When you get on a bus, you are trusting the driver and the owner of the bus to protect you. Whether it’s a school bus, city bus, tour bus, shuttle, or any other type of bus, you have special rights when you become a passenger. Regardless of how safe most buses are, bus accidents do happen.
It is common for a person in a bus accident to assume they know how to handle it because they have been in car accidents before. The truth is that bus accidents are more complicated. There are generally more victims, more people who are potentially responsible, and the injuries and damages can be very serious. If you have been injured in a bus accident we hope you will follow these three steps and contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for a free legal consultation.
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Get medical attention right away
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Document everything you can
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Reach out to a personal injury attorney
Your first priority is to get medical help. If the bus driver is able, they should contact emergency services. If they are not able to, then you may need to step into that role. Even if you do not think that you or anyone else is injured, you need to contact the police so that they can assess the situation and provide a legal report of the accident.
We also recommend medical attention for those who do not think they are injured because injuries are not always entirely clear right after an accident. A person who was injured can deal with adrenaline rushing thro0gh their veins. They could have a seemingly minor sprained ankle that is actually a hairline fracture that will get worse if not treated correctly. They may have a head trauma that they won’t feel for days. Medical care is essential to ensure everyone is truly safe after the accident.
Once you are safe, make sure you document as much about the bus accident as you can. The police report will be helpful but it could miss essential details and it may even be inaccurate. We recommend gathering the following – but only if it is safe to do so: Contact information from all witnesses, pictures of relevant street signs, pictures of all impacted vehicles, and pictures of roadway conditions.
Your final step is to talk to a personal injury attorney. These cases can be complicated and take time to review. Do not wait until the statute of limitations has expired to call an attorney. In cases involving the government, such as those involving city buses, you may only have six months to file a claim. This is why we always recommend contacting The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 as soon as possible after a bus accident.
