Bus accident settlements don’t have a set timeline, but may take longer than other collisions to resolve. They often result in injuries to numerous people, and determining fault tends to take longer to investigate. It’s crucial to determine the owner, the operator, the driver, and other parties responsible for the bus. When you discuss your case with an attorney, you can get a more accurate estimate of a case timeline considering your unique circumstances.
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New Orleans Bus Accident Lawyer
Bus Accident Attorney in New Orleans, LA
Accidents involving buses can sometimes result in serious injuries, especially for those in smaller vehicles or pedestrians with no protection. Unfortunately, filing a claim against a company or governmental body that operates a bus is not often easy. With an experienced New Orleans bus accident lawyer, it is much easier to recover the financial compensation you deserve, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses.
At Murphy Law Firm, we have 150 collective years of legal experience, primarily in personal injury cases. We know how to navigate complex cases like those involving buses. Often, these claims are filed with a private bus company’s commercial insurer, and these insurers are very hard to deal with. They don’t want to give you a fair settlement. In matters involving fleet owners and layered policies, guidance from a skilled New Orleans commercial vehicle accident lawyer helps protect evidence and leverage.
At our firm, we know how to negotiate with these insurers to recover compensation that covers your losses. Whether you were a passenger on a bus that was in an accident or another party on the road, you need the support of our attorneys to protect your financial future.
Why Bus Accidents Are Complicated
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimated that there were 10,000 bus accidents in the U.S. in 2021. In New Orleans in 2024, there were 174 accidents involving transit buses, 44 of which resulted in suspected injuries, according to the Center for Analytics & Research in Transportation Safety. Throughout all of Louisiana in 2023, there were 211 crashes involving many kinds of buses, with school buses being the primary type of bus in these accidents.
Bus accidents are more complex than other types of claims for several reasons, including:
- Numerous vehicles are often involved
- Many potentially injured individuals
- Federal safety regulations that buses and companies have to follow
- A bus may be owned and operated by a private company or a public entity
When you are involved in an accident with a bus, you may be a passenger, another driver, a pedestrian, or a bystander. If you are injured in the crash or suffer other damages, securing compensation is essential. It is important to determine who was at fault for the accident to recover this compensation.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Bus Accident?
Liability in an accident is important because the at-fault party’s insurer is responsible for covering the damages of other parties. There are many parties who could be liable for a bus accident, including:
- The bus driver. A bus driver can be held liable for negligent driving behaviors such as being under the influence, ignoring the right-of-way, or being distracted. However, if that bus driver is an employee of a private company, the company would likely be vicariously liable.
- Other drivers. Non-bus drivers on the road can also act negligently and cause the accident. Speeding, unsafe lane changes, or other dangerous actions can lead to an accident and make that driver liable. In these cases, claims are filed with that individual’s personal car insurance.
- The bus company. In addition to being vicariously liable, a private bus company may also be directly liable. The company could be liable for failing to ensure maintenance and repairs of the buses, failing to perform background checks on drivers, or not ensuring that drivers have proper training. Other violations of federal regulations can also result in the company being liable.
- A governmental entity. If the bus involved in the accident is a publicly operated bus managed by a governmental agency, that entity might be liable for the accident.
- An inspector or maintenance provider. The bus company may work with a third-party company to inspect vehicles or perform maintenance and upkeep. If the accident occurs because of an equipment failure caused by improper or nonexistent maintenance, that company could be liable.
- A product manufacturer. If the accident was caused by an equipment failure, but the failure was due to an unreasonably dangerous or otherwise defective vehicle component, the manufacturer of that component could be liable.
When you hire a New Orleans bus accident lawyer, they can help you determine the party or parties who can be held liable for your injuries.
Meet Our Attorney
Peyton Murphy
Peyton Murphy, a Louisiana lawyer with 30+ years of experience, specializes in personal injury cases. He founded Murphy Law Firm in Baton Rouge in 1993 and fights for his clients’ compensation.
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FAQs
Can I File a Claim Against the City if I Get Hit by a Bus in New Orleans?
Whether or not you can file a claim against the city if you are hit by a bus depends on the type of bus, the cause of the accident, and other factors. If the bus was operated by a governmental entity and you were not at fault for the accident, you could hold the city liable. However, there are unique requirements and deadlines for your claim, and you have much less time to file a case. An attorney can help.
How Long After a Bus Accident Can You File a Claim in Louisiana?
The time you have after a bus accident to file a claim in Louisiana depends on the type of claim you are filing and who you are filing against. Civil claims against most entities have a statute of limitations that limits the window you have to file a case, but you should first file an insurance claim, which has a shorter deadline. Civil claims against governmental entities have very short windows; it helps to understand how Louisiana’s injury deadlines are applied in practice.
How Hard Is It to Win a Bus Accident Claim in New Orleans?
How hard it is to win a bus accident claim depends on the specifics of your accident. If you are a bus passenger, it is unlikely you have to prove you weren’t at fault, so you only have to determine who was at fault and prove your injuries. If you were another driver in the accident, you may have to deal with accusations of partial or complete fault, which makes it harder to win the case.
Contact Murphy Law Firm – Hire a Bus Accident Lawyer Today
If you were involved in a bus accident, a New Orleans bus accident attorney from Murphy Law Firm can help you determine who the liable party is and calculate the damages you are owed. Contact our firm today.
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When you choose Murphy Law Firm, you gain access to a team of experienced attorneys with a proven track record of success. We understand the importance of trust, and we strive to build lasting relationships with our clients by delivering exceptional results.
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