If you were injured in a bus accident, either as a passenger or in another vehicle, you may have grounds to pursue compensation for the injuries you suffered. Morelli Law Firm may be able to help. We will review your Westchester County accident case for free and advise you on your next steps. We can manage your claim or lawsuit for you if you choose.
While compensation for a bus injury may seem straightforward, the reality is far from it. Filing a claim for a bus accident has many challenges. There are so many variables in these cases, and any of them could significantly affect how you pursue or recover damages.
How Can Morelli Law Firm Help with My Bus Accident Claim?
Morelli Law Firm understands the unique legal issues that arise in accidents involving buses. We know how to navigate these cases and pursue the compensation our clients deserve. We are here to protect your rights, and we will not be intimidated by government agencies or large insurance companies.
If we do not win your case, you will owe us nothing. At Morelli Law Firm, we understand that you need money to pay your bills and cover your losses. We know how difficult it can be to pay for your expenses in addition to legal fees. To make it possible for you to get justice for your injuries, our lawyers work on a contingency fee basis.
No Upfront Payments Required for Us to Take Your Case
We represent clients in bus accident claims without requiring any upfront fees. You will only pay us if we win your case and you receive compensation. You can learn more by speaking to a team member from Morelli Law Firm today. Our initial consultations are free.
Recoverable Damages in a New Rochelle Bus Accident
An insurance claim or civil lawsuit may compensate you for the damages and harm you endured because of the bus accident. This could include:
- Your economic expenses
- Financial losses
- Future care costs and losses
- Intangible damages
Morelli Law Firm can help you document your recoverable damages and seek a payout based on them. Specific recoverable losses could include:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Long-term losses related to lasting injuries
- Future medical needs
- Vehicle repairs or other property damages
- Pain and suffering
Wrongful Death Damages
If you lost a loved one in a bus accident, you may be able to recover compensation through a wrongful death action. We understand that no amount of money can bring back your loved one. However, financial compensation can help cover your related expenses and help with financial difficulties that you may suffer following your loved one’s death.
Punitive Damages
If there was a blatant disregard for human life or the negligent party acted maliciously or willfully, the judge and jury could award you punitive damages as a way of punishing the offender.
In general, you will only have a limited time to file a lawsuit. According to the New York statute of limitations, CPLR § 214, you must file the claim within three years from the accident date. Missing the deadline means you forfeit the right to pursue a lawsuit. However, you may have less time if the liable party is a government agency.
New Rochelle Bus Accident Lawyer Near Me 877-751-9800
When Can a Victim File a Bus Accident Claim?
If you were involved in a crash while riding on a bus or caused by a bus driver, you may be able to file a compensation claim for the New Rochelle bus accident. The law does not restrict compensation only to passengers. Several other scenarios could also support recovering compensation. Consider the following examples:
Getting On or Off the Bus
As soon as you board a bus, the driver and bus company owe you a duty of care. If you slip while getting on or off the bus, they may be liable for that fall. Morelli Law Firm may be able to pursue compensation for you.
You Were Injured On the Bus
While some injuries to riders involve collisions, this is not always true. For instance, take a situation where a driver was dozing off behind the wheel and woke up just in time to slam on the brakes. The quick braking may have knocked passengers from their seats or tossed objects around the bus. This may support an injury claim.
A Single-Vehicle Incident
Buses have a high center of gravity, and their weight may not be evenly distributed. This makes them far more likely to topple over. When a driver negotiates a turn too quickly, the bus may tip over. Passengers suffer injuries and can pursue damages.
A Bus Hits You as a Pedestrian or at the Bus Stop
When drivers fail to exercise reasonable care at crosswalks or while approaching a bus stop, they could collide with someone crossing the street or waiting on the bus. If this happened to you or a loved one, you may have legal recourse against the driver and bus company for their negligence.
A Collision with Your Vehicle
When a bus driver causes a collision with your vehicle, you can seek compensation for your injuries and other damages just as you would in other types of traffic accidents.
Westchester County Bus Accident Lawsuits and Liability
Negligence is the top reason for bus accidents. Negligence is the failure to behave reasonably in a certain situation, thus causing injury to another. To prevail in a negligence claim, you will need to prove the other party behaved irresponsibly. This usually occurs by documenting four things:
- There was a traffic law or another rule the driver violated.
- This violation caused an incident or crash.
- You suffered injuries because of the collision.
- You also endured financial losses because of the incident.
Proving these four things usually allows us to hold the bus driver and their employer responsible. Our lawyers can help you collect evidence and use it to prove to the insurance company or the jury (in the case of a trial) that you qualify to recover compensation.
Accidents Caused By Defective Products
If a defective part caused your New Rochelle bus accident, you may file a product liability claim against the bus or parts manufacturer. For you to prevail in this type of claim, you must show:
- The bus or part was defective at the time of the accident.
- The defective part was unreasonably dangerous.
- The driver was operating the vehicle as intended.
- The performance of the vehicle had not changed since purchase or since the part was installed.
Our lawyers work with experts to establish whether the bus had a defect and if the defect caused the accident. We do not need to prove how the defect occurred, only that it existed.
How Common Are Bus Accidents?
Buses are one of the safest modes of transportation in the United States. In the grand scheme of annual auto accidents, bus accidents only account for a small percentage of the total. While these collisions are relatively rare, it does not mean that buses are immune to serious accidents.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), nearly 900,000 buses were operating nationwide in 2015. Almost 300 people died in bus crashes that year. Around 24,000 suffered injuries in accidents involving buses.
Our Bus Accident Lawyer Serving New Rochelle May Handle Your Case for You
If you were injured in a New York bus accident, you do not have to bear the burden alone. The Morelli Law Firm legal team represents accident victims and seeks to hold the responsible parties accountable for their negligent actions.
Contact Morelli Law Firm at (212) 751-9800 for a free case evaluation. Our lawyer serving New Rochelle can handle all aspects of your bus accident case while you focus on healing.