
The Dayton Daily News reported that early in 2020, a nine-year-old girl from Dayton died in a bus crash. Two children in Columbus were seriously injured while waiting for a bus in October 2019, according to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Whether you are an Ohio bus rider, somebody in another vehicle, or a person waiting to get on or exit a bus, you may be the victim of negligence that results in serious injury or death. When such injuries or death occurs, you may consider civil court as a way to pursue financial coverage for your losses. Call us at Bressman Law today at (614) 538-1116 to speak with a bus accident lawyer in Cincinnati about your eligibility to file a lawsuit which—if successful—could result in compensation for you and your family.
Buses Present a Unique Set of Dangers
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a bus is a vehicle that can transport nine or more people by design. Each individual bus is different, but there are common characteristics of buses that make them a danger to their passengers as well as others on the roads of Cincinnati.
Some of the most dangerous characteristics common in buses include:
- A lack of seatbelts, or only the most minimal versions of seatbelts
- Hard, metal-framed seats that can result in serious injury to body parts that strike the seats during a crash, especially the head
- A sizable clearance from the ground, which may make a bus more susceptible to rolling over
- A lack of airbags
- A significant weight, which makes it more difficult for buses to stop quickly
- Poor maneuverability, which generally diminishes a bus driver’s ability to swerve and avoid a collision
The amount and sort of safety features that are present on a given bus may depend on the bus type, model, make, and year of manufacture. Some of the most common bus types on the road are:
- School buses
- Greyhound buses and other long-distance passenger buses
- Public transportation buses
- Tour buses
- Shuttle buses
- Streetcars
This is not an exhaustive list, and you may have been struck by or riding on a form of bus other than those listed above when you sustained an injury. Regardless of the bus type involved in your accident, you should take the necessary steps to ensure your own safety and health. You have the right to work with a Cincinnati bus accident lawyer to inquire about your right to compensation.
For a free legal consultation with a bus accident attorney in Cincinnati, call (614) 538-1116
The Steps to Take After a Bus Accident in Cincinnati
If you are a passenger in a bus involved in a collision or are in another vehicle struck by a bus, you must ensure that your safety is first. This means that you should:
- Find a safe location
- Call 9-1-1 to alert authorities to the accident
- Speak with medical professionals on the scene to receive treatment for any apparent injuries
- If necessary, take an ambulance to receive further care at a medical facility
Once you are in a safe location, you should also take a number of important steps if you were in a vehicle struck by a bus. These include:
- Calling your insurance company and alerting them to the bus accident
- Meeting with the driver who caused your accident and requesting their insurance and contact information
- Speaking with police officers on the scene to give your account of events
Once you have done these things, you may reach out to a Cincinnati bus accident lawyer. They can provide more specific advice based on the unique details of your accident. More specifically, call our team at Bressman Law today at (614) 538-1116 for free advice regarding your case.
Cincinnati Bus Accident Attorney (614) 538-1116
A Cincinnati Bus Accident Lawyer Can Help with Your Lawsuit
The nature of many buses means that a lawsuit involving a bus may have a number of considerations that are not generally applicable when two smaller vehicles collide. There may be multiple defendants in your case, for instance. They may possibly include:
- The individual bus driver
- A municipality (if the bus was government-owned and operated)
- A private business
When one passenger vehicle collides with another, the owner and operator of the vehicle may be the same person—leading to fairly straightforward litigation. When a bus is involved in an accident, often the owner of the bus (who may also be the employer of the bus driver) is a different person than the driver.
Your bus accident lawyer in Cincinnati will help you understand who is liable for your accident. A non-driver defendant may be liable if they:
- Employed a bus driver who was unqualified, due to their skill level
- Employed a bus driver with behavior problems
- Failed to screen drivers for drug and alcohol use
- Did not maintain the bus according to industry safety standards
Your lawyer will take these possibilities into consideration while also analyzing the actions of the bus driver to determine whether they were negligent in their driving practices.
Services That a Lawyer Can Provide
Within the overarching goal of obtaining compensation on your behalf, there are several individual duties that a Cincinnati bus accident attorney may fulfill for you. These may include:
- Gathering available evidence
- Conducting investigations in order to obtain currently undiscovered evidence
- Filing the necessary paperwork to begin your case in court
- Employing relevant experts to provide testimony for your case
- Serving as your legal advisor through trial or in settlement negotiations
- Protecting your rights
There is no need to try to provide these services for yourself—a lawyer is ready and more than willing to help you in your time of need.
What Can I Expect from Working with Bressman Law?
When we first started helping injured people, we built our firm on three things: transparency, experience, and communication. During our partnership, we will put those three values to work for you––and more.
You will Know Everything About Your Case
We do not believe in keeping clients in the dark about their cases. We want you to fully understand your legal options so that you can make informed decisions moving forward.
We will advise you on the following:
- Whether a settlement offer is fair
- Whether you have a valid case
- Whether filing a lawsuit would be feasible
- What legal measures could help you
- What you should (or should not) say to the insurance representative or in court
From the beginning of our partnership, we will also clearly spell out the details of our contingency-fee arrangement. As payment for our help, we will take a percentage of your settlement. You will know this percentage and agree to it in writing before we get started.
We Have Years of Experience
Not only do we have more than 20 years of experience, but our firm has won settlements both in and out of the courtroom.
Some of our settlements and verdicts include:
- $1.6 million for a family injured in a car accident
- $1.45 million for a case where the insurance company offered nothing
- $850,000 for a motorcycle accident where the injured party needed surgeries
- $450,000 for a truck accident where the injured party needed intensive care
We also secured a settlement of $130,000 for a passenger who was injured on a shuttle bus. Whether you were injured as a bus driver, passenger, motorist, or pedestrian, we can help you. See our case results here.
We will Keep You Updated on Your Case
We want you to know everything about your case’s progression as it unfolds. While working with us, you can expect regular updates on your case, including:
- Explaining potential settlement offers
- Sharing correspondence from the insurance company
- Contacting you over the phone, via email, and through text message
You will not need to play phone tag with us. We will promptly respond to your questions and concerns. You will know everything about your case from the moment it begins to the moment it reaches its conclusion.
Recoverable Damages in a Bus Accident Case
You could have extensive damages from your bus accident in Cincinnati. Our team is prepared to build a case that helps you recover compensation for all of them.
Some compensable damages in your case could include:
Medical Bills
Your healthcare expenses are likely at the forefront of your mind right now. A Cincinnati bus accident lawyer on our team can help you recover damages for the following:
- Surgery
- Medications
- Hospitalization
- Intensive care
- In-home nursing
- Life support
- Bone setting
We can also estimate the cost of healthcare expenses that you can reasonably anticipate in the future. That way, your settlement will account for your past, present, and future hardships.
Lost Income and Loss of Future Earning Capacity
Severe injuries can impede your ability to work. During your recovery period, we believe that your focus should be on your injuries––not how you will account for lost time at work.
We can include the following in your case:
- Tips
- Commissions
- Bonuses
- Income
- Employee benefits
We can also account for any lost promotional opportunities in your case.
Pain and Suffering
Your emotional and physical pain are compensable. We can calculate the cost of your pain and suffering based on:
- The severity of your condition
- Your expected recovery period
- How much time you missed from work
- Whether you lost a limb or bodily function
- Your mental anguish
We can also look at the outcomes of cases similar to yours to get an idea of how much yours is worth.
Property Damage Costs
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) says that the average bus can weigh several tons more than a passenger vehicle. If you were injured as a motorist, your car might no longer be drivable.
We can include the cost of the following in your claim:
- The cost of replacing your vehicle
- The cost of repairing your vehicle
- The cost of using rideshare services
We can also evaluate the details of the liable insurance policy to learn more about your coverage options.
You Have a Limited Time to File a Lawsuit
In general, you have two years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit. This is covered in more detail under Ohio Revised Code (ORC) §2305.10.
A Cincinnati bus accident lawyer can determine whether this statute applies to you based on multiple factors in your case. You could have less time to act if the bus that hit you was owned and operated by the government.
Most of the cases that we handle do not go to court. Usually, we are able to compel the insurers to pay what injured claimants are owed. However, we do not have a problem going to court if it is necessary.
Call Bressman Law for More Information
Our team can provide more information about your case as soon as you give us a call. During your free case review, you can talk to our team about your case’s prospects and what you can expect while working with us. We can answer your questions about:
- How long it will take for your case to settle
- How much you can get for pain and suffering
- What evidence we will use to prove your case
- How we can deal with the insurance company for you
You can reach Bressman Law today at (614) 538-1116.
Call or text (614) 538-1116 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form