Brookhaven, GA Bus Accident Lawyer

Many people rely on buses for transportation every day. While buses mostly get where they are going without any problems, bus accidents do happen. Unfortunately, people are often very seriously injured as a result. It is not uncommon for the cost of treatment for bus accident injuries to reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, and that is to say, nothing of the mental toll that dealing with serious injuries may take on someone.

Fortunately, you do not have to face the aftermath of a bus crash alone. Our legal team knows how to handle these accidents, so we can take care of all the legal legwork while you focus your energy on recovering from your injuries.

Call Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s bus accident legal team at the number (470) 287-3070 to receive a free case review.

What Should You Do After a Bus Accident in Brookhaven, GA?

Bus accidents are scary and hectic experiences. However, there are actually things you can do right after a bus accident that can bolster your claim. In fact, you may have done some of these things after your bus crash without even thinking about filing a lawsuit. That being said, you also should not worry if you are not able to do some or all of these steps. Each crash is different, so our bus accident lawyers understand that circumstances can prevent some of these things from happening, and we can help to fill any gaps and address any issues.

Get Medical Attention

The most important thing to do after a bus accident is to ensure that you get the medical attention you need. In some cases, the bus driver is tasked with calling emergency services, but they may not be able to or want to. In those cases, if you are able, you should either call emergency services yourself or direct someone else to do so.

Once emergency services have arrived, follow all of their instructions. If they want to take you to the hospital, you should comply with that request and go with them. However, if they clear you to stick around, you should proceed to the next step.

It is also a good idea to seek follow-up care in the days following your crash. Some injuries, like whiplash, make take some time to reveal themselves because of the adrenaline rush of being in a bus crash, so it is important to get care for those injuries.

Gather Information

If you are able to stick around after the crash, you should focus on getting as much information as you possibly can just after the accident took place. Get the name, license plate number, and insurance information of anyone and any vehicle involved in your crash, including both the bus driver and other motorists. It may also be a good idea to make a note of the bus company that owns the bus you were on. Additionally, take numerous photos and videos of the accident and the surrounding area right after it has happened.

You should also talk to any police officers who responded to the accident, as your statement will be included in the police report they make, and our lawyers can get that report later on to help your case. Finally, take the statements of anyone who saw the accident happening, including passengers or people who were nearby. These individuals may be able to testify in court on your behalf later down the line.

Call Our Lawyers

Finally, you need to get in touch with legal counsel as soon as possible after your accident. There is a law called the statute of limitation that puts a time limit on how long you have to sue after you are injured. In Georgia, the statutory period for most personal injury claims, including bus accidents, is two years under O.G.C.A. § 9-3-33. Once that time is up, you lose your right to file a claim and you will not be able to get any damages. Two years can go by very quickly in the context of a lawsuit, so it is always better to get your case in sooner rather than later.

Who Can You Sue in Brookhaven, GA Bus Accident Lawsuits?

You need to make sure that you file your bus accident claim against the correct parties. You can only get damages from parties that actually caused your injuries, so figuring out who to sue is an important part of preparing your lawsuit.

Bus Drivers and Other Drivers

It is almost always a good idea to include the driver who struck you in your accident claim. Bus drivers can be negligent in all the ways that ordinary drivers are negligent. So if the bus driver was drunk, too tired, or simply ignored the rules of the road, they can be sued for their negligence.

Bus Companies

You can also often sue the bus company that employed your bus driver if the driver caused the accident. There are two main ways that this happens. First, something called “respondeat superior” lets plaintiffs sue employers for negligent things their employees do, provided the employee was doing something related to their job. So, if the bus driver was ferrying passengers, their employer is likely liable for their negligence. However, if the bus driver hits you while you are taking the bus somewhere it was not supposed to go, the employer might not be liable because that is not related to the bus driver’s job. Additionally, if a bus company hired untrained drivers or failed to adequately train their employees, they could be sued for negligent hiring.

Bus Manufacturers and Designers

In some cases, a problem with the bus that was out of the control of the driver or bus company could have caused an accident. When “defective” buses injure people, you can sue the party responsible for the defect. Who you sue largely depends on where, in the process, the defect arose. For example, if the problem is in the bus’s blueprints, you can sue the bus designer. On the other hand, if the problem was a mistake made when building the bus or a shoddy repair job, you can sue the bus manufacturer or the mechanic who worked on the bus, respectively.

Discuss Your Claim with Our Brookhaven, GA Bus Accident Lawyers Today

Call (470) 287-3070 and chat with the bus accident lawyers from Rice, Murtha & Psoras about your case.