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Can You Sue a Bus Driver for Negligence in a Bus Accident?


— December 6, 2022

If you work with an attorney, you can focus on your recovery while they handle all legal aspects.


Bus drivers are meant to provide a safe vehicle for all passengers, but accidents happen. However, if their negligence is the leading cause of your accident, you can sue them for damages or injuries.

Depending on the severity and details of the accident, you can also make a claim against the bus company or manufacturer since they can be responsible for sending off a bus with defective parts. 

Either way, a bus accident attorney can help you identify the liable party and protect your rights during this process.

If you’re in a similar situation, this article will explain the legal options that can hold the bus driver liable and how working with a bus accident attorney can strengthen your claim.

Legal Options for Proving Liability

The responsible party in your accident case may involve multiple parties, such as the bus driver, their employer, the bus maintenance team, or the bus manufacturer. Regardless of the at-fault party, you can consult professional lawyers who specialize in bus accidents, and they’ll advise you on further legal steps.

That said, here are two essential legal options you can use to hold the bus driver responsible for the accident:

Examples of Liability

As a victim, you might face the question, ‘when should I sue a bus driver or another party?’ Well, there are many cases when you may be able to sue the bus driver, including the following:

  • If the bus driver was driving under the influence (drugs or alcohol)
  • If the bus driver was speeding
  • If the bus driver didn’t stop at a stop sign or red light

In either case, you should seek legal help to get the proper compensation. Suppose you live in San Francisco, California, you can reach out to San Francisco Bus Accident Lawyers, and their team can determine liability and gather any necessary evidence.

Or, you could also report the driver or the bus company by making a complaint to your city’s bus system. So if you’re from San Francisco, you can contact San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency – SFMTA, and they’ll deal with any irregularities.

Evidence

As with any other vehicle accident, you need sufficient evidence to prove liability, and a bus accident is no different. In fact, if you were injured or damaged in a bus accident, you can make a crash report and include information such as:

  • Driver information
  • Bus company information
  • Accident scene diagrams
  • Accident details

Luckily, you can always contact California Bus Accident Lawyers to help gather evidence to support your claim against any liable parties. These attorneys will also tell you to retain any accident-related medical records, photos, or videos of your injuries or from the accident scene.

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How Working with a Bus Accident Lawyer Helps Your Case

When working with a personal injury attorney like someone from San Francisco Accident Lawyers, they can investigate your accident to identify the responsible parties and guide you through the legal process of filing a claim against the bus driver or other negligent party.

Additionally, these attorneys can help you:

  • Assess the validity of the case
  • Negotiate with all parties on your behalf
  • Manage all legal paperwork and deadlines
  • Calculate the amount of your injuries
  • Represent you to trial, if necessary
  • Help you make legal decisions
  • Update you on the legal process

Usually, the bus driver can have insurance coverage from the company that hired them, which may lead to a trial battle. However, if you work with an attorney, you can focus on your recovery while they handle all legal aspects.

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