When we’re on the road, we often take for granted that buses (and bus drivers) will drive safely and predictably. That’s not always the case, though. Sometimes, a bus driver, their company, or some other party causes an accident, which can cause months of lost work and medical bills for you.
If you’ve been affected by a crash, a personal injury attorney in Morrow can help. By contacting John Foy & Associates, you could be taking the first step towards moving past your accident. We can investigate your case and prove that the at-fault party deserves to pay for your expenses.
What to Do If You Were in a Bus Accident
After a bus accident, you should always make sure that you and your loved ones are alright. That may mean calling an ambulance and going to the hospital immediately – if that’s the case, your health and safety should be your number one priority. Don’t worry about staying at the scene of the accident longer than you have to.
If you’re able to, there are some steps to take that will better your chances of having a successful personal injury claim. After a bus accident, you should:
- Call the police and get a report. Your claim will depend on getting an official report. You can usually get one from the police after they have documented the accident. If you don’t get one at the scene of the accident, you can usually get it from the Morrow Police Department.
- Gather any evidence you can. Sometimes, the best evidence in a bus accident is not around for long after the crash. You should take photos and videos of the scene, and write down your own account of what happened while the events are still fresh in your mind.
- Talk to other witnesses and get their information. Other people’s accounts may also be important to your claim, so you should get their contact information for a lawyer to use later. Just make sure you don’t admit any fault to them or tell them more than you have to.
- Get medical attention as soon as possible. Even if your injuries appear minor, they can be worse than you realize. Plus, you will need a medical diagnosis for your claim, and your compensation could pay for any medical bills you get after your accident.
- Don’t sign anything. The insurance company may try to get you to sign off on compensation, but that may not be what you’re actually owed.
- Contact a bus accident lawyer in Morrow as soon as you can. There may be parties like the insurance company or the bus company’s lawyers that try to twist your words against you. An attorney will be able to protect you from them.
Anything that you can do to make your lawyer’s job easier down the road can increase your odds of getting enough compensation to cover all your damages. Your personal injury attorney can meet with you for a free consultation to tell you what the next steps should be for your bus accident claim.
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What Makes Bus Accidents Different from Other Motor Vehicle Accidents?
Bus accidents are simply different situations from car accidents. The size of the vehicle, amount of people riding it, and the nature of bus routes means that the job of a bus accident lawyer is often much different from that of a car accident lawyer.
Buses Are Larger than Many Other Vehicles
This may seem obvious, but the large size of many buses can have many implications. They often do much more damage than a normal passenger car, which could mean the settlement for a bus accident will be larger than that for a car accident. They’re also harder to drive, meaning accidents can happen more easily.
A bus’s size also means that, when it crashes, it often involves more vehicles than other accidents. If there are multiple other vehicles hit by a bus in your accident, it shouldn’t affect your compensation unless you had some fault in the other drivers’ damages.
Buses Make Frequent Stops
Buses not only have to traverse lanes of traffic, but also stop frequently. This creates more opportunities for something to go wrong and for the bus driver to make a mistake.
How Long do I Have to File a Bus Accident Claim in Georgia?
In personal injury law, the deadline to take action on an accident claim is called the “statute of limitations.” Georgia’s statute of limitations for bus accidents is two years, according to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated § 9-3-33. If you wait until after the deadline, there’s a good chance that you lose any rights to compensation.
Even though you technically have two years, you should act as soon as possible to secure the settlement you’re owed. In some instances, the deadline is much shorter, as brief as weeks. Plus, the longer you wait, the harder it is to gather convincing evidence.
That’s why it’s best to contact an attorney early. Our bus accident lawyers in Morrow don’t take any fees until you get compensation, so you don’t have to worry about paying up front for a lawyer who won’t get you the results you need.
Talk to a Morrow Bus Accident Lawyer for Free
Bus accidents can be much more harmful than car accidents, so you need a lawyer by your side who can get you compensation to help you pick up the pieces. The Morrow bus accident lawyers at John Foy & Associates have years of experience handling cases like yours, and we know what goes into a successful bus crash claim.
Call us today or contact us online to get your FREE initial consultation.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form