As gas prices continue to rise and congestion on American roadways increases, more and more riders take buses. As reliable as they are, bus accidents do happen. Unfortunately, there are too many bus accidents that occur in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. Our experienced Bus Accident Attorneys at Cross & Smith have the skills necessary to handle these types of cases. When a bus accident occurs, serious injuries often result because buses are much, much larger than regular vehicles. If you have suffered an injury in a bus accident, you should contact an attorney right away.
Bus accidents can happen for several reasons. Sometimes they are the fault of the driver of another vehicle, who hits the bus or otherwise puts the bus in danger. In other cases, the bus driver was negligent driving the bus, or may have been inadequately trained to perform all duties of a bus driver. In other instances, the bus may be poorly maintained, or have parts that perform defectively.
Accidents involving buses can take several forms. In some cases, the accident involves a bus hitting a car or other vehicle, causing injury to the driver of the other vehicle. Accidents can also occur where a bus hits a pedestrian, which often can lead to fatal or other severe injuries. Sometimes those injured in a bus accident are the passengers of the bus. Because passengers are not belted in, and may be standing or awkwardly positioned, injuries can easily occur in relatively low-speed accidents.
In all cases, buses are considered common carriers, and bus drivers are held to a high standard of care. Bus drivers must attend to the safety of their passengers, and be alert to potential dangers. These standards apply not only to buses owned and operated by public entities, but to privately-operated buses, such as charter buses and even smaller buses used to transport smaller groups of people.
Public buses, including those used for mass transit and school buses, are often owned and operated by public entities. If you have been involved in an accident with a publicly-owned bus, it is essential that you act quickly. In Alabama, as in most states, claims against cities and counties must be made within six months and one year, respectively, of the date of the accident. Only if you timely file a notice of claim can you then file a lawsuit against a city or county.
Particularly for pedestrians and drivers of other cars, bus accidents can have disastrous consequences. In a serious bus accident case, it is essential to retain an experienced Alabama bus accident attorney. Cross & Smith is an established law firm representing injured plaintiffs throughout Alabama. We have successfully litigated bus accident cases in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, and will aggressively represent your interests when dealing with claims adjusters, opposing attorneys, jurors, and judges. If you have suffered serious injury in a bus accident, call our office today at (877) 791-0618 for a free confidential consultation.
ADOT Has Bus Safety in Focus this August
The Alabama Department of Public Safety will be conducting passenger-carrier safety inspections this week as part of the National Passenger Carrier ….
"I was injured in an accident and I chose Justin Smith to handle my case. I worked with every staff member there by the end of the ordeal and was treated like family but also with true professionalism. They worked diligently on my case and never faltered or backed down regardless of the obstacles. I am so happy with the outcome and highly, highly recommend Cross & Smith, LLC to anyone that needs someone they can trust." Posted By: Shane Weaver
