From interstate tour buses to school buses to public Metro buses, tens of thousands of Houstonians ride the bus every day. Most of the time, the bus commute is a safe journey, but there are exceptions. When serious bus accidents happen, the injuries can be severe, even fatal.
If you have been injured in a bus accident, you are entitled to compensation for the damages you have suffered. Pursuing any type of a bus injury claim can be very complicated. Some bus companies are registered out of state or even in Mexico, others are owned by government agencies, such as counties and school districts. To find out more about your options, set up a free consultation with a Houston bus accident lawyer at (713) L‑A‑W‑S‑U‑I‑T. We have a lot of experience in successfully pursuing and obtaining damages from every type of bus company, and will work hard on your case to get you the maximum compensation you rightfully deserve.
Table of Contents
How Common Are Bus Accidents in Houston?
Dozens of bus routes run through the greater Houston area. All of them are managed by the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County. These buses are the most commonly used mode of public transit for people in Houston and the surrounding suburbs.
In addition, there are several school districts and numerous private schools in the Houston area, and thousands of pre-school to highschool-aged children rely heavily on a yellow bus to take them to and from their schools during the week. All in all, many residents of Houston of every age ride the Houston bus lines and make up a percentage of the crash victims here each year.
It is true that bus accidents are fortunately much less common than regular car accidents, but they do happen and can be especially tragic. In 2016, there were 3000 bus crashes throughout the state of Texas and 18 of these accidents proved fatal for someone involved. School bus accidents are less common; there were 1300 in Texas during 2016, and six of those resulted in death.
Of course, these statistics are nowhere close to the hundreds of thousands of car and truck accidents that occur on Texas roads each year. Nevertheless, bus accidents can be catastrophic when they do occur and present life-threatening situations to those involved. Whether the bus is a school bus, a public transit vehicle or a private shuttle, immediate legal action is imperative to receiving the compensation you need to make a full recovery.
Call the qualified Houston car crash lawyers at (713) L‑A‑W‑S‑U‑I‑T, or fill out the online case form and a representative from our offices will contact you shortly. All of our cases are handled on a contingency basis. This means that you will not be charged anything at all for our services unless we win your case.
What are the Most Common Causes of Bus Accidents?
A bus accident can be caused by a wide variety of unsafe situations and factors, including:
- Poor vehicle maintenance;
- Driver fatigue;
- Medical condition of bus driver;
- Distracted driving;
- Aggressive driving and speeding;
- Driver inexperience;
- Poor road conditions;
- Unruly passengers;
- Defective equipment;
- Impaired driving;
What Types of Damages Can Be Recovered in a Houston Bus Accident?
Like any other vehicle accident, bus accidents can be caused by the negligence of the driver. For example, the driver may have been distracted, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or even fatigued to the point of falling asleep at the wheel.
Bus crashes can also be caused by mechanical malfunctions in the vehicle itself, caused by failure to properly service and/or maintain the vehicle. In either case, the bus company and the bus driver will be held liable for the damages suffered.
If the bus was not equipped with seat belts, you may be entitled to compensation for any injuries received due to lack of these important safety restraining devices.
Sometimes the accidents are caused by circumstances outside of the bus driver’s control. These can include severe weather, other reckless motorists or tire blowouts. If a bus accident was caused through the fault of another driver, you would not be entitled to compensation from the bus company or its driver, as they did not act negligently. You would, however, be able to seek compensation from the other driver, if they were the cause of the bus accident. In cases, where the bus driver and the other driver both acted negligently and were both partially at fault for the accident, you could pursue a claim for damages from both of them.
The Bus Accident Attorneys at (713) L‑A‑W‑S‑U‑I‑T have decades of experience pursuing all types of bus companies for injuries sustained by our clients. We have successfully represented and obtained significant monetary compensation for clients who were involved in accidents caused by pubic transit buses, school buses, private shuttles and interstate tour buses, among others.
Houston Bus Accident Lawyers at (713) L‑A‑W‑S‑U‑I‑T Will Fight for Maximum Compensation for You
If you have suffered injuries in a Bus Accident, the experienced legal professionals at (713) L‑A‑W‑S‑U‑I‑T can help you. Our qualified team of lawyers has represented multiple victims of bus accidents over the last twenty-five years and have the skills and the resources to go after any bus company to get you the maximum compensation you deserve. We will handle the legal process and the negotiations to maximize your settlement, while you focus on making a recovery and getting on with your life. Call one of our bus accident attorneys for your free consultation now.