Los Angeles Bus Accident Lawyer
How often do you see news reports about horrible bus accidents in the news, Los Angeles bus accident lawyer Cyrus Shahriari asks. We’ve become accustomed to seeing such bus accidents as:
- Tour buses offering “turnaround” trips to casino resorts
- MTA or rapid transit commuter buses hitting cars, pedestrians and cyclists
- School bus accidents in which passengers and/or pedestrians, motorists, or cyclists are hurt
- Shuttle buses that transport to the airport, rental car stations, or medical transportation.
- Ride share services like Lyft or Uber having accidents in which passengers and others are hurt.
When these accidents are caused by negligence or carelessness, they’re unforgivable. The sad part is that many of these accidents can be prevented.
Common Causes of Bus Accidents
Some bus and transportation companies cut corners by training drivers poorly or by not following regulations, or by allowing a driver to drive even after disciplinary action. Many companies hide these issues behind multiple levels of bureaucracy and lawyers. And then bus accidents happen.
The research shows that leading causes of bus accidents include:
- Driver negligence
- Poor road conditions
- Mechanical failures
- Poor safety records
- Worn bus tires
- Failed traffic lights
Common Bus Accident Injuries
If you are hit by a bus as a pedestrian, cyclist, or motorist, it is very likely that you will suffer injuries just because of the size of the bus hitting something significantly smaller than it.
If you are a passenger when a bus has an accident, you are susceptible to injury because few buses have seat belts and because of the jarring and swerving the bus is likely to do.
Common bus accident injuries include:
- Whiplash: What we call whiplash is really damage to the soft tissue in the neck that happens when the bus swerves or hits something. It really does exist, and it can worsen if medical assistance is not sought. Symptoms can include neck pain, tenderness, swelling, muscle spasms, headaches and reduced mobility.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI): A passenger (or driver) can suffer a concussion just from the sudden stopping or jarring in the bus accident or because they hit a window or some other part of the bus. Minor concussions can result in a loss of consciousness, blurred vision, nausea, and insomnia. Severe concussions can cause a traumatic brain injury that can lead to seizures, paralysis, and cognitive disabilities.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: If a passenger is ejected out of the bus or is thrown around the bus, they may suffer a spinal cord injury.
- Broken Bones: If a passenger is thrown around the bus, it could cause one or more broken bone. Broken bones may need surgery. Often the bones will never be as strong as they were prior to the break.
- Lacerations and Deep Cuts: These are often not taken as seriously as they should be. Without medical care lacerations and deep cuts can get infected. In some cases you may need stitches or even surgery. In extreme cases lacerations and deep cuts can result in tissue, muscle, or nerve damage or in serious scarring that will require reconstructive plastic surgery.
If you suffer any injuries at all after a bus accident, get medical help immediately. If you don’t, you not only could endanger your health but you could hurt your bus accident legal claim.
It is not unusual for the bus company lawyers to say that you waited to get medical assistance because you weren’t really injured or you weren’t as injured as you are claiming.
Bus Accidents Are Not Car Accidents
If you’ve been injured in a bus accident, multiple parties may be responsible, and each will involve their own insurance companies as you seek damages and restitution for your and your loved ones injuries resulting from bus accidents.
Those insurance companies are not on your side, and they will not try to get any facts other than those to support their clients’ interests.
Los Angeles bus accident lawyer Cyrus Shahriari of The Shahriari Law Firm understands the intricacies of federal, state, and local laws that govern bus accident legal claims. Because of the various regulations governing buses, a bus accident is not the same as a motor vehicle accident.
Los Angeles bus accident lawyer Cyrus Shahriari and his firm will fight tirelessly for you and your family. If you can’t afford medical care, he will arrange for you to see excellent doctors and medical professionals on a lien basis. This means that your medical care will be paid once The Shahriari Law Firm resolves your case.
Los Angeles bus accident lawyer Cyrus Shahriari always does everything legally possible to obtain full compensation for his clients so that they can recover and move forward with their lives after the accident.
Don’t Miss the Deadline to File
There are deadlines (statutes of limitations) by which time you must take legal action. If you miss the deadline, you are giving up all rights to ever bring a lawsuit.
Contact Cyrus Shahriari for a free, no-obligation consultation.
The Shahriari Law Firm takes cases on a contingency basis, which means you pay nothing until your case is resolved.
What’s Next?
Contacting The Shahriari Law Firm will begin the complicated process towards obtaining compensation for you and your loved ones for injuries caused by a bus accident.
Los Angeles bus accident lawyer Cyrus Shahriari has a team of expert engineers and accident scene investigators who will analyze all the evidence to determine all the parties responsible for the bus accident. This will result in your obtaining the most compensation possible for your recovery, for lost wages and benefits, and for the pain and suffering you have undergone.
Bus Accidents
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: If I am a passenger on a shuttle bus and was injured when the shuttle bus collided with a car, who do I sue?
A: As a shuttle bus passenger — or any other type of bus — you will sue whomever is responsible for the bus accident. That could be the other driver, the bus driver, the owner of the bus, and even the company that maintains the bus, if different than the owner. This is assuming you have damages or injuries.
Q: How do I sue the MTA for my injuries resulting from the METRO bus that hit me while I was on my bicycle?
A: If you are hit by an MTA bus — whether as a motor vehicle driver, pedestrian, motorcyclist, or cyclist — different rules apply because it is part of a public transit district, and therefore a government entity. As your bus accident lawyer I will file a “tort claim” within 180 days from the MTA bus crash, and which must be done prior to your being allowed to sue the MTA. This is the procedure for any public transit operated by a government entity, include Santa Monica Blue Bus, DART, Pasadena Transit, Dial-A-Ride, and so on.
Q: What happens if my child is injured in a school bus accident?
A: Most school buses are operated by a public school district, which is considered a government entity. Assuming the school bus driver and/or the school district is at fault, we must file a “tort claim” within 180 days from the school bus accident. The district usually denies liability and then we file a lawsuit. If they accept the claim but we can’t come to a settlement agreement, then we still may have to file a lawsuit. If the school bus is operated by a private school, it is not considered a government entity so we do not have to file a “tort complaint.”
Q: Should you settle right away after a bus accident?
A: You should take NO money or services until you have spoken with a bus accident lawyer, even if it’s just for advice. Often the insurance company or leasing company will make a low-ball offer that is significantly less than the compensation you’d obtain if your case is handled by a bus accident lawyer. Contact Cyrus Shahriari for a free, no-obligation consultation to determine your legal options.
Q: How much does a bus accident lawyer cost?
A: A bus accident lawyer at The Shahriari Law Firm takes bus accident cases on a contingency basis. This means you pay no up-front fees or retainers. Cyrus Shahriari puts up all the money to take your case through to its resolution. When your case is won, you pay your bus accident lawyer a pre-agreed upon percentage of the compensation you are awarded.