions.
Drivers/Operators Of Other Vehicles
Sometimes, a bus accident happens through no fault of the bus driver or his employer. Instead, the accident may be caused by the driver of some other motor vehicle that collides with, cuts off, or otherwise interferes with the operation of a bus. In these cases, the driver or operator of the other vehicle may have liability for your injuries.
Bus Manufacturers
When a bus takes to the road with an inherent defect in its design or assembly, it poses a risk to everyone on the road. The manufacturer of a defective bus or bus part (such as its tires or brake systems) may have liability to anyone injured in a crash precipitated by the failure of the bus or bus part to perform as intended under normal operating conditions.
Government Entities
If a government entity responsible for maintaining safe and clear roads fails in its duties, that entity may have liability to anyone injured as a result. A bus crash could easily occur, for example, if a county road authority fails to warn of closure of a road due to flooding or storm damage. Additionally, if a government entity owns and operates the bus involved in a crash, that entity may have liability in the same manner a private bus operator can.
Call Our Experienced Bus Accident Attorneys in Fort Lauderdale and South Florida
If you have sustained injuries in a motor vehicle accident involving a bus, you may be entitled to compensation from any of the parties above. To learn more, contact the experienced bus accident attorneys at Meldon Law today or call us at 800-373-8000 to schedule a free consultation.
