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Bus & Limousine Accident Lawyers Near Me | Personal Injury Attorneys
Bus and Limousine Accident Lawyers | Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys
Whether you are a passenger, driver, or pedestrian, being involved in a bus accident or limousine accident can be one of the most frightening and devastating types of motor vehicle crashes. At LaMarche Safranko Law, our bus and limousine accident lawyers understand the serious consequences these accidents can have and are committed to helping victims and their families seek justice and compensation.
Bus & Limousine Accident Lawyers Near Me
Operators and owners of buses and limousines have a duty to protect passengers, other motorists, and pedestrians by following safety regulations and traffic laws. Safety must be a top priority for all drivers and companies operating party buses, city buses, charter buses, shuttle buses, school buses, stretch limousines, and hired vehicles.
Bus and limousine accident cases are often complex because they can involve multiple injured individuals and several potentially responsible parties, including drivers, companies, and insurers. Pursuing these claims requires the skill and experience of a personal injury attorney who understands New York State’s transportation laws, insurance requirements, and liability rules.
With decades of combined experience representing victims of serious motor vehicle crashes, LaMarche Safranko Law provides knowledgeable and compassionate representation. Our personal injury attorneys carefully investigate each case, determine who is at fault, and fight for the compensation our clients deserve for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages.
FAQs About Bus & Limousine Accident Cases
Yes. Effective January 2020 a law took effect which increases the coverage requirement for certain for-hire motor vehicles including stretch limousines. The combined single limit of insurance coverage available for an injury in a limousine crash where the limousine involves seating 8 or more passengers for hire is now $1,500,000. This type of policy covers bodily injury and death to one or more persons because of injury to or destruction of property in any one accident.
Yes. It is always in your best interests to retain a personal injury lawyer who has experience handling claims similar to yours.
Generally, in New York, the time to bring a claim against a privately owned bus or limousine company is 3 years from the date of the accident. However, modes of public transportation are different than other common carriers because they are often run by government entities like a transit authority or school district, rather than a private company. In New York there are shorter time frames to file a claim against a governmental entity which may require that a claim be filed as early as 90 days after the accident occurs. Missing a deadline could result in the victim’s claim being lost forever. Therefore, it is extremely important to contact an experienced bus accident or limo accident lawyer who can ensure your rights are protected.
If you were injured on a bus, your own automobile insurance carrier will pay for your no-fault benefits which include medical expenses, lost earnings and reasonable and necessary expenses incurred, up to $25 dollars per day. If you were not insured, the insurance carrier for a relative you live with will pay. If neither you nor a resident relative has an automobile insurance policy, then the bus’s insurance carrier must pay for these benefits.
Compensation can be provided for medical bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering, and in extreme cases punitive damages. These categories include both past and future medical expenses, past and future lost earnings, and past and future pain and suffering. Punitive damages are only allowed in the most extreme of cases where the injury was caused by someone’s reckless conduct. The purpose of punitive damages is to dissuade the defendant and others from acting with that level of recklessness again.
To receive compensation for personal injuries or wrongful death, the plaintiff has the burden of proving that the defendant was negligent or failed to act in a reasonably prudent manner. Your bus or limousine crash attorney will build a case that shows how the defendant’s conduct was a substantial factor in causing your injuries or the death of your loved one. Once your accident lawyer shows that the defendant was at fault, the defendant must pay the full and fair money damages for the injuries suffered. A lawsuit can either be resolved through settlement before a trial, or by successfully prevailing at a trial.
When a tragedy occurs in a bus or a limousine it is important for a personal injury lawyer who handles limousine or bus crash cases to examine all theories of liability against any potential defendant. There are many entities that may be responsible for your injuries including:
- The company that owned and operated the bus or limousine
- The driver of the bus or limousine
- Any business that serviced the bus or limousine
- The manufacturer of any defective product that may have caused the crash
- The state or municipality responsible for the road if the design or condition of the road caused the crash
In New York, the operators of passenger vehicles such as buses and limousines must comply with state specific registration requirements. These vehicles often have several passengers who do not have access to seatbelts, are not wearing a seatbelt, and are without the protection of an airbag, making any collision particularly dangerous. The weight and size of these vehicles makes any collision extremely serious. Strict registration requirements including inspections ensure that the vehicle is road worthy and safe. There are also special licensing requirements for drivers so that both the passengers inside the vehicles and others on the roadways are safe and protected from harm. A driver or company that fails to abide by these requirements can be held liable if an accident and injuries occur.
Bus accidents can occur in a variety of ways. Some common types of bus accidents include:
- Bus Rollovers
- Head-on Collisions
- Rear-end Collisions
- Pedestrian Accidents
