California Auto and Car Accident Lawyers | Sacramento Injury Attorneys | Demas & Rosenthal

Sacramento Bus Accident Lawyers

If you've been in a bus accident in or near Sacramento, you should be aware that special regulations apply to bus accidents, as opposed to accidents that involve only cars. Whether a bus is a public city bus, regional bus, or interstate bus, a bus is considered to be a common carrier (as are ferries, subways, and airplanes).  The driver of a common carrier has greater responsibility to passengers than does the driver of a private car.  A bus driver has to take special care with passengers, as opposed to simply avoiding negligent behavior. This basically means that a bus driver must take a proactive, rather than passive, approach to making sure that passengers are safe.  For example, a bus driver must ensure that elderly or disabled passengers have access to special seating; that disruptive passengers are reprimanded or removed; and that passengers enter and exit the bus safely. If you've been in a bus-related accident, your team of Sacramento bus lawyers can asses the situation, fight for your rights, and evaluate settlements to be sure that you get what you deserve.

Factors that may play a role in bus accidents include, but are not limited to: driver fatigue, speeding, erratic driving, failure to exercise proper care of passengers, defective machinery, poor maintenance, intoxication, or driving under the influence of drugs. Similarly, if it can be proven that the driver has  failed to receive proper training in ensuring passenger safety, or that the driver should not have been hired, the bus company or municipal entity may also be held responsible.  Once your Sacramento bus accident lawyers learn more about your case, they can advise you as to your claim's potential, depending on the specific circumstances surrounding the accident in which you were involved.

In a bus accident or other common carrier accident, the compensation received under settlement should reflect the injuries sustained in the accident. This can include immediate medical expenses; continuing medical expenses, such as rehabilitation; lost wages or earning potential for injuries that prevent someone from returning to their previous employment;  pain and suffering; wrongful death; and related costs. An accident, no matter what kind, can be incredibly disruptive; choosing experienced Sacramento bus accident lawyers can be the key to your peace of mind and the outcome of your case.

Although medical treatment will no doubt be the first thing on your mind after a bus accident, it's a good idea to try to gather any information you can while at the accident scene. Write down as many details as you can remember. For a bus accident, there will also be an official police report, but you may have noticed factors that go unreported by other witnesses. The more information you have access to, the better. Similarly, you'll want to make sure that your Sacramento bus accident lawyers have access to any medical records pertaining to the accident; this will help support your damage claims.