Edwardsville Public Transportation Accident Lawyer

Edwardsville Public Transportation Passenger Safety

In Illinois, there is a specific law that applies to common carriers.

A common carrier is “a person or company that transports goods or people for any person or company and that is responsible for any possible loss of the goods during transport.”

Applied to public transportation vehicles, the law states that “a common carrier owes its passengers the duty to use the highest degree of care…”

Plainly put, the person driving the vehicle and the company that owns the vehicle have an obligation to provide safety to its passengers, not only from accidents, but from assault, injury, or abuse from other passengers or third parties.

The law applies to planes, ships, buses, taxicabs, limousines, amusement devices such as a Ferris wheel, railroads, and elevators, but does exclude escalators.

When a passenger is boarding, riding, or leaving the vehicle, the carrier has an obligation to that individual’s safety.

The law even explains further what leaving the vehicle entails – the passenger must have had “a reasonable opportunity to reach a place of safety” before the carrier’s obligation is terminated.

Common Types Of Edwardsville Public Transportation Accidents

Several types of public transportation accidents can occur in the Edwardsville and Madison County area that may result in serious injury.

Public transportation accidents can include, but are not limited to:

• MCT bus accidents with other vehicles;
• Slip and fall accidents on a MCT bus;
• Head injuries on a MCT bus due to aggressive driving;
• Greyhound bus accidents with other vehicles;
• Greyhound bus accidents caused by a negligent bus driver;
• Uber or Lyft accident with other vehicles;
• Abuse at the hands of an Uber or Lyft driver;
• Collision with a train; and
• School bus accidents with other vehicles.

Public Transportation Accident Compensation

Public transportation or bus accident victims may be able to recover compensation for their damages and injuries related to the incident.

It is not easy to estimate the possible financial compensation available to accident victims without first discussing the details of your case.

Each case is different, and the circumstances of the accident can determine if you qualify for compensation.

Typically, if you have been hurt, and were not found to be at fault, you may be able to qualify for compensation.

Common Public Transportation and Bus Accident Injuries

Passengers injured in a bus accident or other public transportation crash may be seriously injured.

These accidents often encompass injuries seen in car and truck accidents, but also include other injuries related to the mode of public transportation involved in the accident.

Bus accident injuries include, but are not limited to:

• Broken bones
• Concussion
• Traumatic brain injury
• Burns
• Whiplash
• Spinal cord injuries
• Lacerations
• Other serious injuries

Filing a Public Transportation or Bus Accident Lawsuit: Steps to Take with Personal Injury Attorneys

Our bus accident lawyers are here to help you recover fair compensation for what you’ve experienced.

Public transport passengers and bus passengers should be protected and kept safe from injury.

When bus drivers or negligent companies put bus passengers in harm’s way, they may be held liable for their actions.

If you or a loved one were injured in a bus accident, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit and recover compensation.

Use the chatbot on this page for a free case evaluation or contact TorHoerman Law for a free consultation.

Our experienced bus accident attorneys can help you complete the steps necessary to filing bus accident claims.

These steps include gathering evidence and assessing damages.

Gathering Evidence for Bus Accident Cases

Evidence is extremely important in a personal injury claim.

Evidence helps to prove the extent of how you’ve been impacted by a public transportation or bus accident.

Evidence in a bus accident case may include:

• Medical records
• Photos and videos of the accident scene
• Witness statements and testimony
• Police report of the accident
• Any other evidence proving you were a bus accident victim

Bus accidents can be catastrophic, and the evidence produce after an accident occurred is vital to gather in order to recover compensation.

Assessing Damages in a Public Transportation or Bus Accident Case

Damages refer to the total amount of losses, economic or non-economic, related to the bus accident.

Your personal injury lawyers will help you assess and calculate your damages in order to claim fair compensation.

Damages in a public transportation case may include:

• Current medical expenses
• Future medical expenses
• Lost wages or earning ability
• Wrongful death
• Emotional Distress
• Pain and Suffering
• Loss of Consortium and Quality of Life

The total damages incurred will be amount to your total compensation, which will be paid by the negligent party.

Edwardsville Public Transportation Accident Liability

Again, this is a difficult question to answer since determining liability for an accident is dependent on the circumstances of the accident. Let’s review a few examples:

A bus is unable to stop because the breaks are no longer working, causing an inevitable accident that injures not only the passengers on the bus, but the two drivers of the other motor vehicles it hit before coming to a full stop. In this case, neither the bus driver nor other motor vehicle did anything wrong – the breaks stopped working. Liability will likely fall on the shoulders of the bus company or bus manufacturer for either failing to provide properly working breaks or failing to maintain the breaks.   A car and bus are involved in an accident on a busy road because the car ran through a stop sign hitting the bus as it attempted to cross the intersection. The driver of the car will be held liable because of his or her failure to properly stop at an intersection.   An Uber hits a parked vehicle while on its way to drop you, a customer, off at your house. After calling the police to report the accident, it becomes apparent the driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Not only is it illegal to drive while under the influence, but it has caused you to suffer an injury. The driver of the Uber would be held liable.

While these are just examples, they illustrate how in many cases, it may not be obvious who the liable party, or in some cases, parties, is.

The job of your Edwardsville injury lawyer will be to conduct a thorough investigation to not only collect evidence to support and file your case, but also to determine who will be held for your injuries.

TorHoerman Law: Your Public Transport Personal Injury Attorneys

Our law firm has decades of experience recovering compensation for people harmed at no fault of their own.

If you were injured as a bus passenger or public transport passenger, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against any responsible parties.

Contact TorHoerman Law today to speak with an experienced Edwardsville public transportation accident lawyer today.

You can also use our chatbot to receive a free, instant online case evaluation now.

Bus involved accidents can be traumatic and even result in wrongful death.

Our law firm understands the seriousness of these accidents and we are here to help you through this difficult time.

Reach out to a bus accident attorney at TorHoerman Law today.

We are here for you and your family.