California Bus Injury Lawyers – Fighting for Victims

Our California bus accident attorneys help you recover the maximum settlement for your bus-related injuries. Victims in bus accident cases can include bus passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, fellow motorists and their passengers.

The Shouse Law Group is a California-based personal injury law firm that works tirelessly for all our clients and seeks to get you the biggest settlement possible. Keep reading for more information on how our California bus collision attorneys can help you.

Common defendants

Depending on the facts of a case, our California personal injury lawyers often name the following parties as defendants in bus accident cases:

• a bus company (for example, Greyhound), which is usually vicariously liable for its drivers’ negligence,
• school districts (for example, in school bus accidents),
• government entities (for poorly maintained roads and signage, etc.),
• private companies and private motor vehicle drivers,
• bus manufacturers, and
• parties responsible for bus maintenance.

We can also sue the bus driver individually, though they are often judgment-proof. It makes more sense to target other at-fault party with larger financial reserves.

What if I partly caused the bus accident?

You can still recover damages. Under California’s comparative negligence laws, your financial recovery would just be reduced in proportion to your degree of fault.

Example: Jack is driving a bus when he falls asleep and rams into a pedestrian, Tammy. Tammy’s personal injury case goes to trial, where the jury determines she sustained $100,000 worth of damages but that she was 50% at fault because she was jaywalking. Under California law, Tammy could then recover 50% of the damages, which in this case would be $50,000.

Common bus accidents causes, injuries, and damages

Bus Accidents AT-A-GLANCE
Common causes	Typical injuries	Usual damages
bus drivers and motorists committing traffic violations passengers not wearing seat belts distracted driving (such as texting while driving) intoxicated driving bus driver fatigue negligent hiring of bus drivers negligent supervision of bus drivers defective bus parts or other mechanical problems (product liability) poor vehicle maintenance potholes	traumatic brain injuries spinal cord injuries paralysis broken bones whiplash lacerations loss of limbs or organ function burns soft-tissue injuries neck injuries organ damage internal bleeding other serious and catastrophic injuries rape injuries (particularly in cases of bus drivers assaulting students)	Economic damages (which can be easily calculated): medical bills and medical expenses lost wages lost earning capacity property damage Non-economic damages (which are more difficult to calculate): pain and suffering emotional distress scarring and disfigurement Wrongful death damages: burial expenses loss of support loss of income

Just in 2021, the U.S. had 175 fatal bus accidents: This includes 80 school buses, 78 transit buses, and 17 intercity buses. A minority of the fatalities were bus occupants, which shows that the typical victims in a bus accident are people sharing the road in smaller, family cars that do not stand a chance against large passenger vehicles.¹

How soon do I have to sue?

In California, if you were injured by a municipal bus, such as one operated by a city or county transit authority, you generally have only six months from the date of the accident to file a formal administrative claim against the government agency. Depending on if/when the government responds, you may be able to file a regular lawsuit.

For accidents involving private bus companies, you typically have a two-year statute of limitations from the accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit.

In any case, it is always best to consult with a knowledgeable bus accident attorney as soon as possible to ensure you don’t miss any critical deadlines that could bar you from recovering compensation.

What should I do after an accident?

If you are seriously injured following a bus accident, stay where you are and wait for emergency medical services to arrive. If you are able to move without worsening your injuries, get yourself to a safe location away from traffic and other hazards.

Once your immediate medical needs are taken care of, try to document the accident scene with photos and collect contact information from any witnesses. Avoid discussing fault or liability with the bus driver, other passengers, or insurance representatives until you have consulted with a bus accident lawyer who can advise you on how to protect your rights and interests.

The role of a personal injury lawyer

The five primary functions our California bus accident lawyers play in your personal injury case are:

1. assisting in you receiving immediate medical care and managing your medical treatment,
2. advising you on your legal rights and options,
3. finding evidence to help prove liability (such as camera footage from the bus itself) and hiring experts to help explain this evidence to a judge or jury,
4. filing a personal injury claim with the insurance company of the at-fault parties and filing a lawsuit if necessary, and
5. negotiating an injury claim with an insurance adjuster that covers all of your damages so there is no need to go to trial.

Benefits of a California bus accident lawyer

Our bus injury lawyers help you maximize the compensation for your losses. We know how much an accident case is worth, and therefore, will not accept lowball settlement offers from insurance companies and at-fault parties.

We can also uncover hidden value in a case (for example, by identifying more than one negligent party). As a result, we help increase your payout.

Our bus crash attorneys also manage your case (including all the paperwork and filings) from the moment of taking it on. You then have the benefit of being able to focus on your health and healing.

Furthermore, our consultation is free, and you pay us nothing unless we win, so you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

For additional help

If you or a loved one was injured in a bus accident, we invite you to contact our California personal injury lawyers. Our attorneys and legal team provide both consultations and legal advice you can trust. We work tirelessly to get you the maximum compensation available for your case.

Note, too, that our communications are protected by the attorney-client relationship. The result is that our bus injury lawyers cannot disclose these communications without first getting your consent.

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