Although the majority of bus drivers safely operate their vehicles, accidents can still occur. When bus collisions happen, the blunt force of its heavy frame can cause devastating and sometimes fatal injuries to others. White Plains bus accident lawyers recognize how devastating these accidents can be and want to help survivors like you recover.
Morelli Law Firm can connect you with a White Plains personal injury lawyer who is equipped to take on your case. Our 100 years of combined legal experience can make it easier for you to recover financially from losses sustained due to someone else’s negligence. You can kickstart your recovery by scheduling a free accident claim review now.
Common Causes of Bus Accidents in New York
Bus drivers often need to maneuver their vehicles through narrow city streets clogged with parked cars and other obstacles. Driving in tight spaces can lead to minor fender benders, but it can also cause drivers to miss seeing a pedestrian or a bicyclist until it is too late.
Some of the most common reasons for bus accidents throughout New York include:
- Aggressive driving: If the bus driver tries to hurry because they are running late on a route, it may lead to speeding and reckless behavior.
- Excessive fatigue: If a bus driver works long hours, especially at night, fatigue can impair their driving skills and cause them to fall asleep at the wheel.
- Texting while driving: If the bus driver uses their smartphone while behind the wheel, it can cause the bus to miss traffic signals, veer off the road, or collide with other motor vehicles.
- Driving while drunk: If the bus driver took drugs or drank alcohol before starting the workday, they may suffer significant judgment errors while operating the commercial vehicle.
In addition to bus driver negligence, a bus company, city government, or manufacturer can also be liable for a collision. If another party played a role in your injuries, our White Plains bus accident attorneys can help you file a claim.
Determining Fault After a Bus Collision
The typical New York bus weighs between 25,000 and 40,000 pounds, drastically outweighing 3,000-pound passenger vehicles. This significant weight difference can lead to extensive injuries for motor vehicle passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists during a crash.
If you were involved in a bus accident, the cause of the crash might not have been solely due to the bus driver. Instead, the negligence of multiple parties may have caused your injuries. For example, if the bus company failed to maintain regular vehicle repairs, worn-down parts may have caused the collision.
When you hire a White Plains bus accident lawyer, we determine which parties are responsible for your damages. First, our legal experts study the facts to figure out why the accident occurred and identify all parties who contributed to the crash. From there, we use that information to demand a fair settlement from the insurance company.
We Don’t Let Contracts Keep You From Justice
Everyone on the road alongside you, including a bus operator, owes you a duty of care. It’s an attorney’s responsibility to help you find evidence proving that a driver or similar liable party violated the duty owed to you and caused your accident. However, evidence isn’t the end-all, be-all of bus accident claims.
Bus accident cases may specifically see you butt heads with complex employment contracts. You may have to break down the difference between an independent contractor’s contract and an employment contract to identify the party responsible for tangible and intangible losses.
Breaking Down an Independent Contractor’s Contract
Most bus drivers, including corporate and school bus drivers, work as independent contractors. If these parties cause dangerous accidents, they become the at-fault party you address in your personal injury claim.
You cannot sue the schools or private bus companies that they’re associated with, as their contracts position those corporations as their clients, not their employers.
Suing a Corporation
You may have the right to bring a personal injury claim against an established corporation if the party responsible for your recent collision works on an employee contract under a corporate umbrella. Unfortunately, some employers may attempt to misrepresent their employees’ employment status to avoid paying your bills.
You can turn to our attorneys for legal advice in the face of wrongful employment representation and other corporate tricks. Morelli Law Firm can challenge a corporation to recognize the validity of your losses so you can financially recover from a bus accident.
Addressing Qualified Immunity
If you get into an accident with a city bus, you may find yourself dealing with the complexities of qualified immunity. Government entities benefit from some legal protections that make it difficult for the average person to sue them.
Fortunately, our personal injury law firm can help injury victims like you work within the limitations that qualified immunity puts on your recovery.
Bus Accident Lawyers Negotiate With Insurers for You
You have the right to negotiate with the other driver’s insurance company on your own rather than hiring an attorney. However, when you do not deal with these situations regularly, it can be challenging to know whether the insurer is offering you a fair settlement for your losses.
But that’s where our bus accident lawyers come in. We can study your medical records, interview doctors, and review pay stubs to determine the correct value of your compensatory damages. In addition, if your injuries cause permanent disabilities or trauma, we will make sure your settlement includes estimated future medical costs and lost earning potential.
Don’t Attempt to Negotiate Alone
You may find that the insurance company offers you a smaller settlement than your losses merit. If this happens, you do not have to accept the initial offer. Accident victims have a right to negotiate for fair compensation. While this can be challenging to do on your own, a skilled personal injury lawyer can demand justice on your behalf.
Many insurance companies downplay injuries or argue that the victim contributed to the accident to reduce their client’s liability. Our attorneys use evidence to prove the full extent of your injuries as well as how the defendant caused the accident. If the insurance company still refuses to make a fair payment, we will take your claim to court.
Damages to Pursue After a White Plains Bus Crash
Compensatory damages reimburse accident victims for the losses following a collision. To ensure your settlement covers all of your economic and non-economic damages, file a personal injury lawsuit against the liable driver, company, or insurance provider.
Our White Plains bus accident attorneys will seek to collect damages that cover:
- Medical expenses: All costs incurred while treating injuries and any future medical bills you are expecting for ongoing care.
- Property damages: Any expenses you are facing for repairing or replacing a motor vehicle damaged in the bus crash.
- Loss of income: Reimbursement for lost wages, tips, or benefits you missed while recovering from your injuries.
- Pain and suffering: Compensation for the physical and emotional distress you endured due to the bus accident, including loss of enjoyment of life.
- Out-of-pocket expenses: Miscellaneous costs incurred while recovering from your injuries, such as paying for transportation or hiring childcare services.
When you hire a skilled bus accident law firm, we include all of your damages in your settlement.
Overcoming Severe Bus Accident Injuries
You don’t have to let devastating injuries prevent you from taking legal action against a driver who compromised the safety of bus passengers, fellow drivers, and pedestrians. Morelli Law Firm’s team of personal injury attorneys can help you overcome the bills needed to treat:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Internal organ damage
We can also help you react to any instances of medical malpractice that follow a dangerous bus accident. Our team will continually advocate for your right to receive treatment that meets or exceeds the standard of care you need to get back on your feet.
At the same time, we can hold a liable party accountable for the financial losses you might face due to extensive medical bills.
You can also count on our experienced attorneys to take any temporary or permanent disabilities into account when breaking down your case, preparing you for time in court, and optimizing your recovery.
Seeking Recovery After a Fatal New York Bus Collision
Large truck and bus crash facts from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) show over 5,000 fatal accidents in 2018. Losing a loved one in a bus collision is traumatic, but our New York accident attorneys can help you seek justice on their behalf.
In New York, a spouse, child, or parent can bring a wrongful death claim against a liable party. These types of civil suits allow family members to seek financial recovery for:
- Medical costs leading to the death
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of future income and benefits
Navigating a wrongful death claim after a fatal bus collision is complex. Let our legal experts take the burden off your shoulders and make sure the parties responsible for your loved one’s death are held accountable.
White Plains Bus Accident Lawyers: Let Us Handle Your Claim
After a bus accident, you should only have to focus on healing from your injuries. When you partner with the bus accident lawyers at Morelli Law Firm, you can trust our legal experts to pursue maximum compensation for your damages.
Contact our bus accident attorneys in White Plains now. We are ready to review your case and take swift legal action to secure your fair settlement.
