Philadelphia’s Bus Accident Attorney
When you purchase a bus ticket or pay a bus fare, you know that you are trusting the driving to someone else. It can also be said that you’re trusting your safety to that bus driver and the transit company they represent.
If you get hurt in a bus accident you may have to consider who can be held responsible for your medical bills? The driver? The busing company? The City of Philadelphia?
If you have been a victim of an accident involving a bus in Pennsylvania or New Jersey – whether as a passenger on the bus (such as Greyhound or Trailways) or in a collision with a bus as a motorist or a pedestrian – you will want to talk to Edith Pearce and her attorneys at the Pearce Law Firm P.C. who are experienced in bus accident claims and bus accident litigation. It may be multiple parties that should be held accountable for your suffering. Contact us for a free case evaluation and honest guidance on your best options.
Complexity of Pennsylvania Bus Accident Cases
Bus accident claims can involve more complex issues than car accidents and present a challenge for a victim trying to get compensation. National companies can be involved in your case and many different sets of laws can apply.
Here are some more issues that can factor into a bus accident investigation:
- The condition and maintenance records of the bus.
- Were federal safety standards being followed?
- Did the driver have proper licensing to operate the vehicle?
- Driver’s record. Previous violations, issues of competence, and substance abuse issues.
Additionally, many times the accident happened out of state and there are almost always multiple defendants, including the driver, the bus company, the municipality, and/or a school district — and many other factors. More importantly, there will be multiple insurance companies involved and multiple lawyers for the other side, all of whom have one purpose: to give you as little compensation as possible!
That’s why you need an experienced bus accident attorney to protect your rights. Edith Pearce has protected the rights of bus accident victims and won multi-million dollar settlements for them. A 2.6 million dollar example can be found here.
Bus Companies and Philadelphia Transit
You may intend to take a trip to New York on a Greyhound, Megabus, or Bolt Bus. Or trust a Philadelphia Charter Bus Company to get you to a big event. Or you may use Philadelphia’s city buses to get to work or back home again.
These companies are all bound by city, state, and federal laws to keep you as safe as possible when you travel. If an unfortunate accident does occur the owners and operators of these companies have insurance that is meant to help injured victims avoid financial ruin after an accident.
Here are just a few of the companies we have forced to accept liability in accidents. More information on each bus companies insurance coverage and compensation can be found by clicking on each name:
Bus Insurance Company Tricks After an Accident
Victims should have the best care possible and not have to worry about the costs when trying to recover from an accident that wasn’t their fault. Unfortunately, when insurance agents get involved, their goals can be very different. They want to downplay your painful injury and try to get you to accept a lowball offer or offer you nothing at all.
Before deciding to represent injured people, Edith Pearce, the founder of the Pearce Law Firm P.C., spent over ten years working as an attorney for an insurance company and defense firm. She knows all the “tricks of the trade” from the other side of the fence and knows how to navigate through the complexities of bus accident cases to get you full and fair compensation for your injuries, losses, and suffering.
Compensation for Victims After a Bus Accident
Damages that a bus accident victim and the victim’s family are entitled to recover may include: hospital and medical expenses; past and future lost earnings; past and future permanent physical disability, such as a limp, scars, loss of a limb; emotional distress, such as depression and anxiety; grief and emotional suffering caused by the death of a loved one; loss of love and companionship caused by the death of a loved one; damage or destruction of property; physical pain and suffering; loss of enjoyment of life.
To protect your legal rights following serious injury or death due to a bus accident, it’s a smart move to consult a personal injury law firm with experience in bus accident claims as soon as possible. Within the first week, important physical evidence can be lost, and witnesses may become hard to find.
The Compensation You Need to Make a Full Recovery
If you have been injured in a bus accident in Philadelphia or anywhere in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, you should consult with an attorney as soon as possible after the accident. Most bus companies have only a certain amount of insurance coverage that must be divided between every person injured in the accident. Therefore, it is very important to have legal representation to ensure that you get your fair share of the bus company’s coverage and to explore all other recovery sources for you. Our law firm will thoroughly investigate your bus accident and work diligently to arrive at a timely settlement or proceed to trial to obtain the compensation you deserve.
Call us today for a FREE CONSULTATION, or send us an instant e-mail.
We are dedicated to protecting your rights and obtaining full and fair compensation for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can be held responsible if I’m in a bus accident?
Many different parties may have to accept liability in your a bus accident, including the bus company (like Megabus or a local Charter business), event and tour coordinators who rent or lease buses, a local city or state agency (involving public transportation), or even a maintenance company in the case of a bus malfunction. In cases involving another vehicle striking the bus you are on, that driver’s insurance may be brought into play.
Should I talk to insurance agents and lawyers representing the bus company?
No. You should not make statements to anyone calling you as a representative of a bus company or their insurance companies. They may ask you how you’re feeling or what you witnessed when the accident occurred but beware. Representatives may be trying to get you to say something that would weaken your case or the case of other injury victims. Better to let your own attorney handle all communication with these lawyers and insurance agents.
How common are bus crashes?
A seven-year study of bus accidents found that somewhere around 63,000 buses of all types are involved in traffic crashes each year. Those collisions result in an average of 14,000 victims injured and on average of just over 300 lives lost each year.
