In NYC, many people choose to take public transportation like buses instead of driving a car to get where they need to go. Accordingly, there are many buses on New York roads. Unfortunately, this means that some of those buses are going to get into accidents for one reason or another. Bus accidents can result in serious injuries because buses are, on average, larger than most vehicles on the road. In addition, there is a good chance that multiple people will be hurt because buses carry a sizeable amount of passengers at one time.

If you were injured in a bus accident in or around the Bronx, our lawyers can help you. We can provide skilled, professional legal counsel from the start of your case to the very end. If you are serious about pressing your legal claims after a bus accident, you need to get in touch with legal counsel as soon as possible.

For a free, absolutely no-obligation case review, call our bus accident attorneys from The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083.

How Bus Accidents Happen in The Bronx, NY

Bus accidents do not happen “just because.” There is always a root cause that leads to accidents taking place. It is very important to the success of your case that our bus accident lawyers establish the cause of your bus accident because you will only be able to get damages from defendants that you can prove helped cause the bus accident. Accordingly, we have compiled a list of common causes of bus accidents below. However, this list is not exhaustive. It is entirely possible that something not listed here caused your particular bus accident. In those instances, you should discuss your situation further with our lawyers.

Negligent Bus Drivers

An incredibly common causes of bus crashes in New York is negligence on the part of the bus driver. In a legal context, negligence means someone was careless and, as a result, caused someone else to get injured. You need proof that a bus driver – or any party in a bus accident lawsuit, for that matter – was negligent in order to get damages.

Bus drivers might be negligent in several different ways. Some common examples include speeding, ignoring red lights, and getting distracted while driving. Bus drivers also work busy schedules, so if they are overworked or not in tip-top shape, they may fall asleep at the wheel at a very inopportune time.

Other Drivers

Other drivers can also be negligent and cause bus accidents. The ways that drivers can be negligent are more or less the same as how professional bus drivers can be. However, it may not be immediately obvious that another driver was negligent. As an example, suppose another driver was zipping through traffic and driving at a high speed. A bus driver may inadvertently get in an accident while trying to avoid the erratic driver. So, even though the other driver made no contact with the bus, they very likely will be partially responsible for the bus accident taking place.

Vehicle Defects

Sometimes, bus accidents happen because of a problem with the bus and not because of anything a driver does. Problems with vehicles that cause accidents are called “defects.” Usually, defects happen if something goes awry with the manufacturing or maintenance of the truck. For example, if a bus’s axle is made out of substandard or slightly damaged materials, it could malfunction and cause an accident despite the bus driver’s best efforts. Alternatively, if a bus company wants to cut corners on maintenance, the bus may eventually break down while underway and get in a crash.

When you allege that a defect caused a truck accident, you sue the party responsible for the defect. So if the defect happened when the bus was built, you sue the manufacturer. On the other hand, if the defect was because of poor maintenance, you would sue the party that did maintenance on the bus, which could be the bus company or a third party.

Poor Road Conditions

Poor road conditions, such as potholes, can cause bus accidents, too. In these instances, the party to sue is whoever is responsible for maintaining the roads. Usually, this is a government entity. It is important to remember that there are special rules for suing government entities, so you should speak with our lawyers about your situation if you believe this applies.

Additionally, these government entities usually contract out the work on the roads, and it may be easier to sue one of those entities instead. Accordingly, it may be more advisable to sue one of those entities instead of a state or municipal entity.

The Serious Injury Threshold in The Bronx, NY Bus Accident Lawsuits

In New York, you need to meet something called a “serious injury threshold” in order to file a lawsuit. This is established under I.S.C. Law § 5104. The definition of “serious injury” is defined under I.S.C. Law § 5102(d), as dismemberment, permanent loss of the use of a bodily organ, disfigurement, the loss of a fetus, and injuries such that they prevent you from doing common daily activities or tasks. If the injuries you sustained in a bus accident do not meet this threshold, you will have to go through insurance channels and rely on PIP coverage to get compensation.

While the serious injury threshold may seem like a high bar, the reality is that many injuries fall into this category. For example, a broken arm or leg meets the threshold. You do not need to have sustained an injury as severe as, say, traumatic amputation in order for it to be considered serious under New York law.

Talk with Our The Bronx, NY, Bus Accident Attorneys

The Carrion Law Firm can be reached at (718) 841-0083 for free case reviews with our bus accident attorneys.