Gwinnett County Bus Accident Lawyer

Buses are an important part of the public transportation infrastructure in Gwinnett County. Although buses reduce the overall volume of vehicles on the road and ease symptoms of pollution and congestion, they are also vulnerable to accidents and collisions.

Due to their large size relative to other cars on the road, buses may not be able to stop or turn quickly in an emergency and may cause serious damage or injury to a smaller passenger car in a collision. A negligent bus driver or operating company could be responsible for any damage that results from a bus accident and could be liable for losses incurred by other drivers.

A Gwinnett County bus accident lawyer may be able to help you if a bus driver’s negligence has caused your injuries. If you suffer injury in a commercial carrier crash, speaking to a seasoned personal injury attorney about your options may be your best move.

Obligations to Other Drivers

It is a core concept of traffic law that all drivers, regardless of their mode of transportation, have a duty to protect whomever they encounter on the road. A breach of this duty forms the core of all personal injury cases that rely on the concept of negligence.

Negligence cases allege that a defendant’s carelessness directly caused a plaintiff’s injuries. Since bus drivers always carry a duty to protect other travelers, an at-fault bus driver in an accident may be responsible for providing compensation to all injured people for any harm that results from their recklessness or carelessness.

Compensation may include payments for medical bills, lost wages, and mental anguish. A Gwinnett County bus accident attorney could help pursue negligent bus drivers and their employers for such damages, so an injured party can receive fair restitution for their financial losses.

Duty to Protect Passengers

Bus drivers must not only protect other drivers or pedestrians from harm—they must also protect their own passengers. All buses, whether they are city buses or private carriers, are what is known in the law as common carriers. Once a passenger on a common carrier pays a fare, they enjoy a certain level of legal protection.

A bus driver who is negligent in causing an accident in Peachtree Corners or anywhere in Gwinnett County may be responsible for providing compensation to any of their passengers who suffer an injury. Passenger injuries are surprisingly common in accidents, as few buses have seatbelts and riders on buses rarely have time to prepare themselves for a collision. A bus wreck lawyer in Gwinnett County could help injured bus passengers hold a busing company responsible for their medical costs and lost wages.

Pursuing Claims Against the Proper Defendant

The defendants in most bus accident cases are the at-fault driver and the driver’s insurance company. Cases can become more complex, however, if the bus is owned by a city or other government entity.

While local governments were once immune from personal injury liability, modern laws allow plaintiffs to pursue damages from at-fault city actors following a negligent act. Every town and city in Gwinnett County have their own mechanisms for demanding compensation, and a dedicated legal representative could help a plaintiff pursue compensation through the process best suited for their particular municipality.

A Gwinnett County Bus Accident Attorney May Be Able to Help

Every driver on the road is responsible for their actions, including drivers of large commercial vehicles such as buses. If you have been injured in a collision—whether you were driving your own car, were a passenger in another vehicle, were a pedestrian, or even were a paying customer on the at-fault bus—you may have the right to demand compensation.

A Peachtree Corners attorney could help you pursue your claim for fair value, including the payment of medical bills, compensation for any mental anguish, and reimbursement for lost wages. It should be noted, though, that the time to file a case may be short.

Claims against private bus companies must satisfy the two-year time limit under Official Code of Georgia §9-3-33, but many claims against government vehicles have a much shorter period to pursue a claim. Contact a Gwinnett County bus accident lawyer today to give yourself the best chances for success.