Due to its location near Philly, New Jersey, and New York, Bensalem has plenty of traffic from both long-distance commercial carriers and municipal transit buses. While most bus drivers act responsibly and safely behind the wheel, some fail to fulfill the duty they owe to their passengers and everyone else on the road.
If a bus driver’s negligence caused you to suffer injuries, our team of seasoned personal injury attorneys can file a lawsuit on your behalf. In a previous case, Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers took on Greyhound Bus Company, proving that its driver was too tired to drive safely and crashed her bus full of passengers into a truck on a major PA highway.
We represented numerous injured parties and recovered $21.3 million in verdicts and settlements on their behalf from this Greyhound crash. With a Bensalem bus accident lawyer like Jon Ostroff and the team of lawyers at Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers on your side, you can recover fair compensation against a negligent bus driver or busing company.
Establishing Liability for Injuries and Losses
Like every other motor vehicle operator, bus drivers have an implicit responsibility under state law to follow the rules of the road. Commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) holders are considered “professional drivers” and expected to drive with a higher standard of care than other motorists. This means that anything from an overt traffic violation like speeding to a momentary lapse in concentration could justify a civil claim if it leads to an accident.
Additionally, a bus driver’s employer can be vicariously liable for their employee’s actions. Depending on the circumstances, a skilled bus wreck attorney can help you hold a bus driver’s employer, or the bus manufacturer, or another at-fault driver, responsible for the collision.
Recovering Damages After a Bus Crash in Bensalem
Once you prove that someone else is liable for your injuries, you can pursue compensation for your economic and non-economic losses stemming from the collision. Recoverable damages can include:
- Pain and suffering
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages, including lost professional opportunities
- Personal property damage
- Loss of life’s pleasures
Punitive damages may also be awarded to punish the negligent defendant for outrageous or malicious behavior. Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers has a reputation for successfully recovering punitive damages from negligent bus companies. For example, our team of accident lawyers recovered over $2 million in punitive damages against Greyhound Bus Company. These punitive damages were over and above economic and non-economic recoveries.
Special Rules for Bus Accident Claims against Government Entities
According to 42 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes §8522, all local and state-level government authorities have waived their immunity to liability for certain types of civil litigation. That being said, some unique regulations and restrictions still apply to lawsuits against government transit operators, that do not apply to bus accident claims against private companies.
For example, 42 PA Con. Stat. §5522 requires you to notify the government entity of your intent to sue in writing, within six months of the accident. Additionally, 42 PA Con. Stat. §8528 prevents accident victims from recovering more than $250,000 in compensation from a negligent government entity and limits total government liability for any single incident to $1,000,000. Talk to our experienced lawyers about the special regulations that apply to your bus crash case.
Seek Help from a Bensalem Bus Accident Attorney
Whether you were injured in a bus wreck due to a private company’s negligence or that of a municipal transit authority, you may have a complicated fight ahead of you if you want to recover financially for your injuries. Fortunately, our legal representatives at Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers know how these claims work. Contact a Bensalem us accident lawyer today to schedule a free initial consultation.
