fbpx
Main Menu
1 (318) 221-1508
Mainstage v10 img 1 5-star bus accident attorneys skilled at winning the toughest cases

bus accident lawyers

a full service legal team DEDICATED to personal injury

we earned the trust of thousands by doing everything we can to get what they deserve

1-318-221-1508
Women looking at a tablet
The bus crashed into a pylon of electrical wires and broke it
DEDICATED LEGAL TEAM

LOUISIANA BUS ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS

5-Star Bus Accident Attorneys Skilled at Winning the Toughest Cases

Bus crashes often result in catastrophic injuries and death. Tragically, like so many traffic collisions, most bus accidents are caused by negligence. Whenever that happens in Louisiana or Texas, the team at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers can help survivors fight for the justice they deserve.

With more than 20 years’ experience, our 5-star bus accident lawyers are backed by deep knowledge of the law and a tireless dedication to our clients.

We know how to provide exceptional advocacy,

compassionate counsel, and winning representation for all types of bus accident cases.  And we know how to stand up to the most challenging opponents to help our clients achieve the best resolutions possible.

To get answers about your rights or file a bus accident claim, simply contact us. We’re ready to help you 27/4.

FREE CONSULTATION

Click on a link below to jump directly to a section and learn more about bus accident causes, lawyers, cases, and compensation.

Woman looking at the computer

What Causes Bus Accidents?

Dangerous choices, oversights, and safety failures are just some ways negligence causes bus accidents. Those actions can take various forms on the roads, including (but not limited to):
  • 1
    Motorist negligence
  • 2
    Bus company negligence
  • 3
    Defective vehicle parts
Below is a deeper look at these and other causes of bus accidents.
Motorist Negligence

Drivers’ actions and choices are among the top causes of bus accidents. In fact, more than 9 in 10 traffic collisions, including bus wrecks, are caused by motorist errors (source: NHTSA). Whether bus drivers or other motorists make these accident-causing mistakes, their errors can include:

  • Dangerous decisions: Impaired driving, distracted driving, and choosing to violate traffic laws are all examples of motorist decision errors that frequently cause wrecks.
  • Recognition errors: Misperceiving or totally overlooking key elements in the driving environment are a couple of ways that recognition errors can lead to bus accidents.
  • Performance failures: Oversteering, driving out of lanes of traffic, and failing to step on the brakes when needed are just a few performance mistakes that also contribute to bus crashes.

Here, it’s critical to note that:

  • More than one driver can be at fault for a bus accident.
  • You may not be able to immediately discern whether motorist negligence was a factor in a bus accident. While this type of negligence may be apparent in some cases, it’s not always obvious right after a wreck.
  • A bus accident lawyer at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers can help you determine if driver negligence caused a wreck and, if so, prove liability when it’s time to recover.
Bus Company Negligence

The companies operating buses in Louisiana and Texas may also play a role in causing bus accidents. Specifically, these entities — which can include private companies and government agencies — can be liable for bus accidents caused by their:

  • Unsafe drivers: If bus companies don’t screen or train drivers, these companies can be liable for crashes caused by the risky, unqualified, or inexperienced bus drivers they employ.
  • Dangerous buses: When poorly maintained buses experience equipment failures that lead to wrecks, bus companies can be liable for their failures to maintain buses and the resulting accidents.
  • Risky policies or schedules: If bus companies have risky policies or they overschedule the same drivers (causing fatigue), they can also be at fault for the wrecks caused by these factors.
  • Failures to comply with federal or state regulations: Violating these requirements can, again, result in bus company liability when these failures cause bus accidents.

Please be aware that there may be different rules, deadlines, and processes for pursuing a bus accident claim against a public (government) agency versus a private company. This is one of many details an experienced bus accident lawyer can help you sort out when it’s time to recover.

Defective Vehicle Parts

Buses and other vehicles on the roads can experience equipment failures when:

  • Vehicle components have inherent design and/or manufacturing flaws.
  • Parts or equipment have not been properly safety tested and/or installed.
  • Vehicles are not properly maintained.

Notably, vehicle equipment failures are twice as likely to impact buses and other commercial vehicles, as compared to passenger vehicles (source: FMCSA). That’s likely due to the fact that commercial vehicles are driven longer and harder than passenger vehicles while towing heavy loads.

When this factor is involved in a bus accident, several parties may be liable, like vehicle makers, equipment manufacturers, and/or bus companies.

Other Causes of Bus Accidents

Other factors that can contribute to bus wrecks are the weather and the roads. While no one’s liable for the weather, multiple parties may have choices to make in adverse weather conditions. For example:
  • Drivers will need to decide how to adjust the way they handle buses.
  • Bus companies need to determine when conditions are bad enough to halt bus routes.
  • Counties, cities, and/or others will need to figure out when to deploy crew to help clear or treat roads.

Additionally, the roads can be risky even if the weather is fair. For example, debris in the roads, poorly maintained streets, and highway work zones can all complicate traffic conditions. Sometimes, that may also contribute to bus wrecks.

Ultimately, one or several parties can be liable for a bus accident, and it will usually take some investigation to determine liability. A bus accident attorney can provide invaluable assistance with liability determinations and every other key task essential to setting a case up for a favorable, efficient resolution.

Bus Accident Statistics

Bus crashes happen far too frequently, leaving devastation in their wake, as the latest statistics below show (sources: FMCSA Guide, FMCSA CMV Facts, & FMCSA State Data).

  • Close to 90% of bus accident fatalities affect pedestrians.
  • Each year, 28,000 people, on average, are hurt in bus crashes.
  • Cross-country buses carry the highest crash risk (versus school buses, van buses, and minibuses). In fact, cross-country buses are 3 to 6 times more likely to be in an accident, as compared to other buses.
  • Over the past 5 years, school bus accidents have nearly doubled.
  • While Louisiana ranks among the top 10 states with the most deadly bus crashes, Texas ranks within the top 3.
These eye-opening bus accident statistics don’t begin to explain how traumatic and devastating the injuries from a crash can be. They also don’t help you when it’s time to recover from a crash. A bus accident attorney at Morris & Dewett can and will, however.
Bus accident lawyer
Man speaking beside a podium

7 Steps to Take After a Bus Accident

If you are ever in a bus accident, here are the first steps to take ASAP (if you aren’t incapacitated):
  • 1
    Get to safety ASAP: Get to a sidewalk, shoulder, or any area that’s out of the way of traffic to avoid further injury.
  • 2
    Call 911 ASAP: Don’t expect others to call police, and don’t wait to get authorities involved. Bus accidents can hurt a lot of people, and police at the scene can be a major help, both for victims and the crash investigation.
  • 3
    Seek medical attention ASAP: No matter how you feel, see a doctor as soon as possible. If you don’t receive care from EMTs on the scene, go to the emergency room or see your doctor as soon as possible after the wreck.
Next, the steps below are critical to take, if at all possible. Doing these things after a bus accident can help you safeguard your rights and a potential bus crash claim:
  • 4
    Amass any evidence you can: Try to get information and items from the scene. This can include info from witnesses and others in the crash, as well as bus accident pictures, debris, damaged personal property, and more.
  • 5
    Speak carefully: Whenever speaking with others at the scene or providing statements about what happened, ONLY state the facts. Do NOT apologize or concede any fault. Remember, no one — except for your lawyer — is on your side after a bus accident. So, be on guard, and don’t talk about anything you’re not sure of.
  • 6
    Tell your insurer about the crash: If you were driving (and not riding the bus) when the accident occurred, be sure to report the crash to your insurance company as soon as you can after leaving the scene — and without any extra delays.
  • 7
    Talk to a bus accident lawyer: This is the easiest and best way to get honest answers about your rights, a possible bus accident claim, and how to move forward.

Do I Have a Bus Accident Case?

It depends on when and how the bus wreck occurred. If you need a “yes” or “no” to this question, you need to contact a bus accident attorney who can help you figure out some key issues, including (but not limited to):
The statute of limitations:
Has the filing deadline for a potential claim already passed? There are time limits to file bus accident claims in Louisiana and Texas. Missing these deadlines can void bus accident claims.
Liability:
Who is at fault for the accident? Remember, victims may still be eligible for bus accident compensation even if they’re partly at fault for the crash. Liability determinations can be quite complex in bus accident cases, requiring deeper investigations by experienced attorneys.
Damages:
What type of harm has the bus accident caused? What future harm will victims continue to experience due to the wreck? Damage calculations are another key aspect of these cases. If you can’t prove damages, it can be near-impossible to successfully resolve these cases.

What Does Bus Accident Compensation Include?

When victims’ (plaintiffs’) claims are successful, bus accident compensation can cover:

  • Economic and noneconomic damages:

    Economic damages refers to quantifiable financial losses caused by an accident, like bills to treat injuries. Noneconomic damages are losses that aren’t directly financial and are more difficult to quantify, like pain, suffering, and impacts to qualify of life.

  • Past and future losses:

    Past losses from a bus accident can be easier to add up than projected future losses. In fact, it often takes some expert assistance from medical professionals and others to help define what future losses likely entail.
That means that financial recoveries for bus accident claims vary, according to impacts and losses suffered. It also means that bus accident compensation can be complicated to calculate.

Nevertheless, recoveries for bus accident victims can include damages for (but not limited to):

  • Medical bills
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Pain and suffering
  • Loss of consortium
  • Lost wages, benefits, and bonuses
  • Property damage
  • Funeral expenses (after fatal bus crashes)
This type of bus accident compensation can be the key to helping survivors and families get treatment and focus on healing.
Woman sitting at a desk looking at the computer

An Experienced Bus Accident Lawyer Is Ready to Help You 24/7

After a bus accident, don’t wait to get answers or advocacy. Time and insurance companies are not on your side, but a 5-star bus accident lawyer at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers can be. We are skilled at winning all types of bus wreck cases, and we can help you recover.

Tireless, strategic, and known for excellence, our bus accident attorneys are proud to offer exceptional representation to the victims of negligence. Discover the difference our team can make in your case and recovery by contacting us today.

Contact Us

Let Us Earn Your Trust

Footer Contact Form

"*" indicates required fields

Consent*
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Google Facebook-f Icon-twitter-xx Linkedin Instagram
Shreveport
GET DIRECTIONS
Covington
GET DIRECTIONS

Morris & Dewett, LLC | Copyright © [year] | All Rights Reserved | Using This Website, Engaging Its Content, or Contacting The Firm Does Not Create An Attorney, Client Relationship  | Privacy Policy