The Lawyers to Call after a Bus Accident

Thousands of people use the Transfort system to get around Fort Collins every day. Thousands more use private bus services, like Greyhound, to travel long distances, as well as school buses. Although riding a bus is usually a safe way to travel, many people suffer serious injuries each year in bus accidents. At the Tenge Law Firm, we help accident victims receive the compensation they deserve after a devastating crash, and we are available to help you, too.

Common Bus Accident Injuries

Buses are large commercial vehicles, so they can inflict life-altering injuries when they collide with a vehicle or a pedestrian. Passengers riding the bus can also suffer injuries when they are thrown around, either after a collision or as the bus skids off the road.

We have represented many bus accident victims who have suffered injuries, large and small, including:

• Whiplash
• Lacerations, cuts, and abrasions
• Compound fractures and other broken bones
• Serious soft-tissue injuries, like sprains, strains, and contusions
• Crushed limbs or amputations
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Internal organ bleeding

Unsurprisingly, many accident victims die as a result of the collision. In 2016, 227 buses killed hundreds in fatal crashes, leaving family members behind, wondering how they can support themselves.

In addition to physical injuries, accident victims can suffer from extreme mental anguish as a result of the collision. Many of our clients suffer from:

• Depression
• Anger
• Anxiety
• Sleeplessness
• Irritability
• Embarrassment
• Emotional withdrawal

These emotional injuries are just as serious as physical ones and warrant immediate medical intervention. Many of our clients attend therapy, group counseling, and receive antidepressants or other medications to help them cope with the emotional repercussions of the bus accident.

Duty of Care

Drivers owe other motorists a duty to operate their vehicles with reasonable care. However, buses owe an even higher duty to their passengers and other people. Because buses are “common carriers,” they must use the utmost care to prevent accidents and injuries. This heightened duty sometimes makes it easier for injured victims to prevail in lawsuits against common carriers as compared to other motorists on the road.

A bus company also owes the public a duty of care when hiring and training its drivers. Bus companies should not knowingly employ someone who poses a danger to public safety and should probably run background checks on applicants before making a hiring decision. Bus companies should also adequately train drivers so that they can drive safely. When bus companies fail at these duties, they can face responsibility for your injuries.

Collecting Evidence

To receive compensation, you will need evidence that the bus driver or bus company failed to be sufficiently careful and that your injuries resulted from this lack of care. Collecting evidence is critical to any successful claim for compensation. Depending on the circumstances, our bus accident lawyers in Fort Collins might:

• Request evidence from the bus company, such as onboard video or GPS information, that will show how the accident happened.
• Interview any witnesses who observed the collision to identify what they saw.
• Look at the bus and your car to see if they hold clues about how the accident unfolded.
• Confer with expert witnesses who can help us understand what caused the accident.
• Meet with medical experts who can help us understand the severity of your injuries.

At the Tenge Law Firm, our bus accident lawyers also can present this evidence in a compelling way to convince a bus company to settle your dispute. And if the company refuses to settle, we are prepared to go to court to vindicate your rights to compensation in front of a jury.

Compensation You Can Receive

After a devastating collision, our clients need compensation to cover their expenses, such as:

• Medical bills for surgery, doctor’s visits, hospital stays, equipment, rehabilitation, and prescription or over-the-counter drugs
• Future medical care, if the injuries are permanent
• Lost wages for work missed while recovering from the accident
• Lost future wages, if our clients cannot return to their jobs because of their injuries
• Property damage, if their vehicles were damaged in the collision

Many of our clients have also received compensation for non-economic injuries, such as:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional or mental anguish
• Loss of consortium
• Disfigurement
• Disability

When a loved one dies in a bus collision, grieving family members might also qualify for financial compensation. For example, many family members can receive sums in a wrongful death lawsuit to compensate them for:

• Lost wages and benefits your loved one would have earned had he or she lived
• Lost companionship
• Lost comfort and care
• Funeral and burial expenses
• Medical bills incurred to treat your loved one in their final illness

The amounts available will depend on the circumstances, with more serious injuries typically warranting larger damage awards. However, you should meet with a Fort Collins bus accident lawyer to review your case and determine how much is available.

Avoid Delay

Colorado law gives injured victims a limited amount of time to pursue their rights to compensation. If you are suing public, government bus or transportation authority, then Colorado subjects you to even tighter deadlines—you must provide notice to the government entity within 182 days of the crash. Your notice must contain important information about your injuries to give the government a chance to settle your claim.

At the Tenge Law Firm, our lawyers are here to help—but we need to hear from you before the deadline for pursuing compensation passes. If you take too long, a bus company can refuse to offer a settlement, and a judge will throw a lawsuit out of court. Don’t delay.

Hire an Experienced Bus Accident Lawyer in Fort Collins

Bus companies aggressively defend themselves against lawsuits, and injured victims need a powerful advocate in their corner from the very beginning. At the Tenge Law Firm, our Fort Collins bus accident lawyers are prepared to vigorously pursue compensation on your behalf. Please reach out to us today by calling (970) 212-4777 or sending an online message.