Have you or a loved one suffered injuries in a bus accident in the Arlington area? You can seek compensation from the liable party. You could recover various types of expenses and losses.
Victims like you deserve justice. You should not be responsible for injuries that resulted from another party’s irresponsibility. An Arlington bus accident lawyer from Domingo Garcia can help you learn more about your legal options. Our personal injury lawyers can handle your case while you focus on your health.
How an Arlington Bus Accident Lawyer Will Help Your Case
If you are considering filing a claim, there are many ways in which hiring a lawyer could be helpful. Our team will:
- Assist with paperwork
- Help put together a strong case with evidence of third-party liability
- Act as your support system
- Keep you alerted of any upcoming deadlines
- Help you gain a sense of recoverable compensation
- Answer questions you may have about your claim
Don’t Worry About Being Able to Afford Legal Help
It is understandable to be worried about the costs of hiring a lawyer. Legal fees can add up quickly, especially if your case is complicated, as most legal firms charge by the hour. However, you don’t need to worry about when you work with our team.
At Domingo Garcia, we are dedicated to justice for each and every client. We work on a contingency-fee basis so we can start your case immediately without charging any upfront fees. This way, you also have the confidence that we will do everything we can to win your case. We only take our payment from the potential compensation we win for you.
Domingo Garcia Can Handle Your Bus Accident Case
Injured Texans like you have made Domingo Garcia their legal choice for decades for a variety of reasons, which include:
- Domingo Garcia has over 35 years of experience representing clients in a broad range of practice areas, including bus accident cases.
- We have a growing list of accolades, including several settlements exceeding $1 million and a Texas Top 50 settlement in 2019.
- Our legal team is dedicated to each and every client, regardless of potential settlement amounts.
- Our staff provides quality customer service and availability whenever you need help.
We work to provide each of our clients with personalized legal services. You can trust that we will never apply a one-size-fits-all approach to your case. We will listen closely to you and take the time to explain the legal strategy we believe would serve you best.
We also make ourselves available to answer any questions as they arise throughout the process. We never want to leave you in the dark when it comes to your case.
Compensation for Bus Accident Victims
Compensation in bus accidents can come in many different forms. If you experienced any type of loss or suffering, you could qualify for one or more of the following:
- Damages for your emotional suffering and trauma
- Damages for a decrease in your quality of life
- Reimbursement for medical expenses, including any ongoing expenses you have related to prescription medications, doctor office visits, therapy and rehabilitation, and more
- Compensation for a damaged vehicle or other personal property of value
- Reimbursement for legal fees
- Compensation for your dependents if their lives were affected in a negative way by the repercussions of your accident
- Compensation for lost wages, along with benefits, paid time off, and missed bonuses
As you can see, there are many ways in which you could recover compensation. If you lost a loved one in a bus accident, we hope that you will accept our sincere condolences. Please allow us to help you fight for justice for your loved one. We can help you recover the compensation you need to grieve without worrying about expenses. Expenses we will fight for include:
- Loss of comfort, companionship, and love
- Loss care and advice
- Mental pain and anguish
- Loss of income
- Lost inheritance
A bus accident lawyer in the Arlington area can help you learn more about what you could recover.
Factors That Affect Compensation Amount
Not every bus accident claim results in the same compensatory amount. All settlements and awards are different because compensation depends on the extent and duration of injuries. In other words, the more severe the impact of your accident, the more compensation you could qualify for.
Additionally, putting together a good case and proof of liability could impact your case. It is important to be able to prove liability if you want to win your case. This is one reason why having a quality legal team by your side could be beneficial if you choose to take legal action following your accident.
How Much Could I Recover?
Every case is different, and potential compensation depends on various unique factors. A bus accident lawyer in the Arlington area can help you learn more about how much you could recover based on your case’s details.
Choosing a Compensation Structure
If you win your case, you will likely have to choose between a lump-sum payment structure or the option for smaller payments made over time.
Lump-sum payments, as the name suggests, occur when you receive all available compensation in a single payment up front. This can be valuable if you need immediate resources.
Some people opt for smaller payments they receive monthly because they can help with budgeting. These smaller payments typically result in more money over time.
There are benefits and setbacks to each option. If you win your case, it could be worth consulting with a financial professional.
What To Do if You Are Involved in a Bus Accident
If you were involved in a bus accident, you need to take immediate action to protect your health. You can take additional measures to help protect yourself legally.
Getting Immediate Medical Assistance
In any situation, the most important thing is your health and physical safety. In the case of a bus accident, this means that you should immediately be evaluated by a medical professional, such as a first responder, to ensure that you are physically healthy. You should not be thinking about anything else until your health and safety are secure.
Even if you feel only slight discomfort directly after the accident, you may still have suffered an injury. In some cases, adrenaline kicks in as part of the “fight-or-flight” response, masking what could be serious physical pain or injuries. It can take days, or even weeks, to realize that something is wrong. If you think you suffered an injury in the accident, it could be helpful to seek the opinion of a professional to help document your injuries.
In addition to immediate medical care, you also need to think about your safety. Sometimes accident victims can suffer further injury when they are standing by their disabled vehicles following an accident.
Record the Details of Your Accident
After a doctor has evaluated you, you may want to consider whether you might need to hold the at-fault party accountable for your injuries. There are steps you can take immediately following your accident to help set you up for a successful case.
It is important to record the details of your accident, including all of the events that led up to the accident. This could be helpful down the road when you are trying to prove that a third party was responsible.
Details could include witness accounts, your personal experience, and anything else you can think of. During such a sudden and traumatic event, it is easy to lose focus, but the earlier you are able to recount every possible detail of your case, the better.
Avoid Discussing Your Case with the Insurance Company
You should also avoid discussing your case with the other party’s insurance company. It can use any possible misstatements against you when it comes time to determine which parties are responsible for covering damages.
See How an Arlington Bus Crash Attorney Can Help You
If you have specific questions about how to protect yourself legally following your accident, a bus accident lawyer in the Arlington area can help you learn more.
Why Do I Need to See a Doctor After a Bus Accident?
Nothing is more important than your physical recovery after a bus accident. Even if you did not go to the emergency room immediately after, make sure to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Don’t take a chance on assessing your injuries yourself. Only a doctor can accurately diagnose you and treat your injuries. Some seemingly minor injuries could have latent symptoms, and delaying treatment could worsen them.
Delaying treatment could have a detrimental effect on your case. If you do not receive medical treatment quickly enough, the insurance company can claim that your injuries are not serious or that you contributed to the worsening of your injuries. It could also claim that your injuries are not due to the accident.
Our Arlington bus accident team can also use your medical records to prove your losses and seek fair compensation. We can also use them to establish the negligence of the liable party. Protect your health and your right to compensation by seeking medical attention and following through with your prescribed treatment plan.
How Long Do I Have to File a Bus Accident Lawsuit in Arlington?
You have a limited amount of time to file your lawsuit following a bus accident.
In Arlington, Texas, the statute of limitations for vehicle accident claims resulting in personal loss is generally two years, according to Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003. Two years can feel like a long time, but because the clock starts ticking at the time of your accident, you may not have as much time as you think.
Fortunately, an Arlington bus accident lawyer near you is available to help. Once you have handed your case over to a lawyer, you don’t have to worry about deadlines. Your lawyer will manage all deadlines and build and file your case before the statute of limitations expires.
Potentially Liable Parties in an Arlington Bus Accident
The facts of your case will dictate who is responsible for your injuries and losses. Potentially liable parties may include:
- The bus driver
- The bus company
- The government or municipality who owns or maintains the bus
- A maintenance company
- A manufacturer
Common Injuries We See in Arlington Bus Accidents
As injury attorneys, we regularly see severe or catastrophic injuries. Common bus accident injuries include:
- Lacerations
- Road rash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Fractures
- Facial and dental injuries
- Amputations
- Fatal injuries
Regardless of the injuries you suffered, our team wants to help you.
Causes of Bus Accidents in Busy Areas Like Arlington
Understanding the causes of bus accidents can help you determine if you have a case strong enough for legal action. Any form of third-party liability could be grounds for you to file a claim and potentially recover compensation. Examples of third-party liability in bus accidents could include:
- Drivers operating a bus under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Speeding, failing to adhere to traffic laws, tailgating, or engaging in other forms of recklessness on the road
- A bus company putting vehicles in operation that are not safe
- Driver fatigue
- Buses that are too crowded or are carrying too much weight, potentially affecting maneuverability
- Distracted driving, including the use of cell phones, navigation devices, or other forms of technology
- Unruly passengers
- Any form of negligence, such as actions or inactions a reasonable bus driver would or would not have taken
- Buses that are operating in unsafe weather conditions
How a Bus Accident Can Change Your Life
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), over 120,000 large trucks and buses were involved in accidents around the United States in 2019 alone. If you were the victim of a bus accident, you may be suffering emotional, physical, and financial effects.
- Emotional Suffering: Sometimes, the trauma from a sudden, unexpected event like a bus accident can trigger effects such as sleeplessness, anxiety, and even depression. Physical injuries to the head or neck region can also impact your psychological health if your nervous system suffers an injury.
You could even experience personality changes and a decrease in your ability to enjoy your daily life. In serious cases, you could require professional help to manage the emotional and psychological impact of your accident.
- Financial Loss: Financial loss in a bus accident can occur from medical bills that you did not expect, damage to your personal belongings or vehicle, legal fees, and more. You have the option to recover compensation for all your financial losses. This may be through a claim or lawsuit.
- Physical Injuries: Injuries are all too common in bus accidents. If you are fortunate, your injuries were minor, and you can make a full and swift recovery. But that is not always the case. More serious injuries like broken bones, damage to internal organs, nerve damage, concussions, head and neck trauma, and others can have debilitating long-term effects.
No injury, regardless of the extent, is acceptable when it results from another’s negligence.
- Loss of a Loved One: In tragic situations, loss of life is possible in bus accidents. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported that in 2020, nearly 5,000 large vehicles like buses played a part in fatal accidents across the United States. If you lost a loved one in a bus-related accident, you and your family could recover compensation for your expenses.
- Others In Your Life Can Suffer Consequences: While your life as a victim of a bus accident can certainly be changed, the lives of those close to you may suffer as well. If you have dependents in your life, and you are unable to properly take care of them or earn income because of your accident, it can be devastating.
It is unfair that you are the one who is suffering because of the actions of other people. While you cannot change the past, you can make the right decisions to position yourself for a brighter future.
You have the legal right to pursue justice by filing a claim and recovering the compensation that you deserve. If you are thinking of taking action, a lawyer in the Arlington area with experience in bus accident cases can help.
Why Bus Accidents Are Particularly Dangerous
Every vehicle on the road is potentially dangerous, but buses can be particularly dangerous for several reasons.
One is the sheer size of buses. These vehicles can create a tremendous amount of force when involved in an accident, sometimes resulting in catastrophic damage and loss. The size of buses can also make them more difficult to control or maneuver and can decrease the reaction time of drivers if they need to adjust to a sudden obstruction or a pedestrian or cyclist.
Bus accidents can also be more dangerous than a standard car accident due to the lack of seatbelts. The impact of a bus crash can throw passengers at windshields, windows, and each other. In some cases, the impact may eject a passenger from the bus.
The bottom line is that bus accidents are dangerous for both the occupants inside of the vehicles and those in the outside world. However, passengers, drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists who suffer injuries in bus accidents have the opportunity to recover compensation.
Understanding Common Carrier Law and How It May Apply to Your Bus Accident Case
Common carrier law could play a role in your case, so it is important to understand how it works. A common carrier refers to those responsible for the transportation of goods or people. Because bus transportation caters to the public, bus drivers and the governing organizations are considered common carriers.
This is significant because bus transportation falls under the umbrella of common carrier law, which holds any person or organization responsible for losses and damages that take place during the transportation of goods or in the case of bus transportation, passengers. What this means to you is that you should not be responsible for any form of suffering you experienced for simply riding a bus, a form of public transportation.
If you experienced any loss, injury, or out-of-pocket expenses, those responsible should be covering your damages.
Bus Drivers Must Have Special Training
Bus drivers must undergo various forms of training to successfully and legally operate a bus. This makes sense, given that the safety and well-being of passengers are in their hands.
Training can vary based on federal and state laws. If a trained bus driver makes an error on the job, injured parties can hold that driver liable. In some situations, operators may not be up to date on their training or may not even carry the necessary certifications.
Negligence
Negligence constitutes the failure to act in a safe or reasonable manner. In the context of bus accidents, negligence could refer to a bus driver failing to adhere to safety standards, a bus operating company failing to keep their fleet of vehicles safe, choosing to keep buses operating in dangerous weather, and much more.
If you think that negligence played a role in your crash, you could have a valid case. A bus accident lawyer in the Arlington area can help you learn more about the next steps in your claim.
Contact Us Today to Start Working With an Arlington Bus Accident Attorney
A bus accident can completely upend your life, but you don’t have to take on your case alone. While you are picking up the pieces and doing your best to recover, remember that you have legal options and may recover compensation that can make things easier moving forward.
Our team at Domingo Garcia is available to discuss your case today. Our Arlington bus accident attorneys can handle every step of the legal process. Contact us for your free consultation before it is too late. And remember that you pay us nothing up front. Get started for free today.
