Buses are much larger than most vehicles on the road, which means bus drivers, their employers, and other entities involved with these vehicles have a tremendous responsibility. If they are careless and passengers on the bus or in other vehicles get hurt, victims may be able to pursue compensation.
The legal team at Phillips Law Group has recovered more than $1 billion in compensation for Arizona injury victims over more than 27 years. Our founder Jeffrey Phillips has been lead counsel in more than 40 jury trials and has secured compensation for accident victims in several Arizona counties.
You can contact our firm anytime to schedule your free legal consultation with an experienced Tucson bus accident lawyer. There is no obligation to take legal action if you have a case and we do not charge upfront fees.
Phillips Law Group: 602-222-2222 .
This is something you can discuss with one of our licensed Tucson bus accident lawyers. There are many factors involved in determining if you may have a case, such as:
Bus accident cases are generally based on the legal theory of negligence. Your attorney must be able to show a party responsible for the bus accident did not take reasonable steps to prevent others from suffering harm. This carelessness must be linked directly to the injuries suffered by the victim.
If you were injured in a charter bus, tour bus, school bus, city bus or 15-passenger van and you think negligence could have been involved, you can contact our lawyers at Phillips Law Group for a free consultation.
The damages that often result from a bus accident injury can be significant, as these vehicles are often not equipped with seat belts. Even if the bus was moving relatively slowly, your injuries could take a long time to heal.
Free, no-obligation legal consultation. Call 602-222-2222 .
The purpose of a damages claim is to try to recover compensation for the effects of your injuries. Compensation can be divided into two main categories:
These are the financial costs that result from an injury, such as costs for medical treatment, both now and in the future as you continue to try to heal. Medical costs could include the costs for:
Other economic costs from an injury may include:
These are the physical and emotional aspects of suffering an injury in a bus crash, such as the following:
Unlike some other states, there are no caps on economic or non-economic injury compensation in Arizona. This means your attorney can pursue the full value of your damages.
The value of your case is something you can ask our Tucson bus accident lawyers about. The consultation is free and there is no obligation to move forward.
If you think you may have a case, it is important to talk to an attorney as soon as possible because there is a deadline for taking action.
Generally, accident victims in Arizona have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim. This is stated in Arizona’s personal injury statute of limitations. If you do not file within the statute of limitations, your case is likely to be dismissed.
The deadline could be shorter or longer depending on the specifics of your case. For example, Arizona’s discovery rule says you have two years from the date you reasonably discover an injury to file a case. Some injuries do not cause symptoms right away so you may not know you have an injury until days or weeks later. At that point, the two-year clock would start to run.
There may be other exceptions that apply to your case. Since this can be complicated, it is generally a good idea to discuss this issue with an experienced attorney. Our Tucson bus accident lawyers have extensive knowledge of statutes of limitations and when exceptions may apply.
We are here to take your call and answer your legal questions.
One of the most important questions in a bus accident claim is: who may be at fault/who was negligent?
The bus driver is often the one at fault and this could be for a variety of reasons, such as:
However, the bus driver may not be the only one at fault. Other potentially liable parties may include:
Maybe the bus was hit by another vehicle whose driver was acting negligently. For example, maybe he or she was drunk or distracted. If this is the case, you may have a claim against the driver’s car insurance policy.
If the company that employed the driver failed to properly train them or ensure he or she had the proper qualifications, the bus company may have liability for the accident. The company may have violated state or federal regulations or put the driver in a position that violated these regulations.
Sometimes there is a mechanical issue with the bus, such as a problem with the brakes or the engine. If the issue needed to be fixed and was not, the maintenance company could have liability. Sometimes maintenance companies fail to inspect everything they should, and a bus goes on the road with a problem that could lead to an accident.
There may have been a defective part on the bus that contributed to the crash. In that case, the company that manufactured or designed it could be held liable for creating something defective.
In the case of a school bus accident, the school district could have liability. For example, the district may have been responsible for ensuring the school bus driver was properly trained.
This is a complex issue that is important to discuss with a licensed attorney. A consultation with our Tucson bus accident lawyers is 100 percent free of charge.
Free consultation. Phone: 602-222-2222 .
There are things accident victims can do in the aftermath of an accident to help protect a potential legal claim. This includes calling 9-1-1 so the police and emergency responders can come to the scene and provide medical care and assess the accident. The police will file a report on the accident that may be an important piece of evidence if you pursue a case.
Other important steps to take after an accident include:
You may not feel a lot of pain or have visible signs of an injury, but seeking medical attention is still very important. You may have an injury that will not cause a lot of pain until hours or days after the accident. Waiting could potentially make any injuries you have suffered worse.
The other problem with waiting to seek treatment is that it creates a gap between when you see the doctor and the accident. This can be a problem if you pursue a damages claim. Insurance companies may argue you were not injured in the crash because of this gap.
Sometimes injuries are so severe that accident victims need to wait for medical help to arrive. Victims may be unconscious or unable to move because of their injuries or because they are pinned under something.
However, there are also situations when accident victims can move around and it is safe to do so. When this happens, accident victims can start to gather evidence at the scene, such as pictures of their injuries and damage to vehicles, information about the bus, witness statements, and notes about what they remember about the crash.
The things you say after an accident, to insurance companies, other victims, at-fault parties, or even things on social media could affect your claim. It is generally best to avoid discussing the accident with anyone but your attorney. You can even refer insurance companies to your attorney so he or she can deal with them.
Insurers and at-fault parties will be looking for any evidence they can use to discredit you or devalue your damages. Insurers are highly-trained individuals who know how to talk to accident victims and try to get them to say things that hurt the value of their claim.
Bus accident cases can quickly become very complicated, with multiple liable parties and insurance policies to sort through. Fortunately, you have the option of hiring an attorney to handle the many details of your bus accident claim.
Phillips Law Group’s Tucson bus accident attorneys have the experience and resources to fully litigate these claims, and there are no upfront fees for having us represent you. We do not get paid unless you receive compensation. Your initial consultation is also completely free and there is no obligation so there is no risk to you in contacting us.
Our founder Jeffrey Phillips is a member of the Motor Vehicle Trial Lawyers Association ”“ Top 25 and our firm has represented more than 155,000 clients.
We are here to help you during this difficult time. Contact us with your questions.
Our office in Tucson is located at One South Church Avenue, just a few minutes from Tucson City Hall.
Call 602-222-2222 or fill out a Free case evaluation form.
