Bus Accident Attorney in Hanford

Car accidents can inflict all kinds of injuries to passengers, those nearby. However, none are as potentially damaging as accidents involving buses. Vastly outweighing any common personal use four-door sedan, and intended to carry as many people as possible, these vehicles have a potential risk factor that can be incredibly damaging to those onboard. Bus accidents can happen anywhere, to any form of bus transit, however, the bus accidents of focus in this article are those that occur within the city of Hanford, California. If you or a loved one were injured in a bus accident in Hanford, you might be eligible to file a bus accident lawsuit, or injury lawsuit against the bus driver, or transit company responsible for the damages. Often, transit organizations have the resources to employ a whole team of legal experts to dispute your claims. For this reason, it is incredibly important to seek legal representation from a well-versed Hanford injury attorney.  At Normandie Law Firm our skilled Hanford bus accident attorneys can guide you through the often complicated process of building your case, filing your claim, and collecting compensation for the damages that you or your loved ones have had to endure. If you have any questions after reading this article, please feel free to reach out to our law offices, for a free consultation from one of our top-rated legal advisors.

Hanford City And The Risk of Bus Accidents

As mentioned prior, a bus accident can occur anywhere there is a form of public transit system, or other form of chartered bus transit program. This can involve school buses, special needs buses, and even your local transit bus. The location of focus in this article is the city of Hanford. Located in the Central Valley with a population estimated at 53,967, this relatively small city is known for its charming old town charm and it’s convenient proximity to the Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Park. In the city of Hanford there are a number of transit companies, like KART, which shuttles people around town. Included in these transit companies are Student Transportation-America and Dinabu Area Transit. While all of these organizations may promise safe and secure passage for their customers and patrons there is no way to guarantee that a mistake won’t happen. There are a wide variety of reasons as to why a bus accident occurs, some of which are unavoidable on the part of the greater transit company. Listed below are some of the common causes of bus accidents:

• • Bus striking another motor vehicle

• • Bus Company Negligence

• • Bus Driver Negligence

• • Bus Going Too Fast For Passenger Safety

• • Passenger slipping and falling on a bus

• • A Bus striking another bus

• • Bus Driver Fatigue

• • Sudden Stops and Starts

• • Blind Spots

• • A lack of bus seatbelts

• • Other Drivers

• • Passenger hitting their head if the bus suddenly starts or stops
  • Bus Fires

This is just a handful of bus accident causes, however, in truth, a bus accident can occur as a result of a wide variety of causes. Fortunately, if a passenger is injured on a bus, as a result of the negligent or poor actions of a bus driver or bus transit company, that injured individual has every right to sue the party responsible for the damages that they have suffered. One of the key aspects in filing these suit is being able to identify the damages suffered. By understanding and identifying the kind of injury you suffered you may be more able to successfully settle a case that accurately compensates you for the damages. Listed below are some of the common injuries that bus accident victims suffer:

• • Back and Neck Injuries: back and neck injuries can vary in severity from minor neck pain to serious damage such as dislocated spinal discs. In their more serious instances, back and neck injuries can prevent victims from returning to work and performing daily activities.

• • Broken Bones: The force behind a collision with a bus or being hit by a bus can be truly devastating, so much so that the force can break bones. Broken bones often take a long time to heal, especially injuries like a broken pelvis, ribcage, or even hip. These injuries could prevent a victim from returning to work and their previous state of life immediately.

• • Head Injuries: The force from a bus accident can cause severe head injuries that can result in prolonged seizures, and other life-threatening Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs). In some, more severe cases, victims can never fully recover from their damages.

• • Internal Injuries: Internal bleeding to organs like the bladder, liver, kidneys, pancreas, and spleen can be challenging to treat, and in some cases can result in a case of wrongful death

• • Lacerations: Often caused by broken glass and sharp metal, lacerations can be particularly painful and can leave massive scars that never heal entirely.

• • Rib and Torso Injuries: The rib cage protects a multitude of the body’s vital organs, and when it breaks the whole system beneath is at risk of prolonged damage

• • Seat Belt Injuries: While seatbelts are put in place for protection, seat belts can cause injuries like whiplash which can be especially painful.
  • Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis: The spinal cord is an incredibly sensitive part of the body and when damaged can lead to devastating nerve damage, and may result in paralysis.

While identifying your injuries plays a huge role in the outcome of your case, it is just one piece of a far larger puzzle. When filing these suits against bus drivers or bus companies for their negligence, it is incredibly important that you seek assistance from a skilled attorney. With the right legal help on your side, you could better guarantee a satisfactory outcome for your case.

Can I Sue For A Bus Accident?

Often, those who have been injured in a bus accident will enter our law firm feeling left in the dark regarding whether they can sue or not. They typically ask questions like: ‘Can I sue if I was injured as a passenger during a sudden stop?’ or ‘Can I sue if a bus driver injured me because they started suddenly?’ To answer these questions simply, yes, buses are common carriers, and as such are expected to provide a certain care and caution when behind the wheel of their vehicles. When this caution is disregarded, and someone is injured, whether it is passenger or pedestrian, that injured party has every right to seek assistance from a lawyer to help them sue for the damages. However, a bus driver is not always liable for injuries that occur on their vehicles. For instance, if it is found that a passenger broke safety policies, like standing while the bus is in motion, they will not likely be able to sue for injuries caused by the bus suddenly starting or stopping. Often, bus transit companies and other bus charter companies will try to argue that the injured passenger disregarded these safety policies as to debase their claims. For this reason, it is incredibly important that victims of bus accidents collect all the evidence they can come as soon as possible. This evidence can include things like medical records detailing their injuries, bus security cam footage, and even police reports of the event. This evidence can then be used to support a claim of negligence. A successful claim of negligence plays a crucial role in the outcome of any personal injury case, and it is vital that you can effectively prove that the bus driver’s actions or lack thereof directly resulted in your injuries. Listed below are some of the key components involved in a claim of negligence:

• • Duty: The plaintiff (injured or damaged party) must be able to show that the defendant (Common Carrier company or driver) owed a legal duty to the plaintiff under the particular circumstances of the case.

• • Breach: The plaintiff must be able to show that the defendant breached said legal duty through specific actions or failure to act appropriately

• • Causation: The plaintiff must be able to show that the defendant’s actions or lack thereof caused the plaintiff’s injuries
  • Damages: The plaintiff must be able to show that they endured some specific damages. This component can usually be shown through the presentation of medical records, a loss of wages, or a loss of potential income.

However, a successful claim of negligence isn’t the sole component of bus passenger injury lawsuits. The period an injured party has to file a claim is considered one of the most crucial aspects of any lawsuit. This time limit is otherwise known as the statute of limitations. This time limit can vary from state to state and can change depending on the nature of the case. If the statute of limitations isn’t followed, there is a high chance that the case will be dismissed from court. The statute of limitations in the state of California for personal injury cases involving bus accidents dictates that an injured party has two years from the date of the incident to bring their case to court. However, some exceptions and rules could adjust how the statute of limitations affects your specific case. For this reason, and many of the reasons mentioned above, it is vital that you seek legal representation from an attorney with experience in fighting against bus companies and bus drivers.

How Normandie Law Firm Can Help

If you or a loved one have experienced damages as a result of a bus accident caused by the negligence or misconduct of a bus driver or company you may be eligible to file a claim for significant monetary compensation. However, it is highly recommended that you seek assistance from a Hanford law firm with experience in bus accident cases. At Normandie Law Firm, our well-versed bus accident attorneys have expertise in bus accident cases filed against bus companies and bus drivers. If you file a claim with our firm, you may find some if not all of the following damages compensable to you:

• • All of you medical and hospitalization costs

• • All of your future medical care and treatment

• • A loss of income and loss of future earnings due to long-term recovery or permanent disability due to the accident

• • Compensable economic damages include loss of property or damaged property.
  • Compensable non-economic damages include emotional distress, trauma, PTSD resulting from the accident, pain and suffering and anxiety.

While our law firm is based near Hanford, our attorneys also practice in Oakland, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Orange County, Riverside, Fresno, and throughout the state of California.

Free Second Opinions

Other attorneys will sign you up for their firm but will disappear once your name is on the paper as they are busy signing up more cases. In these instances, their business is based more on volume and will attempt to sign up as many cases as possible. In turn, they will spend less time on cases resulting in severely reduced settlements. Our firm will not treat you like a number. We will be in communication with you throughout our lawsuit and will treat you like family. So if you already have an attorney don’t worry, we’ll give you a second review of your case 100% free of charge.

Zero Fee Guarantee-No Upfront Fees Ever

If you contact our law offices today, we can walk you through the complicated process of filing your claim completely free of charge. As a show this commitment to you and your case we offer our clients the benefits of a zero fee guarantee policy. Under our zero fee policy, all clients don’t pay for our services until their case is won. If you feel in need of a second opinion, second opinion case reviews are also free under this policy. Please, feel free to give us a call, and we can guide you down the path of receiving proper compensation for your damages.