With over three-quarters of a million registered buses on the country’s highways, bus accidents tend to happen more often than most people might imagine. Shockingly, in 2009, over 250 people died in the United States after being involved in a bus accident. Each year throughout the state of Kentucky and the city of Louisville, a number of these bus accidents occur involving school, charter, and other types of buses. If you or someone you know has recently been involved in a bus crash in Kentucky, contact our Louisville bus accident lawyers today.
For more information on experienced motor vehicle accident representation in Kentucky, visit our Louisville car accident attorney page.
While the cause of such tragic accidents often vary on the circumstances and conditions of the road the day of the accident, there is generally one constant—the need for legal representation. More specifically, consulting with a Louisville bus accident attorney will give you the opportunity to ask any questions that may be on your mind, as well as exhaust all legal avenues pertaining to the Louisville bus accident you were involved in.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a bus accident and are in need for immediate help, contact the personal injury team at Meinhart & Manning, PLLC for a free case evaluation. Our law firm offers free, no obligation case evaluations and will take the necessary time to review the unique circumstances surrounding your bus accident. We handle all Louisville bus accident lawsuits on a contingency fee basis, meaning you never pay fees unless you win.
We have all likely read the news stories online or heard on TV of the horrific bus accidents with dozens of people injured or deceased. Perhaps the most significant concern in such an instance is the amount of people that are put at risk. What’s more, when driver negligence is involved, the number of lives in danger rises dramatically. This is not to say, however, that other causes cannot occur.
To better shed light on why most bus accidents happen, here is a short list of common causes:
For those that have been involved in a bus crash, it is important to know that you may be entitled to compensation for damages depending on how you have been affected by the accident. Our Louisville bus accident lawyers will review your case for signs of negligence and determine if you have a strong case for a personal injury lawsuit.
According to a report by NHTSA, an average of 134 people die in school-vehicle-related crashes happen each year. Of those, 8% are riding in the buses. Pedestrians, bicyclists and others outside the bus account for 21% of the fatalities that occur each year.
Since 2004, NHTSA also found, 106 people overall, both children and adults, have been killed while riding in or driving a school bus. Of the 106 people killed, 61 of them were passengers and 45 were drivers.
Having been affected by such an accident, you may have been subject to a number of injuries or health concerns, including:
Even if you do not seem to have any injuries, getting checked by a doctor is the ultimate precaution after being in any kind of automobile accident.
Establishing liability in a bus accident case can be difficult. Different factors play into identifying liability due to the fact that several different parties can be involved in a bus accident. The size of certain buses can be that of multiple commercial vehicles, which means depending on speed and location of a collision, the collateral damage to nearby vehicles is very likely.
While there are laws and regulations in place to protect bus drivers, if an accident was caused due to the bus driver not paying attention to the road or being negligent in some form, he can be held liable for the accident. If an accident was caused, for example, by a vehicle malfunction or faulty part in the bus the manufacturer of the vehicle would then be held liable for the accident.
It is reported that nearly 20,000 victims are injured in bus accidents each year, many receiving proper compensation for damages. In some cases, such figures can be for millions of dollars.
However, as an initial precaution, we recommend that anyone involved in a bus accident first consult a doctor, and then a Louisville bus accident attorney. This is mainly a precaution, but in many cases, is also entirely necessary.
Regardless of your injuries, after visiting a doctor, it is always a good idea to consider your legal options. If not for any other reason but another person may pursue legal action against you, it always pays to cover your legal bases. When such a horrible accident happens, there are many people and emotions involved, which can result in any number of unforeseen actions taken by the different parties. For such reason, it is best to be prepared for the worst opposed to being caught off-guard. A Louisville personal injury lawyer with extensive experience in bus accident cases can help you identify liability, damages, and evidence needed to present your case.
When you’re ready, contact our Louisville team for immediate guidance. It’s completely free and we will come to you when necessary.