The large size of a bus makes it more prone to accidents resulting in severe injuries. Anyone who suffers harm because of the poor choices of drivers has the right to seek compensation for their losses. Still, obtaining these payments can be difficult.
Reaching out to a Pleasanton bus accident lawyer could be your first step toward a more successful case. A personal injury attorney could work tirelessly to investigate the cause of a crash, determine how that event has changed your life, and demand that all responsible parties provide the payments necessary for a complete financial recovery.
Why Might a Bus Driver Be Liable for an Accident?
Drivers of all kinds of vehicles have an obligation to protect others they may encounter while driving. All drivers must obey the rules of the road and act in an overall careful manner.
Liability Might Be Clear if a Bus Driver Committed a Moving Violation
The most straightforward way to connect a bus driver’s actions to a collision is to show the bus driver violated a rule of the road. That could include speeding, failing to stop at a red light, or tailgating another vehicle. If a police officer issues a ticket to the bus driver, a Pleasanton lawyer could track that ticket as it moves through the courts. A finding of fault for that ticket may be direct and powerful evidence of a bus driver’s liability for the injuries that resulted from the incident.
Cases that Center Around Simple Carelessness
Even if a bus driver did not receive a ticket following a collision, it is still possible they were to blame for the incident. Evidence that the driver was talking on a cell phone or radio may be indicative of their responsibility for a crash. So, too, could extended driving schedules that resulted in fatigue or distraction. An attorney could build a case against a bus driver that leaves no doubt as to their responsibility for a collision.
Demanding Fair Payments from all Liable Parties
A bus driver is responsible for their actions that injure others, including drivers in other cars, passengers, pedestrians, and even passengers on the bus. However, the bus drivers are unlikely to be the only responsible parties for these incidents. The law says that employers are jointly liable for the accidents their employees cause while on the job. This means a bus accident lawyer in Pleasanton could demand payments from private busing companies or even government entities that own and operate these vehicles and employ the bus drivers.
No matter how many parties may share blame for a crash, state law gives injured people a limited time to act. California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 states that most people have only two years from the date of a crash to seek out payments. Even shorter time limits apply where a government entity owns the bus or employs the bus driver. Talking with an attorney now decreases the likelihood that these time limits prevent you from pursuing a case.
Reach Out to a Pleasanton Bus Accident Attorney Today
Bus accidents have the potential to change every part of your life. It may require you to seek out expensive medical care, cause you to miss time at work, and reduce your overall quality of life. If a bus driver was to blame for an incident that resulted in these losses, they might be liable for providing compensation. In addition, their employer may also be responsible for paying.
A Pleasanton bus accident lawyer could help you seek out these payments. They work to prove fault for a crash, determine all liable parties to the case, and measure how the event has affected your life. With this information, they can demand the compensation you need to set things right. Call Mirador Law now to schedule your consultation.