Many people rely on public transportation in Edmond and Oklahoma City. While most bus trips go uneventfully, bus accidents can cause catastrophic injuries to passengers, motorists, and pedestrians. Oklahoma bus accident victims may be able to pursue compensation for the losses they’ve incurred.
If you have sustained injuries in a bus accident, contact the Edmond personal injury attorneys at Cain Law. Transportation agencies and bus companies can be held liable for any injuries their operators cause due to negligence, especially due to their heightened legal duty as common carriers.
Our experienced legal team can fight for your rights and interests and pursue compensation for your losses through a financial settlement. Contact our offices today to speak to an Edmond bus accident lawyer.
Why You Need Cain Law Following a Bus Crash
Whether you are a bus passenger injured in an accident or a driver or pedestrian struck by a bus, you’ll need an attorney on your side. Bus accidents involve commercial and government entities and may involve overlapping liability between multiple parties, including bus operators, the transportation agency, bus maintenance crews, or transportation planners. Moreover, bus accidents can cause serious injuries with expensive medical bills, making pursuing a claim all the more difficult.
Cain Law can rise to meet these challenges and more. As a local bus accident law firm, we are confident in our ability to work within Oklahoma-specific legislation and pinpoint an avenue for a claim. More specifically, we can:
- Guide you through the legal process and discuss your options during a free, no-obligation consultation
- Gather evidence at the accident scene with the help of our rapid-response investigative team
- Find eyewitnesses and other evidence to support your personal injury claim
- Work with local and national experts and obtain compelling expert testimony from accident reconstruction experts
- Calculate your losses to account for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other expenses
- Send demand letters that advocate for the maximum compensation you deserve
- Negotiate with insurance companies and pursue formal lawsuits, when necessary
We are aggressive in our advocacy and won’t back down until we have examined every legal avenue to a satisfactory resolution. We understand the difficulties of recovering from a serious injury and will use every resource to seek justice for your harm, including our rapid response team of accident investigators and nationwide network of experts.
With a proven track record of success and compassionate support, you can trust that you are in good hands when you hire Cain Law.
Types of Buses Involved in Accidents
Ok. Stat 21-1902 defines a bus as any motor vehicle designed or constructed to carry passengers that operates on a system of routes, times, and fares. This definition encompasses several types of buses, such as:
- Public transit buses
- Commercial buses
- Shuttle buses
- School buses
- Charter and tour buses
- Passenger vans
- Intercity/interstate buses
Buses are typically much larger than passenger vehicles, so bus accidents routinely cause catastrophic damages more often than in other types of motor vehicle accidents.
Compensation You Can Recover After a Bus Collision
Cain Law aims to be as comprehensive as possible when seeking compensation for bus accident victims. To that end, we can pursue compensation for the following types of losses.
- Emergency medical bills and continuing medical costs
- Lost employment income (e.g., hourly pay/salary, bonuses, commissions, vacations, etc.)
- Differences between expected lifetime earning capacity pre- and post-injury
- Out-of-pocket injury expenses (e.g., alternate transportation, childcare/housekeeping costs, etc.)
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Reductions in quality of life
- Loss of life enjoyment
- Emotional distress
- Loss of financial support due to wrongful death
We look beyond typical injury expenses to ensure we seek sufficient funds to recover your losses and have firm financial stability while you recover and rebuild.
Common Causes of Bus Crashes
Bus accidents typically occur due to operator negligence. Bus drivers undergo strict training and certification, so they have a higher standard of conduct than typical drivers on the road. Negligent bus driving behaviors might include:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Stopping too quickly
- Taking turns too fast
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Disregarding traffic signals or signs
- Maneuvering outside of designated bus lanes
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
Inadequate driver training or poor or unsafe hiring practices contribute to other collisions.
In some cases, bus crashes might occur due to equipment defects, such as tires, brakes, or axles. In these cases, the equipment manufacturer might bear liability for injuries. Collisions might also happen due to third parties, such as negligent motorists or construction crews obstructing the road.
Determining the exact causal factors contributing to the accident is a key aspect of establishing liability in bus accident claims.
What Is the Common Carrier Law?
Oklahoma Statutes Title 13 outlines several rules and regulations covering the activity of common carriers in the state. Section 13-4 defines a common carrier as any entity that receives compensation for carrying people, property, and messages.
This definition includes the most common types of person-carrying and property-transporting buses. Title 13 establishes that common carriers must offer safe and effective transportation and that common carrier operators must operate with care and diligence.
These laws matter as violating them could expose common carriers to negligence claims. If a common carrier is not upholding its legal duty of care and causes injury, it could be grounds to file a lawsuit.
Our attorneys can determine whether a common carrier has demonstrated negligence and whether you could file a claim against them for compensation for your losses.
What Is the Deadline to File a Bus Accident Claim?
This law limits the time you have to file your case. The general statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Oklahoma is two years, meaning you have two years to pursue damages (Ok. Stat. 12-95.3). However, many bus accidents involve a government entity or agency, in which case, the rules for filing a claim differ.
If you plan to file a bus accident lawsuit against a government agency, you must first file a notice of claim within one year of the injury date (Ok. Stat. 51-156). If you skip this step, you won’t be able to pursue a lawsuit and will lose your claim eligibility.
Contact Us Today for a Free Consultation
Bus crashes raise numerous legal complications that are not present in typical auto accidents. If you have sustained injuries in a bus collision, you need a law firm for bus accident cases. Cain Law can launch a thorough investigation into your case to identify the responsible party for your injuries. We can help you pursue your legal claim against them and seek to hold them accountable for your injuries.
Our team has over 100 combined years of experience in personal injury law and has recovered over $100 million for our clients across a wide range of cases. We have the skills, knowledge, and tenacity to pursue your bus accident claim to the fullest possible extent.
We are available 24/7, so give us a call anytime for a free case consultation with an Edmond bus accident attorney. Remember – in pain – call Cain.