Being hit by a bus or injured on one during your daily commute is a terrifying moment. You’ll need to follow a few steps immediately to make sure you’re safe and you receive treatment for any injuries. But you also need to follow a few best practices to protect your rights and hold the responsible party accountable for the accident. If you’re injured on a bus or hit by a bus, follow the steps below.
Contact Emergency Services
Your safety and other passengers’ safety are the immediate priorities following a bus accident. The driver should contact emergency services immediately, but if the driver doesn’t or can’t, call 911. Since buses are larger than many vehicles on the road and carry several passengers who are either standing during a collision or sitting without seat belts, a high likelihood of injuries can occur with these events.
Document the Accident
If you can, take notes about the events leading up to the accident. You should also take photos if safe to do so and collect the contact information of any witnesses. An attorney can help you gather other evidence, such as the police report, to help document the accident.
Get Medical Attention
Regardless of how you feel after a bus accident, seek medical attention. Even if you don’t feel hurt, you may have been injured, and the symptoms may not have presented themselves yet. When you visit a doctor, you’ll also get an official medical report. Documenting the extent of your injuries and demonstrating that you did seek medical attention are vital to securing compensation for injuries you experienced following a bus accident.
Speak With an Attorney
A bus company is a “common carrier,” and buses are held under strict laws per the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations. Since bus companies offer public transportation services, they’re expected to exercise vigilant care while on the road. It also means that bus accident cases are complex since either a city government or a transportation company will be involved. Speak with an attorney who has experience investigating negligence and other causes for these types of accidents.
- Sue whoever was accountable, whether you were hit by a bus or injured while riding. Note that more than one party — including the company, bus operator, and other drivers — may be responsible.
- Navigate the special types of insurance that bus companies carry to make sure you’re fairly compensated.
- Collect evidence, such as footage from an onboard camera, if available, and coordinate with the bus company, police, and all other parties involved.
- Recover compensation to fully cover your injuries. This compensation may include past medical expenses, lost wages, current and future pain and suffering, future medical expenses, and your inability to earn the same wages at work.
Contact an attorney as soon as you can after an accident. Documenting and preserving evidence may prove vital to your claim, and an attorney can guarantee that you’re fairly represented. Start with a free consultation from David W. Singer & Associates, P.A., if you were injured on or by a bus. Call 1-800-ASK-FREE (275-3733).
