Las Vegas Bus Accident Lawyers

If you’ve been involved in a bus accident, you may be wondering what your legal options are. If the bus was owned by the government, there are special rules that apply, and you may even have less time to file a claim. You need to contact a bus accident lawyer as soon as possible to get started on your case.

If you were injured by another passenger on the bus, you may be wondering how to get a fair settlement for your injuries. The answer depends on many factors, such as the severity of your injuries, the extent of your damages, and who was at fault. Injured by another passenger in a bus accident claim may be tricky, so be sure to contact a skilled lawyer for a free consultation. We will review your case and advise you of your legal options.

Following a Las Vegas bus accident, you may have substantial medical bills, especially if you suffered a serious injury, like a traumatic brain injury or a spinal cord injury. Medical bills will form the foundation of your Las Vegas bus accident claim. Keep track of all your medical expenses following a serious bus accident. As part of their Las Vegas bus accident claims, most victims also include compensation for pain and suffering and compensation for lost wages. An attorney cannot guarantee that you will receive any amount of compensation for your bus accident injuries, but can give you a better idea of how much compensation you should expect after a bus accident.

Determining liability in bus accidents can be a daunting task for insurance companies, investigators, and courts; it isn’t always the bus driver’s fault. Buses are often owned by one party, operated by another party, and maintained by a third party. Sometimes, multiple parties can share liability for an accident. Parties who the court might find wholly or partially liable for a bus accident are:

• Bus driver. When bus drivers cause an accident because they were distracted, drowsy, under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or violating other Nevada traffic laws, a court can find them liable for damages.
• Bus owner. Many different entities might own a bus, including the City of Las Vegas, a school district, or a private charter operation. Owners are responsible for hiring qualified drivers, adequately training drivers, and maintaining buses in a safe condition. When an owner’s failure to uphold its responsibility, and that failure leads to an accident, a court may find the owner liable for damages.
• Bus maintenance personnel. Bus mechanics are required to perform detailed checks and preventative maintenance to keep buses safe for the road. Sometimes, bus companies contract third-party maintenance companies to perform necessary checks and repairs. If a bus mechanic makes a mistake during a repair or fails to complete required maintenance, and this failure leads to an accident, a court may find both the mechanic and his or her employer liable for damages.
• Bus manufacturers. Any party involved in bringing a bus or a bus part to market might be liable for a bus accident if a defective bus or bus part causes an accident.
• Other drivers. Those who share the road with buses in Las Vegas might be sleep deprived, drunk, distracted, speeding, or breaking other traffic laws. If one driver’s actions cause a bus accident, he or she might be liable for losses related to the injury and accident.
• Government entities. A court may find the City of Las Vegas, Clark County, or the State of Nevada liable if a poorly maintained road causes a bus accident. This includes hazards like potholes and sinkholes, but it can also include fallen traffic signs and malfunctioning traffic signals. Government entities can also be liable when poor road design leads to a bus accident.

If you get a settlement offer from the insurance company, you may need an attorney even more than prior to the offer. Often, insurance companies will attempt to minimize the compensation you, as the victim, receive for your injuries. These accidents may prove expensive, especially in the case of bus accidents, which can involve multiple victims. In addition, there may be continued medical or rehabilitation costs not considered, which will not be covered once a settlement is accepted. By issuing a low settlement offer, the insurance company limits its financial liability after the accident. Unfortunately, this also limits your compensation. Consult the experienced bus accident attorneys at Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC, to get a better idea of how much compensation you should seek for your injuries before accepting any settlement offer.

If you suffered injuries in a Las Vegas bus accident, no matter how that accident occurred, you should contact a lawyer at Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC, as soon as possible. Having a lawyer on your side soon after the accident can decrease the odds that the insurance company will try to take advantage of your lack of knowledge. If you have already decided to try to handle your bus accident claim on your own, you might quickly realize that you need help. If you experience any of the below common challenges, you may discover that you need to call Benson & Bingham as soon as possible:

• The insurance company tries to deny its driver’s liability for the accident. Sometimes, the insurance company may attempt to claim that someone else caused the accident, including the driver of another vehicle involved in an accident. Working with a bus accident lawyer can help you establish who caused the accident and make it easier for you to get the full compensation you deserve.
• The insurance company tries to deny coverage for any of your injuries or any of the challenges you have faced.
• The insurance company pressures you to accept a settlement offer fast, especially one that does not feel as though it adequately considers your needs.
• You feel that liability for your specific incident may rest with more than one party: for example, you think mechanical damage to the bus may have caused or contributed to your accident.
Any time you have questions about your Las Vegas bus accident claim, you should contact an attorney to get answers that focus on your legal rights and needs rather than the needs and preferences of the insurance company. Contact us at Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC, today to get started.

Buses are typically safe in comparison to other forms of ground transportation, yet accidents still occur. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) estimates that more than 15,000 injury-causing bus accidents occur on the nation’s streets, roads, and highways each year. Nationwide, school and public transit buses account for approximately one-third of fatal crashes, and city bus accidents only account for about 13 percent of fatal crashes. If you were harmed in a bus accident and file a lawsuit against liable parties, you might receive compensation in the form of a settlement or court-awarded damages. Nevada courts might award punitive damages in extreme cases of willful harm, but it’s more likely that you will receive only compensatory damages. Some commonly awarded damages you might recover include:

• Cost of medical treatment, including ambulance ride, emergency room visit, hospital stay, X-rays, surgery, and prescription medication
• Future medical costs when a bus accident leads to a severe injury requiring extensive recovery or leads to a permanent injury requiring ongoing care indefinitely
• Rehabilitation expenses for visiting specialists who help injured individuals regain function
• Costs of assistive devices, such as crutches, wheelchairs, canes, and artificial limbs
• Lost wages from time away from work as a result of injury, treatment, and hospitalization
• Lost future wages when a catastrophic or severe injury prevents an injured person from returning to work
• Non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, loss of consortium, scarring and disfigurement, and others which might apply to a specific person

Yes. If you suffered injuries in a bus accident as a pedestrian, you have the same right to compensation that you would have if you suffered injuries while on the bus. You may need an attorney to help prove that the bus driver caused your accident.