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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Arizona is home to many different attractions that bring people here to visit from all over the world every year. In addition, Arizona is home to a high number of retired people, and both of these groups tend to charter buses often to get to where they want to go. While chartering a bus is often a responsible and safe choice to make, the unfortunate fact of the matter is that Arizona charter bus accidents can and do occur, and when they do they can lead to disaster given the number of people who could be involved in the collision. Anyone who has been injured in this scenario should seek the immediate help of experienced Phoenix bus accident lawyers, and below is an overview of the liability that could attach after such an occurrence.
It’s possible that the company that owns the bus that’s chartered could be held liable for several different reasons in the aftermath of an Arizona charter bus accident. Below are just a few of those potential forms of negligence that could lead to liability:
Generally, negligence by a bus driver will lead to liability on the part of the bus company, and these companies are responsible for the upkeep and safety of the vehicles they use.
Of course, not all Arizona charter bus accidents are the fault of the bus driver. There are times when the driver or drivers of other vehicles could be negligent and cause an accident that the bus driver could not have avoided. When this situation arises, those who have been harmed need to proceed in much the same manner as if they were harmed in an accident involving privately owned vehicles. In those situations where both drivers were negligent, the matter could become complicated to handle for someone who does not possess a legal background.
Therefore, if you or someone you love has been harmed in this type of a collision, you need to seek the help of Arizona charter bus injury attorneywho has been successfully defending the rights of those harmed for many years. Contact the team of licensed Phoenix personal injury lawyers at Phillips Law Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.
