Who May Be Held Responsible For Your Bus Accident Injuries?
Depending on the facts of your case, the following category of individuals/entities may be held liable for your injuries:
1. The Bus Company
Bus companies are ultimately responsible for passenger safety. Making sure the bus is in good operating condition and that the staff is properly trained and managed is also the responsibility of the bus company. The bus company can be held accountable for failing to make sure that the bus was safe and/or the bus driver was properly trained.
2. Bus Maintenance Company
Sometimes bus companies use an outside vendor to service and repair their fleet of buses. Independent maintenance companies can be held liable for any faulty inspection or work performed on a bus involved in the accident.
3. Bus Operator – Tour and Cruise Line Companies
Tour bus companies can be held liable for bus-related accidents if one of their employees was operating a bus that was owned and/or serviced by another company.
4. Bus Driver
Bus drivers who service the public owe a higher duty of care to make sure passengers do not get injured. California law specifically defines bus drivers who transport the members of the public for a fee as common carriers. Under California Civil Code Section 2011:
Drivers who fail to keep their passengers safe, whether on or off the bus can be sued for negligence.
5. Bus And / Or Bus Parts Manufacturer
If the accident results from a product defect in the bus, the bus manufacturer and/or parts suppliers in the supply chain can be held responsible. California’s strict product liability law states that everyone involved in the manufacturing and distribution chain of a product is responsible for damages resulting from the defect.
6. Local and State Governments
Where accidents are caused by the negligence of a city bus driver, or any other governmental agency, the city, local municipality or county can be held responsible for your injuries.
LA Metro (MTA), DASH Bus Injuries
On average, the Metro bus and rail system has as many as 39 million boardings per month. The agency operates via 170 bus routes with close to 16,000 bus stops and a total fleet numbering over 2,200 buses. Despite their efficiency and safety standards, metro buses and light rail pose dangers to riders and pedestrians.
Drivers, passengers, and pedestrians involved in accidents with MTA buses often suffer severe damage due to the sheer weight of a bus. Those involved often experience severe or life-threatening injuries that can completely change a person’s life forever. With serious injuries involved, it is in the best interest of the injured person to hire an attorney to handle the matter. Whenever there is an accident, investigators come out to the scene to find out what happened. Injured riders, bystanders, drivers, and pedestrians should always speak to an attorney to have an independent investigation done where findings are not skewed in the favor of government agencies.
As a government entity, MTA and its bus drivers fall under the common carrier definition, which operates under different requirements and procedures. Injured passengers typically have six (6) months to file a claim. With short filing requirements, some make the mistake of bringing the claim with the wrong party such as with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority itself. Sometimes responsibility can rest on bus maintenance crews, third party contractors, and product design and manufacturers, and determining who is liable is key. Our Los Angeles bus wreck attorneys can help determine who is responsible and which party is negligent in case of an accident.
If you were injured on any of the following services, you may have a claim against the bus or rail operator. Contact our attorneys to discuss your case: (213) 891-0777.
| Transportation Operators |
|---|
| LA Metro | MTA | LADOT (DASH) | Commuter Express | Metro Rail |
| Metro Rapid (LACMTA) | Santa Monica Big Blue Bus Line | Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA) | Gardena Municipal Bus Lines | Torrance Transit |
Highway Bus Accidents
Since common carriers have a higher duty of care to their passengers, bus drivers that take the highway as part of the route must use special care to keep passengers safe. When a bus stops on a highway due to direct or 3rd party accidents, it is the bus driver’s responsibility to keep passengers safe. Whether safe action means keeping everyone inside the bus or evacuating as soon as possible, the bus operator has to take the right action to avoid negligence.
Highway accidents may sometimes involve construction hazards from construction sites and crew. Cases, where a construction agency was at fault in a highway bus accident, can be harder to litigate as the laws of liability are more complex.
Passengers who are hurt on a bus in the scope of a highway accident or a sudden stop may seek compensation for injuries and should speak to a bus accident attorney given the chance.
Greyhound and Tour Bus Accidents
Whenever you book a tour or arrange transportation with a charter bus service you’ll notice that their advertising will claim that “safety is our number one priority“. This is typically true of most bus operators, except when it’s not. Sometimes profits come before safety. Tour bus accidents happen when passengers’ safety is jeopardized by negligent behavior in regards to maintenance of the vehicles or driver hiring and training. When passengers are injured, the bus company will make every effort to minimize a settlement or to downplay the seriousness of injuries. Our attorneys level the playing field for accident claims so that you can get the maximum compensation for your injuries.
Greyhound is the biggest bus company in the United States, so when it comes to image and profits you can bet that it’ll do everything possible to minimize or dismiss your claim entirely. The bus company will ask you to fill out a form following an accident, and then proceed to try to get a recorded statement from all injured victims. The recorded statement is used against you in your claim for compensation, thus we stress that you contact an attorney and do not make any statements.
When Greyhound is worried about its liability it will often try to get the injured people to sign off on a low-ball offer. Signing off on such offers also includes clauses that prevent people from further suing the company once they discover the full severity of their injuries. It is critical that you do not rush to accept an offer before a full medical examination of your injuries and a free consultation with a Los Angeles bus accident attorney.
Greyhound will do everything possible to protect itself from making any payments to you or your loved ones. The company will hire attorneys do defend the case no matter how obvious that the driver was at fault. It will also use typical tactics of delaying a case for as long as it can so that you grow frustrated and impatient. Even when you feel like the evidence against the driver is irrefutable, Greyhound will find a way to try to argue the facts. Without a tour bus accident attorney on your side, you risk any sort of just outcome and compensation.
Charter and Tour Bus Companies Operating in California
If you’ve been injured on a Greyhound bus or any bus operated by the following companies, give us a call for a free consultation and immediate assistance:
| Tour Bus Companies |
|---|
| Greyhound Lines Inc. | Luxurious Phoenix Corp | American Transportation Systems | GTS Charter |
| MyBus / Pacific Aviation Corporation | Fast Deer Bus Charter | Odyssey Coach | Johnny’s Express |
| Cal Tours | Bauer’s Intelligent Transportation | Expedition America | Horizon Coach Lines |
| Avant-Garde Global Transportation | Pacific Coachways Charter Services, Inc. | Premiere Luxury Coaches | Transportation Charter Services (TCS) |
| TBE Tour Consultant Corp | A Divine Charter | California Wonders Charters | Ryan’s Express Transportation |
| Eagle Express | VIP Limousine and Coaches | La Fleur Limousines | TourCoach Charter and Tours |
| Jumbo Tours / Trither Inc. | Town Ride Inc. | M&J Transportation Inc. | Puma Express, LLC |
| National Charters | Da Zhen Bus | W & H / Las Vegas Express Bus | RS Bus Line Inc. |
| First Choice Charters | A Top Line Charter LLC | L A Coach Inc | Translink Coach Line |
| Roadways International Inc. | Highland Parking & Transportation | STA Charters | Go West Adventures Inc |
| RoadRunner Shuttle and Limousine | California Express Charters | ABC Tours & Transportation | Carreras Tours, LLC |
| American Vacation | Shalimar Tours & Charter | Cardiff Limousine & Transportation | The Buss Line |
| United Motor Coach Inc. | America Tour Inc | La Class Transportation LLC | As Directed Limousines, Inc |
FREE CONSULTATION
Give us a call to discuss your accident and injuries to see how we can help. Call (213) 891-0777.
