Baton Rouge School Bus Accident Lawyer

The team at the Murphy Law Firm has years of professional experience representing injured clients in all types of civil claims, including accident claims involving school buses. We know that any such accident is likely to raise many difficult questions the average person will not be able to answer on their own, and they may face a great deal of uncertainty when it comes to determining fault and directing their legal efforts to recover.

Our firm takes time to listen to each client’s unique story, helping them make clearer sense of their legal situation and explaining the various steps they may need to take to recover compensation for their losses. When your child has been injured in a school bus accident, it is natural to want answers and to hold the appropriate parties accountable as quickly as possible to the fullest extent of the law.

Before the victim of any type of vehicle accident can recover compensation for their damages, they will first need to prove fault for those damages. This means identifying the party or parties responsible for causing the accident and proving exactly how they caused it. This same rule applies to a school bus accident, but it is possible for multiple parties to bear fault.

Liability for a school bus accident could fall to a driver who hit the school bus. In this situation, the at-fault driver would bear liability for any damages suffered by the passengers on the bus as well as the driver. It is also possible for a school bus driver to be responsible for the accident, and the school bus company may bear fault for the actions of their employee under certain conditions. In other cases, liability may fall to the school district.

While the standard process of filing a personal injury claim against a private defendant can be daunting, attempting to file a claim for compensation against any public entity imposes a host of additional challenges you will need to overcome. The plaintiff in this type of case will need to provide advance notice of their intent to file a suit, and certain aspects of their recovery will be limited.

If insurance won’t fully cover your losses, or the at-fault party does not have insurance, a personal injury claim is likely to be your most viable recovery option. Success with any personal injury claim in the state will require proving that the defendant named in the claim is directly responsible for the plaintiff’s damages. The plaintiff will need to prove the defendant was negligent or illegally harmful in a manner that directly resulted in actual harm.

Success with a personal injury claim requires proving that the defendant is liable for the damages based on a preponderance of the evidence, meaning that the evidence shows the defendant is more likely than not liable for the plaintiff’s damages. Meeting this standard of proof will likely require leveraging all available evidence along with witness testimony.

Once you have proven liability for a personal injury, your attorney can help you collect compensation for the damages the defendant caused. In most personal injury cases, a plaintiff will have the right to seek compensation for their immediate and future economic damages, such as;

• Property damage. If you were driving your own vehicle when you were involved in a school bus accident, the at-fault party would be responsible for your vehicle repair costs. You can also seek compensation for any other property losses resulting from the accident.
• Medical expenses. A school bus accident can easily result in severe injuries. The defendant responsible for causing the accident is liable for the cost of all medical care you need to fully recover from your injuries. This includes not only immediate medical treatment costs following the accident but also the cost of any future care the victim may need to reach maximum medical improvement.

Every driver in Louisiana is required to have auto insurance that meets minimum coverage requirements. A standard individual policy must provide at least $15,000 to cover bodily injury to a single person, at least $30,000 to cover bodily injury to more than one person in a single accident, and at least $25,000 to cover property damage. Drivers typically have the option of purchasing additional coverage beyond these minimum requirements.

Once fault is established for a vehicle accident, the injured party can file a claim against the at-fault party’s auto insurance policy. The claimant will need to submit various forms and documentation to show the full extent of their damages, and the insurance company is required to investigate the claim. However, it is prudent for a claimant to always assume that an insurance company will push back against their claim in whatever way possible.