Our Lawyers Can Help You Recover after a Texas Bus Accident
Mass transit is more than just a way to help reduce the number of pollutants released into the air. With the state of the economy the way it is, it’s become a viable method of getting around town while saving some significant money.
There are more buses traveling the roads of Texas than ever. The economy is squeezing organizations as well, forcing them to rely more on charter buses than individual means of transportation for corporate outings, church trips, and the like.
Since there are more buses in use, that means there are more chances for someone to be involved in a bus accident, whether it’s a single-vehicle crash or the bus is involved in a collision with a car or truck. These kinds of accidents can result in debilitating injures, and determining liability can be an incredibly complex process. If you or a family member should suffer an injury due to a bus accident, the bus accident attorneys at our Law Offices are ready to help you get fair restitution.
Litigation of cases involving accidents with city-owned buses can be very complicated. Government agencies enjoy a certain amount of latitude and even immunity in some cases when these types of accidents arise. When a privately owned charter bus is involved in a crash, a case can be very challenging because that company’s insurance provider will pose a formidable roadblock to your lawsuit. Many times, charter buses are used by clubs, churches, and other organizations when their members take long trips. These charter buses are many times poorly maintained mechanically, and often have worn or otherwise defective tires. Attorneys with our Law Offices have run across this unfortunate occurrence many times in the cases we have litigated successfully for our clients.
How Safe are Passenger Buses?
A bus can way up to 15 tons or more. Although they are immense, that doesn’t mean they are necessarily safe. In a typical collision between vehicles, the bigger one normally wins out. But when a bus runs over or hits an object, its mass can work against it. The typical passenger compartment of a bus can’t support itself adequately under the weight of the bus and is prone to suffering extensive damage in the event of a collision as a result. This is mainly due to the fact that buses are normally built using a body-on-frame configuration.
Contrast that with most modern automobiles, which are built using uni-body construction. This means there is no difference between the frame and body. A car’s body is usually made of several stamped steel pieces that are welded together, making its mass-to-rigidity ratio very favorable. What that means for you is that most cars in production are very safe. Buses, on the other hand, have a body mounted on a ladder-frame chassis. The frame itself is very durable, but the body is fairly weak. As a result, it is often crushed under the weight of the rest of the bus.
In lawsuits involving a bus accident, there could be other parties involved besides the owner or driver of the bus that may share responsibility for your injury. This just adds to the complexity of this kind of litigation and underscores even further the need for an experienced bus accident attorney working on your side.
No matter what kind of bus has been involved in the accident that has caused your injury, or whether you were on the bus or were in a car hit by a bus, you will have to bring forth convincing evidence in order to have a chance at winning your case. You will also need an effective plan of attack. These kinds of accidents can mean severe injuries, ranging from whiplash to spinal cord damage to other injuries, and even death. If you or a family member has suffered a loss due to a bus accident, call the bus accident attorneys at our Law Offices toll-free for a confidential and free consultation. This type of case, as we mentioned previously, can be very complex; you need the experience of a seasoned attorney who can help you get the maximum compensation you deserve.
