Marietta Bus Accident Attorney
Buses are so much larger and heavier than even the biggest SUVs that any collision between car and bus is likely to be disastrous to the occupants of the smaller, lighter vehicle. Bus accident victims may suffer the most severe injuries, including brain and spinal injuries or wrongful death. Marietta bus accident attorney Ryan T. Strickland is experienced in a wide range of motor vehicle accidents, including those involving commercial motor vehicles and causing catastrophic injury or death. Bus accident claims can be complicated, and often you must act quickly to secure your rights. If you’ve been injured in a bus accident in Marietta, Georgia, call The Strickland Firm at 770-420-9900 for a free consultation.
Why do bus accidents happen?
Many factors contribute to bus accidents. Tour and charter bus drivers drive long, monotonous hours, often through the night after a day of driving and returning home from a church retreat or a gambling excursion to North Carolina. Drowsy and fatigued driving is a key contributor to motor vehicle accidents of all types and charter bus accidents in particular. Distracted driving, another major factor in car accidents today, is prevalent among bus drivers as well, who must contend with passengers, radio communications, navigation and a host of other distractions while driving.
Many causes of bus accidents are related to limitations on bus drivers due to the size, weight and shape of a bus. These factors include:
- Less maneuverability
- More reaction time and stopping distance required
- Limited visibility and increased blind spots
Buses also block the view of surrounding traffic for other vehicles and pedestrians. Impatient drivers who pull around a stopped bus may encounter some other traffic situation they weren’t expecting. Other times, drivers who attempt to turn right next to a bus that is executing a wide right turn can be forced out of their lane, pushed off the road, or squeezed into a collision with the bus.
Special rules for city buses
If you are hurt in a bus accident with CobbLinc, MARTA or another municipal bus service, special rules likely apply to the handling of your claim. You don’t simply have two years to file a lawsuit as you would against a private car, truck or bus driver. Instead, you must first notify the applicable government agency about the accident and then give them time to settle or deny your claim. If they deny your claim, you will then have a short window within which to file a lawsuit if you choose.
For claims against a municipality, you have six months to file a notice of the accident. If the state or county ran the bus company, you have up to a year to notify them. The notice must meet the agency’s requirements for form and content; generally, it must include the time and place of the accident, and you must describe your injury and the bus driver’s negligence as nearly as practicable. Marietta bus accident attorney Ryan T. Strickland can ensure that all procedures and timelines are followed so that your case isn’t barred or dismissed on a technicality.
Special rules for injured bus passengers
Buses have a special legal status as “common carriers,” which means they have a higher duty to their passengers compared to the duty they owe to other drivers or pedestrians on the road. If you are injured as a bus passenger, you likely have a strong claim against the bus company. Still, the bus company or their insurer may shrug off your injuries as not serious, so you’ll need a strong, skilled attorney representing you and presenting your claim. Injuries to passengers can occur in several ways, including:
- The bus starts up after you get on but before you are seated, causing a fall
- The bus makes a sudden, sharp stop or turn, causing you to hit your head, fall off your seat, or experience another injury
- The bus stops too far away from the curb, causing you to trip and fall getting on or off the bus
- The bus collides with another vehicle or a fixed object
Get the Care and Compensation You Need and Deserve after a Marietta Bus Accident Injury
If you have been injured in a Marietta bus accident as a passenger, pedestrian or driver of another vehicle, call The Strickland Firm at 770-420-9900 to discuss your case with a skilled and experienced Marietta personal injury attorney.
