Who is legally responsible for your injuries in an accident with a bus in Texas depends on several factors, such as:
- Who caused the accident
- The type of bus/who owns it
Potential Liable Parties in a Texas Bus Accident
Some of the parties that may be liable for the accident and your injuries include:
The Bus Driver
If the bus driver failed to exercise reasonable care or violated a traffic law and caused an accident, they may be liable for your injuries.
A Private Bus Company
The bus company may be either directly or vicariously liable for the bus accident. Employers are vicariously liable for any actions their employees take while acting in the scope of their employment. If a bus driver caused the accident, the driver’s employer is likely also liable.
Direct liability may apply if the bus company hired a known reckless driver, failed to adequately train its drivers, or failed to maintain its fleet.
The Government
If a government entity owns and operates the bus, you may be able to hold it liable under vicarious liability laws. For example, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas owns and operates METRO buses. If you suffered injuries in a METRO bus accident, you may be able to file a claim with the Harris County government.
A Third-Party Driver
Third-party drivers can also be liable for accidents. If a driver failed to exercise reasonable care, was distracted, intoxicated, or fatigued, or otherwise behaved recklessly, they could be liable for the injuries you suffered.
The Bus Manufacturer
The manufacturer might be liable if it supplied a defective part that caused or contributed to the accident.
Liability for your injuries depends on the circumstances and details of the accident. Please call us at 713-850-8600 for a free case review to see if we can help you pursue a recovery.
How a Bus Accident Attorney Can Help With Your Claim
A bus accident attorney from D. Miller & Associates, PLLC will be able to help with your case in the following ways:
Handle the Legal Process
We can help you file claims, retrieve documents, communicate with the at-fault party, and manage the personal injury process.
Gather Evidence to Determine Fault
When you enlist our help, our team will look for the following types of evidence that help us establish fault and liability:
- Police report
- Statements from eyewitnesses
- Photographs or surveillance video
- Medical records and bills
- Proof of lost wages (e.g., W-2s or pay stubs)
- Expert witness testimony
Secure Expert Testimony
Depending on the circumstances of your accident, we may contact accident reconstruction experts and other expert witnesses who can testify as to how the accident occurred and what caused your injuries.
Negotiate for a Fair Settlement
The other party may offer you a settlement. In many cases, this offer will be much lower than you deserve. Our team can negotiate a fair settlement, ensuring you receive what you deserve.
Pursue Your Case in a Texas Court
If we are unable to reach a fair settlement with the insurance company or at-fault party, we may file a lawsuit to pursue a recovery in court.
Recoverable Damages After a Texas Bus Accident
We cannot determine how much your case might be worth without first investigating the accident and how it affected you. However, the following are several types of damages we have been successful obtaining in the past:
Economic Damages
Economic damages may include:
- Past and future medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Loss of household services (e.g., yard work, childcare, etc.)
Noneconomic Damages
You may also qualify to recover for the noneconomic damages you experience, including:
- Mental distress
- Physical pain
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of quality of life
Act Quickly or Risk Recovering Nothing
Texas mandates a two-year statute of limitations on personal injury cases which bus accident cases, under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Title 2 § 16.033.
However, if you need to file a claim against the government. The statute of limitations can be much shorter for these claims. If you fail to act before the statute of limitations expires, you may be unable to take legal action to pursue a recovery.
Seek Legal Help From a Texas Accident Lawyer in Texas
If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a bus accident, D. Miller & Associates, PLLC may be able to help you file a claim and seek a recovery.
Get a free, no-obligation consultation today. Call us at 713-850-8600.
