Bus Accidents
Protecting Passengers, Pedestrians and Motorists in L.A. Transit Crashes
The Rudman Law Firm, APC assists injured victims in Los Angeles, Encino and our surrounding communities. Our attorneys have dedicated their careers of a combined 75 years solely to personal injury recovery so that they can deliver the level of focused attention necessary to every case. Our firm handles challenging auto accident claims, including those involving public transit, school buses, sightseeing buses, tour buses and long-distance travel buses.
We represent passengers injured during accidents or while getting on or off the bus. We also help pedestrians and bicyclists struck by buses and motorists involved in bus collisions. In addition, we assist minors who were struck by their school buses or injured by negligent drivers.
Common Carrier and Bus Driver Negligence
California law imposes a heightened duty of care and vigilance on buses, referred to as common carriers. Common carriers must take reasonable actions to protect passengers from harm and act with the level of vigilance of a very cautious person. This duty extends to the construction, servicing, inspection and maintenance of their vehicles, in addition to the higher duty of care imposed on the bus drivers.
Our attorneys may pursue multiple parties responsible for your bus accident, including the bus driver, the driver’s employer and the bus owner. We investigate whether the driver was speeding, texting, distracted, fatigued or otherwise reckless at the time of the crash. Most buses are equipped with multiple digital video cameras which record numerous areas inside and outside of the bus, including the driver.
Often, the driver’s mistakes can be traced to employer negligence as well. For example, an employer would be liable for scheduling drivers to unreasonable work shifts in violation of the federal hours of service (HOS) regulations. Also, an employer is responsible for screening drivers for excessive traffic citations and previous accidents.
The bus corporation may be liable for the poor condition of its fleet, including worn brake pads, threadbare tires or broken lights. In addition, the bus owner could be held responsible for corporate policy that encourages cost cutting over safety.
L.A. Metro Accidents
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority oversees the public transportation system in the city, including buses, light rail and trains. If you were injured on or by an L.A. Metro bus, you must follow special procedures to sue the county agency. You also have a shorter window of time to file your notice of claim against the agency than you would to file a lawsuit against a private corporation or individual. Our bus accident law firm guides you through the process of recovering damages from Metro.
Learn More About Recovering for Bus Crash Injuries
The Rudman Law Firm, APC takes on challenging cases involving bus accidents and injuries. We can help you recover. Schedule your free personal case evaluation with our dedicated personal injury lawyers by calling our Encino office at (818) 769-6969 or by calling us toll free at (844) 478-3626 / (844) 4RUDMAN. We take your case on contingency, meaning you only pay attorneys’ fees if we recover compensation on your claim.