Woodstock
Bus Accident Lawyer

When we’re on the road or riding a bus, we expect bus drivers to act in a safe and predictable manner. Anything that goes wrong can cause serious damage. Because buses are so much larger than other vehicles and passengers are rarely buckled up, crashes often result in injuries.

If you or your loved one have been hurt by a bus driver or any other party, our Woodstock personal injury lawyers at John Foy & Associates can help you get compensation. You can talk to one of our attorneys for free to find out more about your situation and how much you could be able to recover.

What to Do After a Bus Accident

After any motor vehicle accident, your safety should always be your first priority. That is especially true for bus accidents, which are often more dangerous than other crashes. That means you should call an ambulance and get medical attention as soon as possible. You should also move to the side of the road and make sure you’re out of the way of any danger.

Past the basics of safety, there are other steps that you should take after a bus accident. You should:

Get an Accident Report

For your accident claim, you will need an accident report. Those are filed by a responding officer, so the first step to getting that report is calling the police to the scene of your crash. You can usually get a report from the officer at the site of the accident, but if for some reason you’re not able to, you can most likely contact the Woodstock Police Department to get your report.

See a Doctor

Even if you feel like your injuries are minor, you should treat them seriously, both for your own health and to secure a good chance at getting compensation. Often, minor injuries that you can get from a traffic accident become worse and worse the longer you delay treatment and can turn into a serious condition if left untreated. 

When you refuse or delay treatment, it also looks bad to the insurance company handling your claim. It can be used to show that you weren’t really hurt in your accident or that you don’t deserve full compensation.

Gather Information

Talk to any other drivers involved and get their names, insurance information, contact information, and license plate numbers. You should also talk to anyone else who saw what happened and get their contact information as well so that your lawyer can contact them later.

You can also strengthen the evidence supporting your case by taking pictures of the scene of the accident, the damage done to your vehicle, and your injuries. You should also write down your own account of events while it’s still fresh in your mind.

Don’t Sign Anything Until You Talk to a Lawyer

After your accident, the other party’s lawyers and insurance company will try to talk to you. Be polite with them, but don’t tell them anything they don’t need to know—they will try to use any word you say against you. On top of that, do not sign an offer from them until you’ve consulted with a bus accident attorney in Woodstock.

A lawyer will be able to protect you from the people trying to take advantage of you, and they’ll be able to make sure that you get the best settlement possible. Legal experts know what to say to avoid the insurance company’s tricks.

Injuries in Bus Accidents

When you’re involved in a bus accident, the injuries you receive can be even more severe than those you get from other traffic accidents. Because buses are larger and are harder to stop, crashes tend to be much more violent.

Injuries that people often walk away with after a bus accident include:

• Bruises
• Broken bones
• Lacerations
• Whiplash
• Spinal injury
• Concussion
• Mental trauma 

These can be painful, not to mention expensive to treat. The good news is that, with a skilled personal injury lawyer helping you, you could be able to collect compensation for your damages. That includes the hospital bills you’ve paid, repairs to your vehicle, and even the pain and suffering you’ve endured.

What do I Do If My Child Was Injured in a Bus Accident?

It’s one thing for you to be injured in a bus accident, but when it happens to your child, it’s even scarier and more angering. There is a good chance that you can sue if your child was hurt in a school bus accident, but these cases are often more complicated.

Any circumstance in which a bus driver or other party is negligent and causes injury is grounds for a personal injury claim. However, when a school bus driver’s negligence causes an accident, the school or district is usually liable for the damages. That makes a claim hard, as schools are often immune from liability, and suing a district is difficult.

However, if another driver was responsible for the school bus crash that caused your child’s injuries, that driver is most likely liable. That’s especially true if your child is harmed while the school bus is stopped and its stop sign is deployed.

While school bus accidents are harder to get compensation from, it’s still doable, especially if your Woodstock bus accident attorney is experienced. You can get a free consultation at our firm to find out what your legal options are and what a lawyer can do for you.

Talk to a Bus Accident Attorney in Woodstock

A crash isn’t just jarring. It’s expensive and can leave you with physical and mental trauma for months or even years. You shouldn’t have to work through your bills and your pain by yourself. The Woodstock bus accident attorneys from John Foy & Associates can handle your case for you and fight for your right to compensation.

Call us or contact us online to get your FREE initial consultation. We are on call to talk to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.