Taking the city bus is an easy way to get around town. You do not have to figure out when to leave or study the best routes to avoid city traffic. You can close your eyes, sit back, relax, and let someone else plan the way. For the most part, bus travel is also relatively safe. However, when auto accidents happen, they can cause devastating injuries to both passengers and those in other vehicles or on foot.
If you or a loved one were injured in a bus crash, you should consider speaking with a Wesley Chapel bus accident lawyer at Distasio Law Firm. A qualified Wesley Chapel auto collision attorney at our firm could help you pursue justice.
Common Types of Injuries Sustained in Bus Collisions
A wreck with a large common carrier vehicle can leave you with permanent, life-altering injuries. Because most buses do not have seatbelts or airbags for passengers, many bus passengers suffer severe injuries. They might be thrown from their seat and pushed about the vehicle if the bus comes to a sudden stop or rolls over. Due to their immense size and heavy weight, buses can crush smaller vehicles. Motorists and occupants of passenger cars often suffer serious physical damage following bus collisions, such as:
- Internal organ trauma
- Broken bones
- Brain injuries
- Lacerations
- Spinal cord injuries
- Burns
When buses strike pedestrians, motorcyclists, or bicyclists, their injuries can be life-threatening. Sadly, some people do not survive their wounds. If you lost a loved one in a Wesley Chapel bus crash, a compassionate attorney at our firm could help your family hold the at-fault parties accountable in a wrongful death claim.
In addition to physical wounds, many bus accident survivors experience lingering emotional trauma, such as post-traumatic stress, anxiety, or depression. The knowledgeable team of lawyers at our firm in Wesley Chapel could help you assess and evaluate everything you have lost in order to seek the comprehensive compensation that you and your family deserve through a bus injury claim.
Why Bus Crashes Often Lead to Debilitating Injuries
Due to their size, shape, and carrying capacity, bus collisions are more likely to cause severe injuries than wrecks involving other kinds of motor vehicles.
Size of a Bus
Because buses are larger, they take longer to stop than smaller vehicles. If a bus is tailgating or following a car too closely, its driver might be unable to stop if the car suddenly stops short. Bus accidents frequently occur in stop-and-go traffic, when buses have difficulty keeping the same pace as other vehicles.
Build of a Bus
Most buses have a box-like shape. They handle differently from other vehicles. They have a much wider turning radius. Problems can occur if a bus driver tries to make a sharp turn. Their build makes them much more prone to roll over than over types of vehicles.
Interior of a Bus
Buses have a much larger passenger capacity than other vehicles. Large charter buses can accommodate 50-60 passengers. In a crash, a large number of people could sustain injuries.
Buses also have many unsecured items. Unlike in an airplane, where passengers need to check their baggage into the cargo area or where passengers put their carry-on bags into locked overhead compartments, many bus passengers travel with their bags on their laps or the seat next to them. If the bus stops suddenly, those bags could fly around and strike someone.
An experienced legal professional like Scott Distasio could thoroughly review the evidence from a bus accident scene in Wesley Chapel to determine the cause of the crash, identify the at-fault parties, and hold them accountable in court.
Contact a Wesley Chapel Bus Accident Attorney
You rely on buses to bring you to work and to take your children to school. You should not have to worry about your safety while riding these vehicles. If you suffered serious damages in a bus crash, you have a right to pursue legal action.
A Wesley Chapel bus accident lawyer Distasio Law Firm has the experience and the skillset necessary to pursue your legal claim. Contact us today to get started.
