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Maryland Bus Accident Lawyer

A Maryland Bus Accident Lawyer Can Protect Your Rights

Travel by bus is common in Maryland’s urban areas and, though bus accidents are less common than car accidents, injuries from bus accidents are often more severe because buses are large and carry so many passengers. If you’ve been injured in a bus accident, you may be wondering what to do next. If you are considering a lawsuit, the Maryland bus accident lawyers at Regan Zambri Long PLLC can help.

Our experienced team of professionals can help guide you through the litigation process. The lawyers at Regan Zambri Long have the experience and the resources to handle your case. With Regan Zambri Long, you can rest assured that your case is in good hands.

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Who Do I Sue for My Bus Accident Injuries?

If you were injured in a bus accident, who you sue will depend on who was at fault for your accident and what type of vehicle you were in.

Suing as a bus passenger. If you were injured as a bus passenger because of the negligence of the bus driver, you may be able to sue the bus driver and the bus company. The bus company is responsible for who it hires and can be liable for the negligence of its employees while on the job. A bus company may also be responsible for issues with bus maintenance or equipment that it should have known would interfere with the safety of the bus. If you were injured on a public bus, your right to sue may be limited because suits against the government are limited and damages may be capped. You should talk to a lawyer if you find yourself in this situation.

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Suing another driver for causing the bus accident. If your accident was caused by a bus accident with another car, you may be able to sue the driver of the other vehicle. You must be able to prove that the other driver was negligent. When you sue a private party or individual, you may be entitled to receive damages directly from them or from their insurance company.

Suing if you were hit by a bus. If you were hit by a bus either as a pedestrian or in another vehicle, you may be able to sue the bus driver who caused the accident. Again, you will have to prove negligence, and you may be able to sue both the bus driver and the bus company for the actions of the driver as an employee.

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What Makes Bus Accidents So Dangerous?

Most bus accidents are due to driver error, but sometimes accidents result from poor maintenance or defective parts. Sometimes multiple factors lead to a bus accident, but some of the most common issues in bus accidents are:

  • Lack of safety equipment. Buses often do not have safety features such as seatbelts and airbags, making injuries more severe.
  • Bus driver fatigue. If a bus driver is not given sufficient time to rest between shifts or is scheduled for a shift that is too long, it causes fatigue, which increases the risk of an accident.
  • Length of the bus. Motorists and pedestrians are at a greater risk of being hit by the back of a bus when the bus is long and the driver has a hard time gauging length in turns and maneuvers.
  • Poor maintenance. Poor maintenance can result in mechanical problems, like worn brakes or defective headlights or taillights, which increase the risk of accidents.
  • Safety hazards. Buses may expose passengers to unique safety hazards like getting stuck in a malfunctioning bus door or being hit by falling luggage if the bus has luggage racks.
  • Top-heavy bus design. Top heavy buses, like double-decker tour buses, are particularly dangerous because they are susceptible to rollovers if the driver is not properly trained to operate a tall, narrow bus around tight curves.
  • Unqualified drivers. Unqualified drivers may not have the experience necessary to operate a bus and can put passengers and other motorists at risk. It is crucial that bus companies hire qualified drivers. Bus companies may try to cut corners and skip important hiring steps, such as background checks.
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What Should I Do After a Bus Accident?

To succeed in a bus accident claim, you will need to build a strong case. It is important to document and collect as much information about the bus accident as possible. You should try to take as many of the following steps after the accident as possible:

What are Maryland’s Negligence Laws?

Maryland is a contributory negligence state, which means that you must show that you had no fault in the accident. Maryland is also an “at-fault state,” which means that the party found negligent must pay for all the damages. This makes it crucial to your claim that you can prove that the bus driver or other at-fault driver caused the accident based on negligent or careless conduct and that you did not contribute to the accident in any way.

Maryland’s strict laws make it all the more important that a bus accident victim has an experienced lawyer to help them navigate the legal process. Consulting with an attorney will increase your likelihood of recovering damages for your injuries. If you are considering suing for your injuries following a bus accident, you can call or message Regan Zambri Long today to schedule a free consultation.

How Much Can I Recover For My Bus Accident Injuries?

Every personal injury claim is different, and many factors can impact your potential compensation in a bus accident. Some of the most common damages awarded in bus accident cases are:

After a free consultation with a lawyer at Regan Zambri Long, your attorney will be able to evaluate your claim and can give you an approximate amount of damages that you could recover in a lawsuit.

How Do You Prove Negligence?

Bus accident claims are often the result of negligence, or the failure to act with the level of care that a reasonable person would have used. Every accident is different, but negligence claims generally must meet the same four elements:

  • A duty of care. The at-fault party must have owed the injured party a duty of reasonable care. This means that the at-fault party owed an obligation to avoid harming others. For example, bus drivers have the responsibility to drive safely and follow traffic laws, which means they owe a duty of care to the other motorists and pedestrians using the roadways around them. If bus drivers was trained to drive buses, they are held to a higher standard than an average motorist.
  • Breach of the duty of care. The injured party must prove that the at-fault party breached that standard of care.
  • Causation. The injured party must show a direct link (causation) between the negligent action and the injury. If the cause of the accident is too distant, this element is not met.
  • Actual damages. The injured party must be able to prove that they suffered actual harm, such as medical bills or lost wages. These damages can also be the mental pain and suffering from the accident.
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How Long Do I Have to File My Bus Accident Claim?

The statute of limitations for a bus accident claim will depend on what type of bus was involved in your accident. In personal injury actions against private bus companies, you have three (3) years to file a lawsuit from the date of the accident. If a private bus accident resulted in a fatality, the family of the victim has three (3) years from the date of the death to file a claim.

If the bus involved was owned by a government entity, such as Maryland Transit Authority or a school bus, you must file a formal written complaint within one (1) year from the date of the accident. The government entity then has six (6) months to respond. If the government entity accepts the claim, it will work with its insurance adjuster to settle your claim. If your claim is denied, you may still file a lawsuit within three (3) years just as you would with a private bus accident.

If you want to know more about the statute of limitations for your claim, you should seek legal advice. An experienced personal injury lawyer can instruct you on the timeline for filing your claim and will assure you that should you choose to file a lawsuit, it is filed in time.

Why Should I Choose Regan Zambri Long?

If you are considering filing a legal claim for injuries from a bus accident, one of the many experienced lawyers on our team can help. Our team of lawyers will build your case and gather all the evidence necessary to win your claim, and we are confident that we can reach the settlement you deserve. Our lawyers often operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning that they are compensated for their services only after you win, and the amount owed is based on the amount you win at trial. Call Regan Zambri Long today or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

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Have you or your loved one sustained injuries in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia? Regan Zambri Long PLLC has the best lawyers in the country to analyze your case and answer the questions you may have.

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