| Unfortunately, bus accidents are a fairly common | | | | deal with that emergency will give rise to liability. For |
| occurrence, and they often involve serious injuries. | | | | example, if a bus traveling at freeway speeds |
| Because of the difficulty maneuvering such a large, | | | | encounters an object in the roadway causing a tire to |
| heavy vehicle and sometimes because of the | | | | blow, the bus driver's failure to maneuver the vehicle to |
| inexperience of the driver, bus accidents happen with | | | | a safe stop is negligence. In that situation the driver has |
| some frequency. The seating arrangements and lack | | | | an obligation to brake and pull the vehicle safely out of |
| of seatbelts can also contribute to severe injuries | | | | the travel lanes. If the driver instead continues to |
| being suffered by bus passengers. | | | | depress the accelerator, in an effort to reach the next |
| Bus companies and public entities operating bus lines | | | | off ramp, causing the bus to strike a retaining wall or |
| are known in the law as "common carriers". When | | | | some other stationary object, the injuries to the |
| they assume the business of transporting the general | | | | unrestrained passengers will be the responsibility of the |
| public, they vow to carry them with vigilance and | | | | bus company. |
| safety. Such carriers are responsible for any, even the | | | | The duties and responsibility owed to passengers |
| slightest, negligence and are required to do all that is | | | | aboard a bus equally apply to those attempting to |
| humanly possible to keep their passengers protected | | | | board the bus. By way of example, a nearly 50 |
| under all circumstances. | | | | year-old woman living in the greater Los Angeles area |
| Moreover, if a carrier voluntarily accepts an ill or | | | | used the Metro Line bus system for her daily travel to |
| disabled person as a passenger, it must exercise as | | | | and from work. After work, she walked to the bus |
| much care as is reasonably necessary to ensure their | | | | stop located just a short distance from her place of |
| safety, in view of his mental and physical condition. "Full | | | | employment. As she attempted to board the bus, the |
| and equal access" is defined as access that complies | | | | bus driver suddenly closed the door, knocking the |
| with the regulations developed under the federal | | | | victim to the ground and pulling her into harms way. |
| Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. When there is | | | | The would-be bus passenger ended up being crushed |
| a violation of these rules and an accident results, the | | | | by the rear wheels. |
| injured passengers have the right to be compensated | | | | Every bus accident case is unique and the potential |
| for their injuries and damages. | | | | causes of harm almost endless. An experienced trial |
| Even when an emergency situation arises, through no | | | | attorney can help you find your way through the facts |
| fault of the driver, the bus operator's failure to safely | | | | and the law to reach a fair result. |