Phoenix Bus Accident Lawyers

What constitutes a bus accident?

Buses are considered common carriers – vehicles used to transport people (or goods) from Point A to Point B. A crash or collision often results in multiple people sustaining multiple injuries. The types of incidents that comprise bus accidents include those involving:

• Public buses, including city buses and transit buses like Valley Metro in Phoenix
• Commercial buses like Greyhound or Bolt Bus
• Private buses, such as charter buses
• Tour buses
• School buses
• Party buses or limo buses
• Motor coaches
• Any vehicle that can hold more than 10 people, including a 15-passenger van

With so many different types of potential bus accidents and vehicles, it’s always best to take necessary safety precautions when you or a loved one embarks on a bus ride. Bus companies and driver negligence can and often do contribute to bus accidents. Our team of Phoenix bus accident attorneys is determined to hold the responsible parties accountable for medical damages and other problems that you incur in the aftermath of a bus accident. You can count on us to review the facts and consider all aspects of your bus accident, in hopes that we can make an excellent case for you to recover damages for all that you’ve lost.

Good people with honest injuries might not want to file a suit after a bus accident, but you are essentially giving the insurance company a free pass. Stand up for your rights and help yourself get better while we obtain justice for you through fair compensation. We work with the highest standards of integrity and will keep you updated every step of the way.

About school bus accidents

School buses transport 23.5 million children back and forth every year. According to the National Safety Council, “School bus-related crashes killed 108 people nationwide in 2021, up 50% compared to the pandemic-related low number of 54 deaths in 2020.”

They also note, “From 2012 to 2021, about 70% of the deaths in school bus-related crashes were occupants of vehicles other than the school bus, and 16% were pedestrians. About 5% were school bus passengers, 5% were school bus drivers, and 3% were cyclists.”

If you or someone you know has been involved in a school bus accident, it's important to consult with a personal injury attorney with experience in handling such cases. The personal injury attorneys at Plattner Verderame, P.C. can help you navigate the legal process, assess the potential for a claim, and seek compensation for injuries or damages sustained in the accident.

Why do Phoenix bus accidents happen?

Bus accidents might often have more than one responsible party and a plethora of causes. Distracted driving or mechanical failure may have contributed to the accident and gravely deepened the level of damages. While defective drivers or parts might be part of the problem, exacerbating the issue can be the lack of seatbelts on the bus. Federal law does not mandate that buses have seatbelts, even though the nation’s school children and urban professionals make use of these modes of transportation every day.

Our knowledgeable Phoenix bus accident lawyers will quickly and authoritatively investigate the bus accident you were in and begin to build your case based solely on the facts. When honest people get hurt, elapsed time can mean the degradation or loss of evidence and a decrease in the reliability of witnesses and other evidentiary elements. When seatbelts are not available, the risk of death or injury is increased, as you can be ejected from the bus during an accident, or otherwise fly forward or be jarred loose from your seat. After you receive medical help, your first call should be to professional and trustworthy attorneys.

Who is responsible for my Phoenix bus accident?

Determining responsibility in a bus accident in Phoenix can be a complex process and depends on the specific circumstances of the accident. Responsibility (or liability) for a bus accident can rest with various parties. Here are some common entities that might be responsible for a bus accident in Phoenix:

• Bus driver. If the bus driver's negligence, such as speeding, distracted driving, or driving under the influence, contributed to the accident, they could be held liable.
• Bus company or operator. The company or organization that operates the bus may be responsible if it failed to properly maintain the bus, adequately train its drivers, or violated safety regulations.
• Other drivers. In some cases, the driver of another vehicle may be responsible for causing the accident. They might have been driving recklessly or negligently, leading to the collision with the bus.
• If a defect in the bus's design or manufacturing contributed to the accident, the bus manufacturer or a component manufacturer may be held responsible.
• Government entities. In cases involving public buses or school buses, a government agency could be responsible if there was negligence in the maintenance of the bus or inadequate safety measures.
• Road conditions. Poor road conditions, such as potholes or inadequate signage, could contribute to accidents. Responsibility might then lie with the entity responsible for road maintenance.
• In rare cases, passengers' actions or behavior could lead to an accident. For instance, if a passenger distracts the bus driver, they might share some responsibility.

Determining responsibility typically requires a thorough investigation, including collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses, analyzing accident reports, and consulting with experts.