Colorado Springs Bus Accident Attorneys

CHOOSING AN EXPERIENCED LAW FIRM TO REPRESENT YOU IN A BUS ACCIDENT CLAIM

Our injury lawyers in Colorado Springs are dedicated to obtaining the best possible compensation for passengers and motorists injured in bus accidents.

If you or a loved one has been gravely wounded in a bus accident in Colorado Springs, we can help you get the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to under Colorado law.

Warrior Car Accident Lawyers’ Colorado Springs bus accident lawyers are dedicated to assisting you in recovering the maximum compensation available under Colorado law for your injuries.

Former clients and other lawyers who realize our dedication to getting outstanding outcomes for each case while maintaining the highest degree of ethics have referred our company.

We’re equally pleased with the praise we’ve gotten from the legal community.

CRASH STATISTICS FOR COLORADO BUSES

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation (IDOT), 4,468 bus collisions were recorded on Colorado roads and highways in 2018 (the most current year of statistics), resulting in 853 injuries and eight deaths.

Due to the increased possibility of children being badly injured in school bus accidents, Colorado distinguishes them from other types of bus accidents. In 2018, there were 1,586 school bus accidents in Colorado, with 254 injuries and two deaths (all involving school bus drivers).

BUS ACCIDENTS: WHAT CAUSES THEM?

Our Colorado Springs bus accident attorneys encounter the following common causes of collisions in cases involving personal injury or wrongful death.

DRIVER ERROR

The activities of the bus driver are to blame for many bus accidents. The bus driver is often to blame for the accident, whether unskilled or merely making a vital mistake. While operating a huge bus is not always simple, particularly on city streets, drivers must receive specific training that qualifies them to do so safely.

Because the operator is an agent of their employer, the bus company or public transportation agency that hires the driver is accountable for the driver’s acts behind the wheel.

ANOTHER DRIVER ON THE ROAD

Buses are huge cars that need many areas to stop effectively. In addition, they need road space to function. Another driver may make an illegal turn or abruptly break in front of the bus, forcing it to veer or collide with another car.

ROAD CONDITIONS

Road maintenance is the responsibility of local or state governments. They may, however, neglect to repair potholes or other unsafe situations that might result in an accident. While the government is only accountable in certain instances for these conditions, they might still be found liable for an accident that happens on a hazardous road because the surface was not adequately maintained.

BAD WEATHER

Buses are sometimes forced to operate because they are either attempting to stick to a timetable or because the weather is bad. Winters in Colorado are snowy and windy, putting buses in dangerous situations if the operator refuses to cancel the bus route or trip.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUS COLLISIONS THAT OCCUR ON COLORADO HIGHWAYS

Bus passengers arrive at the bus station in a variety of ways. Depending on the sort of accident, each accident may have various legal repercussions.

There are various distinct sorts of accidents that might result in a passenger or motorist filing a personal injury lawsuit against the firm or driver:

SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENTS

Children may be wounded in a school bus accident due to the driver’s negligence. The bus driver might be a school district employee or a driver for a third-party transportation services firm with whom the school district has a contract to offer bus services.

CITY BUS ACCIDENTS

Several passengers are injured in Colorado Springs Transit Authority (CTA) bus accidents while commuting on public transit authority cars every year. These injuries may vary from minor neck and back injuries to more catastrophic shattered limbs and broken bones. When buses collide with other cars or people, it is not uncommon for them to be killed.

TOUR BUS ACCIDENTS

While the charter bus business is regulated, some operators fail to adhere to the guidelines and employ and train drivers correctly. Tour buses may overturn, or inattentive drivers may collide with people.

INTERCITY BUS ACCIDENTS

Large buses that travel between cities are often badly maintained or have not adequately trained drivers. When these buses are engaged in traffic accidents at high speeds, there are often serious injuries and deaths. Greyhound and Mega buses are often used in this situation.

WHY ARE BUSES RISKIER THAN OTHER CARS?

A collision involving a bus may result in more serious injuries than a car accident. Buses are more injuryful to other cars on the road and pedestrians for a variety of reasons.

Here are a few of the reasons why people file personal injury lawsuits:

Because buses are bigger than passenger cars, they take longer to stop completely.

Because the bus is heavier, the accident is more violent, resulting in more injuries.

Why Buses may not always provide the optimum view position for the driver to observe the road and pedestrians, drivers often struggle to see into their blind zones. Because the bus is at a considerably higher position, pedestrians pose a much greater hazard.

Drivers are not usually appropriately trained or supervised for their work responsibilities.

Some buses on the road are likely to be outdated and, consequently, lack the most up- to-date safety equipment.

Issues like design and weight distribution might lead the bus to roll over, raising the risk of serious injury to everyone on board.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT COLORADO BUS ACCIDENT LAW

Here are the answers to some often asked questions concerning bus accident lawsuits in Colorado Springs.

IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE BUS COMPANY?

Yes, you have the right to sue both the bus company and the bus driver.

When you’ve been hurt in a bus accident, your first concern is obtaining the maximum amount of compensation possible. While a jury may award you money, you must ensure that the defendant has the financial means to pay the judgment or settlement.

The bus driver is regarded as an agent of their employer as long as they are operating within the scope of their work. Because the driver is their representation, the bus company (their employer) is accountable for their acts.

The Common Carrier Doctrine holds the firm accountable for activities beyond the driver’s job scope.

This has several benefits for you as the plaintiff, enhancing your case.

The first and most crucial point is that the corporate defendant will have more money than the bus driver. Because the driver is a paid employee who is unlikely to have the financial means to pay millions of dollars in damages, a guilty conviction would be of little use to you.

The bus firm will certainly have insurance or a fund to satisfy the claim. Hundreds of civil lawsuits are filed each year by injured individuals against the Colorado Springs Transit Authority. The CTA has money to pay for a litigation settlement as a cost of doing business. In reality, the CTA is responsible for many bus accident settlements in Colorado.

Plaintiffs in bus accident claims may be able to get greater settlements due to their deeper resources. When the facts are not in their favor, the defendants in a personal injury lawsuit of this kind are accustomed to being sued and will want to settle the case.

CAN I FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE COLORADO SPRINGS TRANSIT AUTHORITY (CTA) FOR INJURIES SUSTAINED IN A BUS ACCIDENT?

Yes. Both defendants may be sued in the same way, with minor changes.

Government entities make up a large portion of the potential defendants in bus litigation. The CTA, for example, is a separate government entity.

While the federal government is immune from lawsuits, state and local governments are.

These agencies are subject to the same legal consequences as a private for-profit defendant. Although state tort claims have damage limitations, they do not apply if the accident was caused by a state-owned car.

Litigation against commercial and public institutions differs very slightly. One distinction is that a lawsuit against the government has a one-year statute of limitations. Another distinction is that the government body must be notified of the claim before filing.

This notification must include some essential information, including a summary of the accident. You should speak with a Colorado Springs bus accident lawyer to discover how the law relates to your circumstance.

A court will closely follow both of these procedural standards, and care must be made to ensure that they are met. You will most likely be able to receive the same forms of compensation for your injuries in both cases.

HOW CAN I ESTABLISH THAT THE BUS DRIVER AND COMPANY WERE TO BLAME FOR THE ACCIDENT?

You must establish that the bus operator’s duty of care was broken in the circumstances that resulted in the injury.

The level of care for bus companies differs somewhat from that of the typical driver on the road.

A bus business is a common carrier, and each state has its own set of requirements for a common carrier’s duty of care.

In general, the common carrier legislation mandates that precautions be taken to safeguard the safety of people on the bus.

The Common Carrier Liability Act is the applicable statute in Colorado. The bus operator is held to the highest safety standards due to this. This is often even larger than the penalty imposed on a motorist on the road.

The following are some of the responsibilities that are put on common carriers and transportation service providers:

Bus drivers must pay attention at all times and refrain from texting while running the bus.

Ensuring that bus passengers are protected from the acts of other passengers. While driving the bus, adhering to and respecting all traffic rules.

Hiring competent bus drivers and adequately educating them to execute their responsibilities

Maintaining the buses and ensuring that they are in excellent working order before being put on the road to carry passengers.

You may be entitled to considerable financial compensation from the bus owner or the governmental agency accountable for the bus if the bus operator has broken their duty of care. That breach is responsible for your trauma.

HOW DO I PROVE A SERIOUS INJURIES OR FATALITY BUS ACCIDENT CLAIM IN COLORADO SPRINGS?

You must prove that the bus driver was negligent by documenting and presenting evidence.

After being hurt in a Colorado Springs bus accident, there are many actions you should follow. You should endeavor to record the accident scene to the degree you can. When you’ve been critically hurt in an accident, though, taking photographs and speaking with witnesses isn’t always simple.

When you have sustained catastrophic injuries, an accident attorney may often assist you in documenting and investigating the event. They might engage specialists to assist them in reconstructing the accident site. The lawyer might also seek to discover witnesses who can testify regarding the driver’s behavior.

If you can collect any accident evidence, be sure to keep it safe and provide it to your bus accident lawyer so that they may utilize it in your claim or lawsuit.

The following items may aid in the proof of a bus accident claim: Photographs of the accident site

Eyewitness testimony from those who were there at the time of the accident

Medical documents that chronicle your trauma and may be used to substantiate damages and cause

An excellent reproduction of the accident site Photographs of the bus and your car’s damage Toxicology testing for the bus driver

HOW MUCH CAN I RECOVER IN A BUS ACCIDENT LAWSUIT IN COLORADO?

Insignificant accidents, Colorado law, acknowledges both economic and non-economic loss. Medical expenses, property damage, missed earnings, hospital bills, surgery fees, and pain and suffering are typically included.

Economic damages are intended to compensate you for the real losses. Common examples are property losses or other money out of your pocket, such as medical expenses. This will also reimburse you for previous and future income losses.

In most cases, non-economic damages compensate you for your injurys. This involves physical and mental anguish, as well as emotional sorrow. Loss of consortium damages may also be available to a husband or partner.

In the event of a fatality in a car accident, the deceased’s family may bring a wrongful death claim under the Colorado Wrongful Death Act.

As you can see from the instances above, the financial consequences may be devastating when a person is killed or badly wounded in a bus accident.

When resolving the case or pursuing damages in court, a Colorado Springs personal injury attorney may be required to correctly evaluate your claim. This will be your last opportunity to recoup your injuries, so make sure you get the most money possible for your losses.

It’s worth noting that certain jurisdictions may have laws protecting public transportation agencies from punitive damages. This is because they are employees of a government agency. Juries will award only compensatory damages in this case.

WHAT IS THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR A PERSONAL INJURY BUS ACCIDENT IN COLORADO?

It all depends on whether you’re using the government or a private company.

You must follow the normal personal injury statute of limitations when suing a private for- profit corporation. This is three years from the moment you were wounded or should have known about your injuries in Colorado.

Furthermore, certain corporations have a notification requirement that compels you to give information about your accident and injuries before a formal lawsuit can be filed.

That is why you need the assistance of a Colorado Springs, CO bus accident lawyer to help you draft the best claim possible in the time you have.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BUS ACCIDENTS

Hundreds of thousands of Colorado residents and tourists utilize public transportation every day, including buses run by the Colorado Springs Transit Authority (CTA), the Pace suburban bus system, Greyhound, Megabus, and other commercial and public operators.

Meanwhile, thousands of Colorado students rely on school buses to go to class. Every passenger expects to arrive safely at their destination on a well-kept bus driven by a fully licensed and qualified driver. Unfortunately, bus collisions still happen much too often.

Our bus accident lawyers have created a detailed list of the most commonly asked questions concerning motor coach accidents and have provided answers below.

We hope that this information will be helpful to families as they choose whether and how to pursue legal action to recover financial compensation for injuries and other losses caused by bus accidents.

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON INJURIES SUSTAINED IN COLORADO SPRINGS BUS ACCIDENTS?

While every accident is unique and results in unique injuries, some injuries are more prevalent among passengers of buses and other big cars, such as the following:

BROKEN BONES—The impact of a bus collision may cause bones to break in the arms, hands, fingers, legs, back, and other body parts.

SKIN INJURIES—Due to the high-impact nature of these collisions, debris frequently fly through the air, piercing the skin of bus passengers and leaving significant lacerations and scars.

BACK/NECK TRAUMA—The spinal column’s delicate design makes it particularly susceptible to the impact of a high-speed motorcoach collision.

Head injuries—HEAD INJURIES ARE PARTICULARLY PREVALENT IN BUS ACCIDENTS. PASSENGERS often bang their

heads from the force of a crash, resulting in concussions and other brain damage, even when secured by seatbelts.

For a phone consultation to discuss passenger and passenger safety and rights in these scenarios, as well as what drivers may be at fault, contact our office suite.

IN THE EVENT OF A SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENT, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

After being involved in a bus accident, you should consult a doctor right once and then contact an expert bus accident attorney.

Your legal counsel should begin building a case for compensation and relief as soon as possible to relieve your pain and suffering, make up for losses, and reduce additional expenses and damages resulting from the accident.

Lawyers from your law fimr may advise you to get a police record, keep track of your bills and medical expenses, make insurance claims, have your cars repaired, contact the responsible person over the phone, and call other passengers involved in the accident cases during a free consultation.

Then they may try to establish an attorney-client relationship so that their firm may pursue the drivers, their insurance, or another business or party that caused you injury.

Within 180 days of the occurrence, you should contact them for a free live chat over the phone to evaluate your legal protection plan, Colorado’s law of fault, and the bus driver’s or school office insurance plan involved (this notification requirement is for personal injury claims and is subject to change). This will allow you, a loved one, or a passenger to pursue the entity.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I’M INJURED IN A BUS ACCIDENT?

Broken bones, wounds, bleeding, headaches, dizziness, and other common symptoms. In the event of a bus accident, who is responsible?

Whoever was responsible for the accident due to careless behavior or worked for the firm that hired such a person.

Drunk driving, speeding, tailgating, straying across lanes, not yielding, tired driving, and other unreasonable conduct are usually grounds for responsibility in a bus crash.

In a free consultation, talk to an expert personal injury lawyer about whether you may bring a claim against the bus owner, bus operator, school bus company, or any responsible parties within the statute of limitations.

IN A BUS ACCIDENT, HOW MUCH COMPENSATION CAN YOU EXPECT?

After a bus accident, you should be able to collect your economic and non-economic losses in most cases.

The former compensates you for genuine out-of-pocket expenses like medical bills, missed pay, car damage, and passenger losses, among other things. The latter is compensation for non-economic losses such as pain and suffering, incapacity, scars, and other intangible impairments suffered by persons involved in a bus accident.

Punitive damages and wrongful death damages may be sought and obtained by you and your family. However, they only occur in exceptional situations and are subject to the regulations and legislation of each state, which you should examine with your bus accident attorney.

HOW DO I FILE A CLAIM FOLLOWING A BUS ACCIDENT?

You must prove that the bus driver and corporation were negligent by documenting and presenting evidence.

After being hurt in a Colorado Springs bus accident, there are many actions you should follow. You should endeavor to record the accident scene to the degree you can. When you’ve been critically hurt in an accident, though, taking photographs and speaking with witnesses isn’t always simple.

When you have sustained catastrophic injuries, an accident attorney may often assist you in documenting and investigating the event. They might engage specialists to assist them in reconstructing the accident site. The lawyer might also seek to discover witnesses who can testify regarding the driver’s behavior.

If you can collect any accident evidence, be sure to keep it safe and provide it to your bus accident lawyer so that they may utilize it in your claim or lawsuit.

The following items may aid in the proof of a bus accident claim: Photographs of the accident site

Eyewitness testimony from those who were there at the time of the accident

Medical documents that chronicle your trauma and may be used to substantiate damages and cause

An excellent reproduction of the accident site Photographs of the bus and your car’s damage Toxicology testing for the bus driver

IS IT POSSIBLE TO SUE A BUS DRIVER OR A BUS COMPANY?

Yes, you have the right to sue both the bus company and the bus driver.

The bus driver is regarded as an agent of their employer as long as they are operating within the scope of their work. Because the operator is their representation, the bus company (their employer) is accountable for their acts.

The Common Carrier Doctrine holds the firm accountable for activities beyond the driver’s job scope.

This has several benefits for you as the plaintiff that will enhance your case.

The first and most crucial point is that the corporate defendant will have more money than the bus driver. Drivers are paid workers who are unlikely to have the financial means to pay millions of dollars in damages. Therefore a judgment against them would be of little use to you.

The bus firm will certainly have insurance or a fund to satisfy the claim. Hundreds of civil lawsuits are filed each year by injured individuals against the Colorado Springs Transit Authority.

The CTA has money to pay for a litigation settlement as a cost of doing business. In reality, the CTA is responsible for many bus accident settlements in Colorado.

Plaintiffs in bus accident claims may be able to get greater settlements due to their deeper resources. When the facts are not in their favor, the defendants in a personal injury lawsuit of this kind are accustomed to being sued and will want to settle the case.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUING A PUBLIC BUS COMPANY AND SUING A PRIVATE BUS COMPANY?

Suing a publicly-owned bus company differs from suing a private bus company regarding procedural issues such as notice requirements, the statute of limitations, and the defense resources available at trial.

In Colorado, you can sue a government-owned bus company for negligence and all of the same things you can sue a private company for when it comes to accident injuries, with a few exceptions.

Because of their public status, governmental bodies, such as towns and municipalities, enjoy certain privileges; for example, they cannot be held liable for failing to adopt or enforce any law or for failing to install traffic signs or signals.

However, because these immunities don’t apply in the context of a motorcoach accident, administration agencies and actors can’t rely on them for help. Nevertheless, they are liable for any mistakes, just as a private corporation would be.

HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO FILE A LAWSUIT IN COLORADO FOR A BUS ACCIDENT?

You have two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit against a privately owned bus business and three years to file a lawsuit against a government-run bus company.

The length of time you have to file a bus accident lawsuit in Colorado is determined by your suing. If you were hurt on or by a bus run by a public transit system such as the Colorado Springs Transit Authority (CTA) and are suing the transit operator or a linked government entity, you only have three years to bring a personal injury claim from the day the cause of action arose.

Often, the bus business that owns or operates the bus on which you were wounded is a private firm. Many of the bus companies that operate in Colorado are privately owned, and you have two years from the day the cause of action arose to claim them.

In certain situations, Colorado law allows plaintiffs more than two years to bring a lawsuit after a bus accident, so consult an experienced personal injury lawyer about how much time you have before filing a lawsuit.

GET LEGAL ASSISTANCE FROM A SKILLED COLORADO SPRINGS BUS ACCIDENT ATTORNEY RIGHT NOW

Warrior Car Accident Lawyers in Colorado Springs may defend anybody who has been hurt in a bus accident in Colorado, whether they were passengers on the bus, pedestrians, or in a car involved in the accident.

Due to the likelihood of other cars being involved and the fact that the driver is an agent for a corporate defendant.

When a lawsuit becomes difficult, you’ll need a Colorado Springs personal injury attorney on your side who can manage all of the complications that may develop. We will fight for you to get the financial compensation you are entitled to due to your injuries. For a severe bus accident case, we provide free consultation as usual.

To book a free consultation with a bus accident lawyer, call 719-300-1100 or use the contact form.

As with all of our injury cases, we handle your bus accident case on a contingency fee basis, which means we only get paid if our clients are paid.

All interactions with our legal practice are kept private through the attorney-client relationship.