Need an Injury Attorney in Wisconsin for Your Bus Accident?
Bus accidents, both transportation buses, and school buses, occur every year in Wisconsin. Fewer than 10% of occupants have had any injuries in bus accidents, but 90% were not injured in any way. What happens to the smaller percentage in these accidents and how do they move forward after they have been seriously injured? When you choose to ride a bus, you are making the decision to put your life in the hands of a driver who you trust. What’s not to trust about a bus driver who has had proper training for the job and understands exactly how to operate their vehicle?
You may utilize a bus each and every day of your life as you make your way to work or to your child’s school, and many other reasons why buses pose a wonderful mode of transportation in our lives today. But what happens when we trust a driver and we are seriously injured and left with the bills from medical treatment and so much more? How do we compensate for these losses?
Common Carrier Law in Bus Accidents
If you use buses as your main mode of transportation, then you are utilizing common carriers. Common carrier laws are laws that dictate the duty of care that buses and many other modes of transportation must abide by. A ‘common carrier’ is a special entity whose job is to transport people and goods from one place to another for a fee. Some examples of these vehicles include things like trains, taxicabs, and so much more. Common carrier drivers must do anything in their nature to keep you safe from harm, which means maintaining their vehicles at all times, abide by the rules of the road, and driving free of all distractions. Every common carrier driver should also be trained for the job, and be able to safely navigate the vehicle in any conditions.
However, despite the fact that many bus drivers drive extremely safely on our roads, these accidents continue to happen every year. Sometimes it is the fault of the bus driver who decides to speed far over the speed limit or drive distracted even though they know that the law dictates that they must never use their cell phone while driving. Other times, it is the fault of a company that did not properly train its drivers or failed to properly maintain the vehicle to the best of their ability.
When Negligence Occurs
If a bus driver has failed to abide by their duty of care that they owe to you, they have acted negligently and could be held liable for your accident. Many bus drivers will do what it takes to protect you from harm, but others could endure in negligent actions that put you at risk as they “cut corners” to get the job done.
One of the reasons why you should have an experienced attorney on your side no matter what in these unique cases is because bus accident cases are a bit different from any other type of vehicle claim that you make. Buses tend to be owned and controlled by government agencies, which means that you will be bringing a government claim in the majority of cases. This means that you must meet filing deadlines and be prepared to notify the government agency that you are going to file suit for injuries. These cases are pretty cut and dry, but can still be more complex than your standard injury case. Plus, when you bring a claim against the government in your case, you only have 120 days to file your claim under the statute of limitations of Wisconsin.
Do you need help compensating after you have been injured in a Wisconsin bus accident? Luckily, we can help in your time of need. Let us stand by you and help you navigate the many legalities of these sometimes-complicated cases.