Whether you are taking a city bus or putting your child on a school bus, you trust that the bus and its driver are safe. There are laws in place to ensure the safety of public transportation. Unfortunately, bus accidents can and do happen. If you are the victim of a recent bus accident in Peoria, contact The Law Offices of John Phebus for help. We can guide you through the legal process and help you put your life back together.
According to 2020 data from Arizona Department of Transportation, there were 587 bus accidents in the year, 139 resulted in injuires and three were fatal. This includes commercial and non-commercial buses, but excludes school buses. This number is among the lowest of all types of motor vehicles, but it does not make bus accidents any less serious.
Buses can crash for many of the same reasons as ordinary motor vehicles. Despite being in charge of multiple lives, bus drivers often make the same mistakes as other drivers. The person responsible for bus maintenance and upkeep could also make a mistake that renders the bus unsafe.
Common causes of bus accidents in Peoria include:
A lot of bus accidents occur with another vehicle, such as a car or a truck. Identifying the cause of your bus accident is something that an attorney can help you with. This is a necessary step before you file an insurance claim, as Arizona is an at-fault state.
The injuries that you sustain in a bus accident can be life-altering. Even minor injuries can be painful and lead to expensive medical bills and lost wages. Common injuries associated with bus accidents include:
If you were diagnosed with any type of injury after a bus accident, or a loved one died in this type of tragedy, our lawyers can help.
One or more parties may be liable, or financially responsible, for your bus accident in Peoria if they could have prevented the accident. The liable party is often the one that violated a law, such as a traffic law. However, if the bus driver caused the crash, the rule of vicarious liability may make the bus company – or school district, if it is a school bus – responsible instead of the individual driver. Other liable parties may be vehicle drivers, bus part manufacturers and bus mechanics.
A law in Arizona known as the statute of limitations only gives you two years from the date of a bus accident to file a lawsuit, in most cases. If you are bringing a claim against the government for a city bus accident, however, your deadline is only 180 days. This is why it is important to contact a lawyer right away.
The Law Offices of John Phebus has the attorneys, resources and passion for justice to help you after a bus accident in Peoria, Arizona. Please contact us online or call (623) 847-7117 today to request a free consultation.
