Many people utilize buses, trains, and other public transportation for their daily commute. They rely upon others to maintain and operate these vehicles in a manner that is safe, prudent, and reasonable. However, accidents continue to happen every day. Accidents involving buses are often worse due to the size and weight of these vehicles. If a bus accident has injured you or a loved one, contact a Blair County bus accident lawyer to discuss your legal rights. A dependable Blair County personal injury attorney could help you navigate the legal process and recover monetary damages.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation routinely reports more than 100,000 traffic accidents every year. These crashes include those involving head-on collisions, striking fixed objects, pedestrian accidents, rear-end collisions, sideswipes, and others.
Common bus accidents include short stops, failing to obey traffic control devices, speeding, deficient maintenance, and driver distraction. Common distractions for drivers on public transit include loud music, rowdy passengers, electronic devices such as radios, communications from dispatchers, all of which make it more difficult for drivers to focus on the road. Bus drivers are responsible for every passenger, which can be in excess of seventy people on some large capacity vehicles. For this reason, no passenger who sustained injuries should have reservations about filing a lawsuit due to a crash. It might help prevent further crashes in the future.
Numerous injuries can result from a bus accident. Inexperienced lawyers wrongly assume that only cases involving broken bones, surgeries, or death result in financial compensation. A Blair County bus accident attorney could analyze your medical records and determine whether or not you can make a claim.
Spinal injuries are common in these cases and include damage to the neck, lower back, and mid-back. Bus accidents can cause bulging discs, herniation, protrusions, and tears. The pain can develop immediately or it could worsen over time.
Another common type of injuries arising from bus accidents are to the shoulders or limbs, including tears, sprains, strains, and a loss of movement. Prolonged pain can also have negative effects on the surrounding nerves, muscles, ligaments, tendons, blood vessels, and other soft tissues. Therefore, it is critical to seek medical attention immediately.
Mental harm can result from bus accidents as well, including emotional distress, headaches, post-concussion syndrome, PTSD, and psychological discomfort. Even riding in a vehicle that is involved in a severe crash can produce bad memories that rise to the level of trauma for some people. A person might never ride a bus again due to the stress.
In addition to the injuries themselves, there could be serious alterations to the way you perform daily activities. Certain injuries could make it difficult or impossible to bend, stretch, walk, lift, and even sleep, due to prolonged pain, stiffness, or swelling. This could impact your ability to take care of your family or perform work-related tasks. In order for a Blair County bus collision lawyer to recoup your losses, it must be proven that these limitations occurred due to the accident, and were not a result of some pre-existing condition or previous accident. An experienced bus accident can help to present your case in the most favorable light, even if you were injured in a prior accident.
Your legal rights are of paramount importance. A lawyer must quickly ensure that critical evidence is preserved, such as video surveillance from the bus and nearby businesses, and seek justice for the harm you suffered. The law cannot undo your injuries but it can provide monetary damages to account for the harm. This compensation comes in the form of money for medical expenses not covered by insurance, as well as lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, reasonable and necessary costs related to the accident (hired help, commuting to physical therapy, prescription medication), as well as pain and suffering in certain instances. This can be achieved through a settlement or a jury verdict.
If you are injured while using public transportation, you should not have to pay for any medical treatment out of your own pocket. Bus accident cases are unique because they are rarely the fault of the injured party, which makes it easier to prove than other motor vehicle accident cases.
If you have been injured in a bus accident, contact a Blair County bus accident attorney from the Marcus & Mack law firm today. Lawyers are standing by to provide free consultations about your claims.
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