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Why Bus Accident Injury Claims in NYC Are More Complicated?

Data from the National Transportation Safety Board shows that every year, more than 700 million passengers use city buses for commuting. Although most of these people get to their destination in a safe way, there are several thousand people who get injured in bus accidents every year. Cities like New York that have a high volume of traffic and congested city roads see far greater number of bus accidents. If you have been involved in an accident involving a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bus or a school bus as a commuter, a motorist or as a pedestrian, you can file a bus accident injury claim in NYC.

bus accident claims

Data from the National Transportation Safety Board shows that every year, more than 700 million passengers use city buses for commuting. Although most of these people get to their destination in a safe way, there are several thousand people who get injured in bus accidents every year. Cities like New York that have a high volume of traffic and congested city roads see far greater number of bus accidents. If you have been involved in an accident involving a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bus or a school bus as a commuter, a motorist or as a pedestrian, you can file a bus accident injury claim in NYC.

What Types of Buses Are Involved in Accidents in New York?

It is important to understand what distinguishes bus accident injury claims from other personal injury claims in New York. But before that you should know what type of buses may be involved in NYC accidents. As defined by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a bus is any vehicle that is designed and constructed in a manner that allows it to be used to transport passengers. Bus accidents in NYC may involve any of the following types of buses:

  • School buses
  • MTA city buses
  • Greyhound buses
  • Church buses
  • Charter tour buses
  • Airport shuttle buses
  • Casino buses

While bus accidents certainly cause injuries to the passengers traveling in the bus, they are also likely to be very dangerous for pedestrians or the occupants of other vehicles on the road.

What Are the Common Causes of Bus Accidents in NYC?

There are several factors that may be responsible for causing a bus accident. The sheer size of a bus makes it a more challenging vehicle to operate and maneuver in high-density traffic. It can be quite difficult for the bus driver to see smaller vehicles on the road. Changing lanes and coming to an immediate stop to avoid another vehicle or a pedestrian who steps off the sidewalk are also quite difficult tasks for buses and this increases the risk of a collision.

Bus drivers who have been working without enough rest, or those without adequate training or experience are far more likely to drive in a manner that increases the risk of a bus accident. Like any other driver who is distracted or speeding or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, bus drivers who indulge in such behaviors are far more likely to cause an accident.

Buses are complex machines and require regular checks and maintenance or repairs to ensure that they continue to function well. However, unfortunately, this maintenance is often not provided at the right time or at regular intervals. A bus that lacks adequate safety equipment or one that has poorly functioning brakes is often a disaster waiting to happen.

Overloading of a bus, bad weather conditions, and poorly maintained roads may also contribute to bus accidents in New York City.

Reasons Why Bus Accident Injury Claims are More Complicated

 

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, it is important that you pursue the legal process to claim compensation for your injury. Having an experienced NYC bus accident attorney on your side can make a huge difference to your ability to recover compensation. This is because bus accident injury claims are quite different from other personal injury claims in the following ways.

#1: Bus accidents involve more people

Car accidents generally involve just the drivers, or the passengers traveling in the cars that collided with each other. Even in cases when a car is involved in a crash with a motorcycle or a bicyclist or a pedestrian, only a few people are injured. Buses however carry an average of 60 passengers and an accident is likely to injure all or most of them. This makes it more difficult for every injured person to be able to receive full compensation because the financial source is more likely to get exhausted quickly.

#2: Bus accidents cause more severe injuries

Buses are not fitted with seatbelts or airbags, and this means that passengers inside the bus are far more likely to sustain severe injuries. More importantly, the sheer size and weight of the bus are responsible for creating greater damage to the occupants of the other vehicle with which the bus collided, and there is a far greater probability of fatality in bus accidents.

#3: Determining fault in bus accidents can be quite complex

When a huge vehicle such as a bus causes a crash on the congested streets of NYC, it is quite common for multiple vehicles to be involved in the accident. So, finding answers to questions of how the accident occurred, who the party at fault for the accident was, and whether there were multiple parties responsible for causing the accident is far more complicated and time-consuming.

#4: There could be multiple legally responsible parties

In a car accident, it is generally the person driving the car who is held responsible for the accident. However, fixing legal responsibility is not so easy in bus accidents. While the bus driver is certainly responsible for any errant behavior that led to the accident, there could be other parties also involved. These could include:

  • The employer who hired the driver to operate the bus
  • The company that failed to carry out bus maintenance activities
  • The manufacturer of the bus

#5: A need for greater data collection

In order to prove fault, it’s critical to collect all the relevant data. This could include:

  • Recordings from cameras inside the bus or dashcams that give an accurate picture of the actual sequence of events before, during, and after a crash
  • Bus maintenance logs that show when the bus was last checked or serviced
  • Driver service logs or timesheets that provide date of how much rest the driver had before begun his shift
  • Driver qualification and training documents that give evidence of whether the driver was fit to drive

 #6: Complicated corporate insurance structures

The insurance structures of bus companies can be far more complex than those of individuals. So, it is not very easy to find out the extent of compensation that may be available to the injured parties.

If you have suffered an injury in a bus accident in New York, it can be almost impossible for you to get access to all the relevant data and evidence that is important to receive the damages that you actually deserve. Bus companies are powerful entities and within minutes of an accident, their team of insurance adjusters and attorneys will be on the scene, trying to do the best they can to protect their client.

If you fail to hire a skilled New York City bus accident attorney who has the resources to protect your interests, you may end up without any meaningful compensation for the injury, pain and suffering you had to endure for no fault of your own.

What are Vicarious Liability and Direct Liability in NYC Bus Accidents?

When a bus is involved in an accident, the entity that operates that bus may be considered directly liable for the accident. This applies to those cases where it can be proved that the operator’s negligence was directly responsible for the accident.

For example, if an NYC charter tour bus causes an accident because of a driving error and an investigation later shows that the tour company did not provide sufficient training to the driver before allowing him to drive, the company can be directly liable for the accident.

Bus drivers do not own the buses they drive; they are merely employees who have been hired by a company. So, if an accident is caused when the driver is on the job, the employer who hired him is considered vicariously liable for the crash. The clause of vicarious liability is actually advantageous to the accident victims because companies are more likely to have the financial resources to provide compensation as compared to the bus driver alone.

Contact a Bus Accident Injury Claim Attorney in New York

Being injured in a bus accident in New York can be a harrowing experience. Along with the physical and emotional pain and suffering, you may also suffer significant financial loss. To claim damages for your loss, you will need to prove that another party was at fault for your injury.

This will require a detailed investigation of the bus and other vehicles involved in the crash, the dashcam recordings, other electronic and GPS data, and records of the bus driver and the bus company. In a bus accident, collecting and preserving all this evidence can be a daunting task, and determining liability can be tricky too for an individual.

At Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff, LLP, our experienced bus accident lawyers work with bus crash investigators, bus accident forensic experts, doctors, and financial experts to investigate the accident and the impact of the injuries you suffered. We have helped thousands of bus accident victims claim the compensation they deserved.

To discuss how we can work together, call us today at 212-344-1000 or contact us online for a free and confidential case evaluation.

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Julio Ochoa
20:49 18 May 23
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Aisha Neri
Aisha Neri
20:29 18 May 23
I recently had the privilege of working with Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff, LLP on my daughter’s birth injury case involving Erb's Palsy, and I cannot express enough gratitude for their exceptional legal services. From the initial consultation to the successful settlement, they demonstrated profound expertise, unwavering dedication, and genuine compassion for my family's situation.From the very beginning, the team proved their commitment to justice. They thoroughly investigated the circumstances surrounding my child Erb's Palsy birth injury, leaving no stone unturned. Their extensive knowledge and understanding of medical malpractice law, coupled with their deep expertise in birth injury cases, provided us with tremendous confidence in their ability to handle our case.The attorneys at Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff consistently displayed exceptional professionalism and attention to detail throughout the entire legal process. They meticulously gathered evidence, consulted with medical experts, and built a compelling case that clearly outlined the negligence and liability on the part of the medical professionals involved. One aspect that truly stood out was the genuine care and compassion exhibited by Daniel Minc, Lorraine Licul, and the entire team at Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff. They treated us not just as clients but as individuals with unique emotions and concerns. They took the time to listen attentively to our worries, provided constant updates on the progress of our case, and promptly responded to our inquiries, ensuring we felt supported and reassured throughout the process. Their empathy and understanding made an immeasurable difference during such a challenging and emotionally taxing time.When it came time to negotiate a settlement, Daniel Minc demonstrated remarkable skill and tenacity. He fought fiercely on our behalf, advocating for fair compensation to cover any potential long-term effects of Erb's Palsy on my child's life. His negotiation skills were truly impressive, as they secured a settlement that exceeded our expectations and provided the financial resources necessary to support my child's future needs.I cannot recommend Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff highly enough to anyone seeking legal representation in Erb's Palsy birth injury cases or any other medical malpractice matters. Their extensive experience, unwavering dedication, and empathetic approach make them an exceptional choice for families navigating the complexities of birth injury litigation. Thanks to Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff, my family now has the means to provide the best care and opportunities for my child's future.If you are seeking a law firm that combines legal expertise with genuine compassion, look no further than Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff, LLP. They will tirelessly fight for your rights and ensure your voice is heard, providing you with the support and justice you deserve.
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Aoki R
17:14 17 May 23
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Michael Levites
17:42 12 May 23
I have recommended this firm to some of my friends and I heard back only positive feedback about the client responsiveness, diligence and hard work put in by these attorneys. I will continue to refer anyone who suffered a personal injury to Rosenberg Minc..
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