Bus Accident Lawyer Los Angeles

At MKP Law Group, LLP our attorneys exclusively represent injury victims. For years we have fought on behalf of clients who were hurt in bus accidents due to the negligence of another party. We realize that it can be difficult to afford a quality bus accident lawyer in Los Angeles so we always work on what is known as a contingency fee basis, meaning WE DON’T GET PAID UNLESS WE WIN.

There are no upfront, out-of-pocket costs to our clients. Our experienced personal injury bus accident attorneys have recovered millions on behalf of our clients and will fight hard on your behalf to ensure you get maximum compensation for your injuries. Our lawyers work with a team of medical experts in the Los Angeles area and throughout California to ensure that you or a loved one receives top-notch medical care for a speedy and healthy recovery while we deal with the insurance companies.

We are a team of renowned bus accident injury attorneys representing injury victims throughout the State of California. MKP Law Group, LLP’s team strives to make the process as easy and quick as possible for you. The team at MKP Law Group, LLP is experienced, attentive, dependable, and tenacious so call us today at 310-285-5353 to schedule your 100% free consultation.

Why Hire a Los Angeles Bus Accident Attorney?

You may not be aware of it, but bus accidents actually happen quite frequently on American streets and highways.

In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are around 300 bus crashes that result in death each year.

Fortunately, not every bus crash ends in fatalities.

On the other hand, many people are often severely injured in these types of collisions. It’s important to realize that often after bus accidents, the life of a victim is completely altered.

If you have been injured or one of your loved ones has been killed in a bus accident, you need to act fast. Getting the help of a compassionate and aggressive personal injury attorney should be your next step.

At MKP Law Group, LLP, we know that your family is going through a hard time and we want to help alleviate some of the stress if we can. Plain and simple, we want to help you take care of everything on the legal side so you can take care of yourself.

Why Do Bus Accidents Occur?

There are many situations and circumstances that can lead to a bus accident occurring. First, it is important to understand the operation of a bus, some of the laws, and why bus accidents can cause significant damage.

The Anatomy of a Bus

To start, let’s consider:

What is a bus?

The vehicle itself is typically a large motor vehicle equipped with rows of seats and designed to transport passengers.

Some bus factors that can threaten the roadways include:

• Size: Buses sheer size and mass mean that road collisions often produce devastating accidents.
• Seating Arrangement: Often buses are designed with internal seats that do not have seat belts or safety restraints. This can leave passengers in more vulnerable situations when accidents occur. This also means that there is often a multitude of passengers onboard who might distract the driver from the road.
• Vehicle Design: Buses are tall, long, and bulky vehicles designed to offer comfort to passengers. For roadways, however, their design poses a risk such as their tendency to roll over. They also tend to take longer to start and stop than small vehicles, which increases the risk of collision.

Buses as Common Carriers

Buses often fall under the “common carrier” obligation as stated in California Civil Code Section 2100. This means that bus companies and passenger bus services are legally responsible to make passenger safety a priority. Other common carriers include passenger trains, commercial airplanes, and other vehicle transport in which passengers pay a fare.

There are several different types of bus transport types that fall under this obligation. For example, cities and municipalities offer bussing as a form of public transportation, which serves as a great benefit to local citizens. There are also private bus carriers and companies, such as tourist buses, charter buses, and long-distance buses (like Greyhound Lines).

It’s important to remember that both public and private charter buses are considered “common carriers.” Under California law, "common carriers" are held to a higher standard of care than other drivers on the road, meaning the carrier is legally obligated to exercise the utmost care for passengers’ safety.

These heightened duties include closely monitoring employees, ensuring they are properly trained, as well as inspecting and maintaining the bus.

Understanding the particularities of the “common carrier” laws can help determine if the driver or bus company has upheld their legal duty. Furthermore, these “common carrier” laws do not protect drivers or pedestrians outside the bus. That doesn’t mean that the bus driver can not be held accountable though. They still have additional obligations as do all drivers on the road: to drive safely and responsibly.

Bus Driver License Requirements

As a driver, you are familiar with just how quickly things can happen on the road. Things are much different and more precarious when you are operating a large motor vehicle, like a bus.

That’s why, in order to become a bus driver, drivers must meet certain standards and criteria and obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL). The training is much more demanding because drivers must be prepared to operate a vehicle weighing over 10,000 pounds.

Drivers typically have to also submit a driver’s history, a medical history, and criminal history in addition to submitting to drug and vision tests.

If you have been in a bus accident and suspect that a driver is not properly licensed, being familiar with the federal and state laws is very important.

Common Causes of Bus Accidents

While every accident is complex, bus accidents can be much more complicated. There may be several factors that cause or contribute to bus accidents.

Some of the most common causes of bus accidents include:

• A driver under the influence (alcohol/drugs)
• Reckless driving
• Poor weather conditions
• Defective bus equipment
• Failure to follow the proper vehicle maintenance
• Dangerous roadway or route
• Not accounting for the size of the bus on certain roads or roadways
• Taking a turn that is too wide or too sharp
• Distracted Driving
• Driver fatigue

Plus, with increasing numbers of uber and other rideshare vehicle's navigating city streets, buses have busier roadways to navigate. This creates more opportunities for dangerous, accident-prone scenarios.

Who is Responsible for Bus Accidents?

Bus accidents are fairly complicated when it comes to identifying who the responsible parties are. This is often because there are many people or entities that could influence the situation.

Whenever a bus accident happens, our primary job is to investigate what happened and determine who is responsible or at-fault.

Generally, the following parties can be held responsible for your bus accident:

• The Bus Driver
• The Bus Company (private or charter buses)
• The City or Municipality (public busses)
• The Bus Manufacturer
• Another Negligent Driver

The majority of bus accident cases find that the person most at-fault is the employee bus driver. However, the bus company or entity can also be held responsible for bus accidents in various circumstances that include:

• Failing to properly maintain the bus
• Hiring unqualified bus drivers
• Failing to properly train bus drivers
• Failing to conduct regular inspections

If the bus company or driver is at-fault for the accident, their insurance company will try to force you to settle quickly and for a small amount of money. That is why calling the Los Angeles bus accident lawyers at MKP Law Group, LLP after a bus crash or tour bus accident is so important.

The Los Angeles bus accident attorneys at MKP Law Group, LLP have years of experience handling bus accident claims and know that such accidents can be complex. Liability for the accident may not always be obvious, so we will investigate and hold whoever is at-fault responsible to make sure you get the recovery you or a loved one deserve.

Tour Bus Accidents or Bus Crashes on Los Angeles City Buses

There are many different types of buses on California roads and it is important to understand how the differences can affect your bus accident claim.

Private and Charter Buses: These are buses for private use but are often the same size as city or municipal buses. Charter buses are usually hired by an organizer or group of people to provide transportation to a specific location for a specific period of time. Such events include weddings, birthday parties, sporting events, and corporate events. Because they are privately-owned, charter and private bus companies will be at-fault for any damages caused by a tour bus accident.

Public Buses: Cities and municipalities provide bussing as a form of low-cost transportation as a service to its residents. Cities may hire private companies to provide the bussing, or they may employ their own drivers and buses. Typically the city or municipality itself will be responsible for any accidents that occur.

School Buses: In accidents that involve school buses, oftentimes the school board or school district is liable for exposing children to harm. However, if the school hired a private company to handle the bussing, then that private company can also be held responsible for the injuries.

You have two years to file a lawsuit against a negligent party after an injury in California, per California Civil Code Section 335.1.

However, if the accident was caused by a public or governmental entity then the time limit is much shorter. Under California Government Code Section 945.6, which applies to entities such as state, county, and local government agencies or departments, an injury victim must present a claim within six months of the bus accident.

If you or a family member are suffering after a bus accident and suspect negligence, don't delay in taking action. Contact our team as soon as possible to ensure you comply with these deadlines and get the help you deserve.

Common and Severe Bus Accident Injuries

Because buses are bigger and heavier than most other vehicles on the roadway, they can cause much more damage than a car accident or truck accident. While there are many different types of injuries that can be caused during a bus accident, some common injuries include:

• Fractured Bones
• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Whiplash/Soft-Tissue Injuries
• Paralysis
• Lacerations
• Internal Bleeding
• Wrongful Death

Due to the size of buses, the accidents they are involved in often produce deadly injuries that require life-long care and treatment.

Our Los Angeles bus accident lawyers work with a network of doctors and medical professionals that know how to treat bus accident injuries.

If you don’t have health insurance, don’t worry. We can help you find the right doctors to get you back on your feet as soon as possible.

Hiring our lawyers allows our clients to focus on their recovery without worrying about how the medical bills will be paid. We know bus accidents can place a heavy financial burden on bus accident victims and their families. MKP Law Group, LLP is here to help in any way we can.

What Damages Can You Recover After a Bus Accident?

If you’ve been injured in a bus accident or tour bus crash you are entitled to recover damages for your injuries and losses.

Damages that may be recovered include:

• Medical Expenses: Bus accident victims are entitled for full reimbursement of past and future medical bills stemming from the accident including ER bills, prescription drug costs, physical therapy, medical equipment/devices, and continued nursing care.
• Pain & Suffering: These damages are not quantifiable with an exact dollar amount. Instead, these damages are awarded to compensate a victim for loss of enjoyment of life, physical pain, difficulty performing daily activities, loss of dignity, embarrassment, inconvenience, and inability to engage in hobbies or recreational activities.
• Loss of Wages & Loss of Earning Capacity: These are damages that are recovered for time missed from work that leads to lost wages or loss of other income. Loss of earning capacity is meant to compensate for future lost earnings stemming from the inability to do your job to the same extent as before or a complete inability to work.
• Property Damage: These are damages that are recovered for physical damage to a victim’s car, bicycle, motorcycle or any other type of personal property.
• Punitive Damages: In cases where the at-fault party acted with extreme recklessness, malice, or intent to harm, victims can sue for punitive damages which are meant to punish the at-fault party and deter similar, future behavior.

Don’t risk leaving money on the table. Contact MKP Law Group, LLP as soon as possible after your Los Angeles bus crash.

We will begin working on your case immediately to protect your rights, and we can help you find medical providers to get you back on your feet as soon as possible.

Contact MKP Law Group, LLP Today for Your Own Experienced Bus Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles

When someone is involved in a bus accident, whether they are on the bus or in their own vehicle, it can result in a lot of pain and suffering. There are often enormous medical bills, property damage, and a significant loss of income that can dramatically affect the quality of life for both the victim and the victim's family.

This unexpected and extremely traumatic event should not be something you have to handle on your own. That's why it is imperative that you contact your local Los Angeles personal injury attorney and seek assistance. You or your loved one may be entitled to compensation to help you recover from your injuries and all that they have cost you.

You should not accept any settlement offer made by the bus driver or bus company's insurance carrier without first consulting with MKP's attorneys. MKP Law Group, LLP has been a trusted name in the area for long enough to know how to help you to the best of our ability. We will go above and beyond for you so that we can help you to receive what you are owed. As always, if we don’t win your case you don’t owe us a dime.

We are not a high-volume firm, which allows us to stay dedicated to our clients and focus on their needs. If you have been injured or a loved one has been killed in a bus accident, contact us today to learn more about how we can help you to leave this traumatic event behind and move on with your life.

We proudly service clients in the city of Los Angeles and other cities in Los Angeles County including Santa Monica, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Long Beach, Pasadena, Glendale, and more. We also represent clients in Orange County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County as well.