Jersey City Bus Accident Lawyer

You should not have to bear the financial burden of a bus accident that was not your fault. Our team at the Morelli Law Firm can hold the responsible party or parties legally accountable. We handle all aspects of your case while you focus on your recovery and your family.

We Have Won Millions of Dollars for Our Injury Clients

We are proud advocates of injury victims and fight to get them the compensation they need to move forward in their lives. Here are just some of our results for those negligently injured or killed in bus crashes:

• $12 million to the estate of an 85-year-old man struck by an MTA bus who later died from his injuries
• $3.5 million for a woman run over by a New York City Transit Authority bus
• More than $2.2 million for seven bus passengers traveling from New York through South Carolina

If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, our attorneys are prepared to take your case to trial.

We Can Help You File a Lawsuit for Many Types of Bus Accidents

Bus accidents fall under the broader category of motor vehicle accidents. The victims of such accidents can be schoolchildren, tourists, sports teams, airport travelers, or everyday public transport users.

There are various causes of bus accidents. These causes include:

• Distracted driving
• Speeding
• Tailgating
• Aggressive driving
• Drunk driving
• Mechanical issues
• Bus driver fatigue

Bus drivers can make dangerous errors behind the wheel that result in an accident. For example, when the driver fails to adhere to the traffic rules or when the driver refuses to yield the right of way, an accident is likely to occur. 

Speeding can fall under the category of reckless or negligent driving, which means that not only is the driver over the speed limit, but their behavior is dangerous to other drivers and pedestrians on the road.

Drunk Driving

Driving under the influence of alcohol also puts the lives of the bus driver and passengers at risk. Driving while intoxicated tampers with the driver’s sound judgment and can lead to unnecessary mistakes that eventually result in a crash.

Distracted Driving

Inattentive driving can also be a cause of bus accidents. For example, the driver can lose concentration when they start using their cellphone while driving. In 2020, the New Jersey Department of Transportation reported a total of 1,138 crashes related to cell phone usage.

Poor Maintenance

In other cases, the condition of the bus may lead to a crash. Unroadworthy vehicles often experience mechanical failures that may pose a risk to the passengers and the driver. Further, when the bus company fails to service the vehicle before use, the bus can experience mechanical difficulties that will, in turn, result in a crash.

A Jersey City bus accident attorney will advise you to seek legal counsel if you are a victim of a bus accident. If you or a family member has sustained injuries or perished in a bus accident, our legal team can help. 

We Can Help You Determine Fault in a Bus Accident

In bus accidents, it is uncommon for passengers or pedestrians to carry any fault or responsibility for the accident. The mentioned parties are usually the victims. That said, our bus accident lawyers will first determine how the accident occurred before pursuing a personal injury claim. 

We will need to identify the proper defendants, as they are a vital component when it comes to the issuance of compensation and damages for the injuries sustained. Below are some parties that may bear the blame, or even a portion of the blame, in bus accident cases:

• Bus driver
• Bus manufacturer
• Bus owner
• Other drivers or pedestrians involved in the crash
• School district that manages the bus route

There May Be Multiple Parties Responsible for a Bus Accident

In bus accident cases, it is uncommon to have just one liable party. In most situations, all the parties, as mentioned above, can share responsibility depending on their degree of involvement. An attorney from our firm can help you identify the proper defendants for your case and their degree of responsibility. 

Victims can mistakenly sue only the bus driver without including other actors who may be equally responsible. When filing the personal injury claim, our attorneys will engage all the responsible parties to ensure that they all bear responsibility for your injuries. Including all the parties involved in the suit should happen in the first stages of filing.

If you sustained injuries in a bus accident, you may want the help of a personal injury lawyer to handle your case. A lawyer can help you through the process of identifying the proper defendants. Our legal team at Morelli Law Firm has experience in various fields of law involving accident cases.

When You Should Pursue a Bus Crash Claim

Bus accidents are catastrophic, and fatalities occur at a high rate. Also, victims can sustain severe injuries from such an accident, including:

• Internal bleeding
• Whiplash
• Broken bones
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Severe skin burns
• Lacerations
• Sprained and torn ligaments
• Spinal cord injuries

Such injuries can take a huge financial toll on you, and for that reason, you must act quickly to pursue the compensation you need. The sooner you act, the better chance your bus accident lawyer in Jersey City has of building an airtight case.

The Statute of Limitations for a Bus Accident Lawsuit

You only have a limited amount of time from the moment the accident occurs to file a lawsuit. Waiting too long can make it impossible for you to protect your rights and recover compensation for your damages. NJ Rev Stat §2A:14-2 is the statute of limitations that gives a limited period of two years to commence a personal injury claim. 

The two-year period may seem long, but in a real sense, it flies by very quickly, especially when you are recuperating. Additionally, special circumstances may apply to your case that further limit the amount of time available to file a lawsuit.

A personal injury attorney can help you commence a personal injury claim, while you recuperate to avoid running out of time. An experienced attorney will be able to identify if any special circumstances apply to your case and ensure that all deadlines are met.

Damages You Can Recover After a Bus Accident

You can file for a bus accident compensation award that will cover not only your current medical expenses but also other monthly expenses and lost wages. Compensation can also include future medical bills and any reduced earnings. If you cannot return to work, we can request compensation for that eventuality as well. 

Furthermore, you will also be eligible to recover compensation for non-economic damages, such as:

• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Permanent disability
• Loss of consortium
• Decreased quality of life

These damages tend to be awarded with significant compensation because the losses are profound and often irreplaceable.

In some cases, you might also be entitled to punitive damages. Punitive damages are meant to punish the liable party for the actions they took in relation to the accident. They are only awarded in extreme cases where the actions of the liable party were criminally negligent or carried out with the intention of causing harm.

Your bus accident attorney in Jersey City can gather all your information to calculate a fair and accurate value of your damages.

Bus Accident Lawyers Get Paid Based on Results

Many lawyers focus solely on how much time they spend working for a client rather than the effectiveness of that work. However, bus accident attorneys and other personal injury lawyers tend to be far more results-focused.

When you hire a bus accident lawyer, you will agree to pay them a percentage of the compensation you recover from the liable party. This will be the only fee your attorney will collect, and it will be paid directly from the at-fault party.

Under this system, you can be assured that your attorney’s full focus will be on getting you as much money for your damages as possible. After all, the more money you walk away with, the larger your lawyer’s payday will be. Alternatively, failure to get you compensation will mean that your lawyer has been working for free.

Call a Jersey City Bus Accident Attorney Today

Bus accidents often have numerous fatalities because there are several victims, which means the case can be very complex. You can choose to pursue the claim alone, but a Jersey City bus accident lawyer can help you through the process. Since there are many victims involved, you do not want your case to get lost in the crowd.

If you or a family member sustained injuries in a bus accident, contact Morelli Law Firm today. We have a team of personal injury lawyers ready to help people like you. We offer free case evaluations, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us by phone or through our online contact form today.