Baton Rouge, LA Bus Accident Lawyer

Bus accidents are some of the most serious vehicular collisions that can occur on the streets of Baton Rouge. the combination of the number of potential injury victims on board the bus and the grave danger that a bus causes to others on the road make responsible driving and operation critical.

When bus drivers or operators fail to meet their legal obligations and behave negligently, they put passengers, drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians in harm’s way. Fortunately, injury victims may pursue legal claims against the responsible party, through which they could recover damages for harms like medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. This is only possible, however, if the plaintiff files their case within Louisiana’s strict time limits.

To get the best chance at achieving justice after you were injured, call the seasoned Baton Rouge bus accident attorneys at Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (225) 269-8930 today and receive a free initial case assessment.

Justice for Bus Accident Victims in Baton Rouge

When negligence causes an accident involving a bus, there are a wide range of victims that could potentially be injured. Therefore, it only makes sense that each of these potential parties has the ability to sue for damages. Below are just some of the many potential victims that could seek legal remedies for injuries suffered in a bus accident.

Bus Passengers

Just because a passenger voluntarily gets on a bus does not mean that they give up their right to sue if another party, such as the bus driver or the bus company, behaves negligently and causes an accident. If you were injured while riding a bus that was involved in an accident, you should consult a Baton Rouge bus accident attorney to determine who was at fault for the accident.

Other Drivers

If the bus accident involves more vehicles than just the bus itself, everyone in the other vehicle is put at risk. Drivers and passengers in personal vehicles are at substantial risk when an accident involves a vehicle that is so much larger than their own. Louisiana is an at-fault insurance state, meaning that other drivers can go directly to the negligent party’s insurance provider, rather than having to file a claim with their own and potentially raising their own rates.

Pedestrians

Buses often operate in highly populated, urban environments, meaning that there is little room for error when negotiating tight turns and navigating lane changes. Bus drivers may easily become distracted by what is happening on board the bus or miscalculate their turn radius. Under Louisiana law, when a bus hits a pedestrian, the bus driver is almost always to blame for the accident.

Bicyclists

Buses have some of the largest blind spots of any vehicle on the road. To account for these gaps in visibility, bus drivers must take care to note of any bike lanes that they might cut across on a turn and take reasonable care to detect anyone crossing their path. When this does not happen, it can be difficult or impossible for a bicyclist to avoid a dangerous collision.

Damages for a Bus Accident Lawsuit in Baton Rouge

If you were injured due to the negligence of a bus driver or bus operator in Baton Rouge, you can seek damages for your harms. These harms could be both economic and non-economic in nature, and in certain cases, could include additional compensation that is meant to punish the defendant for particularly reckless behavior.

While it is too difficult to predict what your case may be worth without specific details about your accident and injuries, our Baton Rouge bus accident lawyers have provided the following breakdown about how local courts typically calculate damages for bus injuries.

Economic Damages

To start, you can get compensation for any direct economic impacts that the crash and resulting injuries had on your financial situation. This will include any medical expenses associated with caring for your injuries, both in the short and long-term. You can build the expected future costs of your care in with your claim, so you should not worry about acting too quickly.

You can also obtain compensation for any lost income you experienced while dealing with your injuries. This could include lost wages, missed opportunities for advancement, and overall reduced ability to earn an income, depending on the severity of your injuries and how they affect your ability to function in your line of work.

Non-Economic Damages

Not every type of harm is financial in nature. Bus accident injury victims are likely to experience pain and suffering in dealing with the repercussions of their experience and resulting injuries. If chronic pain or limited function impact your ability to engage in recreational activities, personal relationships, or even day-to-day function as you had previously, you can seek monetary remedy to compensate you for these harms.

Because they are not based on tangible financial losses, non-economic damages are harder to calculate without the help of a seasoned Baton Rouge bus accident lawyer. However, that does not mean that they will not be significant in your case. If you decide to pursue a simple insurance claim as opposed to a lawsuit, you will miss out on non-economic damages entirely, which makes a lawsuit your best option when available.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are only available in certain circumstances. A Louisiana court may order a personal injury defendant to pay punitive damages if their intentional or grossly reckless conduct warrants additional punishment. If punitive damages are available in your case, you will not want to miss out on them, so discuss the potential that you might obtain punitive damages with your Baton Rouge personal injury attorney.

Time Limit on Filing a Baton Rouge Bus Accident Lawsuit

Louisiana’s statute of limitations for bus accident injury lawsuits only runs for one year following the date of the accident. In other words, unless you file your claim less than one year from when you were injured, you will be barred from recovery.

Additionally, you may face additional notice requirements that could shorten your timeline if the bus that injured you was operated by a government agency, such as the Capital Area Transit System (CATS). Our Baton Rouge bus accident attorneys are familiar with all of the time requirements that your case must meet, so give us plenty of time to prepare and file your case ahead of all deadlines by reaching out as soon as possible.

Get Justice After a Baton Rouge Bus Accident with the Help of Rice, Murtha & Psoras

Call our offices today at (225) 269-8930 to get your free initial case assessment after you were injured in a Baton Rouge bus accident.