Charter Bus Accident Claims in Arizona

Charter buses are a popular choice of transportation for people who want to travel to and from an event in a group and to avoid the potential risks and headaches that would come with traveling alone. While using this mode of transportation can be seen as a responsible choice, it is a choice that is not without risk. Charter bus accidents do occur, and they always require the help of Phoenix bus accident lawyers.

Below youll find information regarding the general nature of charter bus arrangements, the potential defendants in a lawsuit or lawsuits filed by people injured in a charter bus accident and finally how you should proceed if you or someone you love has been injured in a charter bus accident in Arizona.

The Nature of Arizona Charter Bus Arrangements

Charter buses are typically hired for a specific purpose. Much like tour buses, they are used to bring a group of people to a destination in one vehicle as opposed to having everyone associated with each other arrange for their own transportation. However, charter buses tend to differ from tour buses in that the charter bus is usually used for one event thats shorter in duration than a tour, with examples including a sporting event, a theater event or a one-day social event.

Charter buses can be hired in several different ways, and as a result of the differing arrangements different parties could be liable if a charter bus accident occurs. The charter bus could be hired by an established social group or school or it could simply be hired by a group of individuals who all want to attend the same event. Regardless of who is involved with the contract, there are a few parties who are more likely to be named as defendants than others should a charter bus accident occur, even though signatures on a contract and the terms of that contract could result in additional defendants being named.

Parties That could be Liable for a Charter Bus Accident

Depending on the facts that surround a charter bus accident, several different parties could be rightly names as defendants following the incident. Below is a brief look at these parties and the facts that would need to be in place in order for them to be named as defendants.

The Charter Bus Company

If the charter bus thats used for a particular transportation event is not properly maintained and this faulty maintenance is at least partially the cause of a charter bus accident that occurs, this could lead to the naming of the charter bus company as a defendant. Bus companies must follow regulations that dictate their level of oversight, maintenance and safety.

In addition to faulty maintenance, the charter bus company could be named as a defendant if the company hired a bus driver who would not pass through reasonable background diligence and be hired to responsibly transport passengers. Unfortunately, hiring unqualified drivers is a common occurrence and does lead to charter bus accidents.

The Charter Bus Driver

Even though the charter bus company would usually be named as a defendant to a lawsuit for injuries sustained in an accident as well as the bus driver, that does not preclude the driver from facing liability. A charter bus driver could be named as a defendant if he or she is guilty of any sort of negligence that would constitute faulty conduct in any traffic setting. This could include failure to obey traffic laws or even a lack of attentiveness to the road that leads to an accident.

The Driver of the Other Vehicle or Vehicles

Traffic accidents often involve more than one vehicle. Many times, courts will find that every driver in an accident is partially at fault for the damages that occurred, and this legal notion of comparative fault extends to charter bus accident situations. Of course, its also possible that the bus driver was not at fault in any way, and this could lead to lawsuits being filed against the driver of any other vehicle involved in the accident who could be found at fault for the damages incurred.

Premises Liability

Its also possible that a charter bus accident would not be the fault of the bus driver, the charter bus company or any other drivers. Premises liability is a common legal basis for lawsuits, and if a charter bus is involved in an accident that is the fault of the destination, that could lead to the destination being named as a defendant. An example would be a parking lot that contains dangerous conditions such as large and concealed pot holes or other problems that should have been corrected and were not.

How an Arizona Bus Accident Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has been harmed in a charter bus accident, you need to seek the help of an experienced Arizona bus accident attorney. Contact the Phoenix law firm of Phillips Law Group today to schedule a free initial consultation, as the firm has years of experience in successfully fighting for the rights of those wrongfully injured in this manner.