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Buses are a constant sight on the roads in Red Bank. Whether they are moving schoolchildren, operating as a private charter, or are the property of the city—it is nearly impossible to drive anywhere without encountering these massive vehicles. Unfortunately, due to their size and number, buses are especially prone to accidents in Red Bank. These collisions can leave drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and even fare-payers with significant injuries. A claim for damages against a driver and their employer could help to collect payment to cover medical costs, missing wages, and emotional trauma.
A Red Bank bus accident lawyer could take the lead in pursuing these claims. A dedicated personal injury attorney could fully investigate the crash, help individuals measure the impact of the incident on their lives, and demand proper payments from all at-fault defendants.
In most respects, bus drivers have the same duty to keep other people safe as any other operator of a vehicle. Getting behind the wheel forces these drivers to assume a duty of protection to all other people that they encounter. As a result, a driver’s negligence may affect:
The main portion of a civil lawsuit involves proving that a bus driver or their employer was at fault for the incident. This could be the result of failing to obey a traffic law or simple inattentiveness. A proactive Red Bank bus collision attorney could investigate the cause of a crash and firmly place blame for the incident on the shoulders of a negligent bus driver or company.
Most personal injury claims follow the same basic pattern when choosing a defendant. Car crash cases name the driver of the at-fault vehicle as the sole defendant, with an insurance company indemnifying them against liability. However, when a wreck involves the driver of a commercial vehicle, such as a bus, the list of defendants is likely to grow, and the procedure of the claim may change.
If the driver is operating a private charter owned by a busing company, that company will share liability. The concept of vicarious liability means that a company is responsible for the actions of its employees. In these types of claims, the driver is still negligent, but the company may also be responsible for paying damages to injured parties. Though, importantly, Tennessee Code Annotated § 28-3-104 gives an injured party only one year following a bus crash to demand payment in court.
The formula changes if the defendant is driving a school bus or city vehicle. Here, the city or school district may also be a defendant. However, the time limits to pursue government entities are significantly shorter, and the process for demanding payments will change. A knowledgeable bus wreck lawyer in Red Bank could help select the proper defendants in a particular case and follow the correct legal procedures.
People who suffer injuries in bus collisions may be confused as to their rights. They may suspect that the bus driver was at fault for the crash, but they may not know how to pursue a claim or what other entities may share liability.
The fact is that a bus driver’s employer is also liable for a wreck caused by their employees’ negligence. If this is a private company, the claim will run through their insurance provider. However, if the bus is a school bus or a city vehicle, the claims process will become much more complex.
A Red Bank bus accident lawyer is prepared to help. They could work with you to organize your claim, measure your losses, and pursue the proper defendants for appropriate compensation packages. Call today to get started on your case.