Traveling by bus is more environmentally friendly and statistically safer than traveling in a personal passenger vehicle. However, that does not mean that accidents involving commercial or public buses never happen. As you may have unfortunately just learned, bus crashes can cause serious and long-lasting injuries when they do occur.
If you were injured due to the misconduct of a bus driver, bus company, or public transportation agency, you should strongly consider reaching out to a Murfreesboro bus accident lawyer from Ponce Law for help pursuing civil recovery. These claims are often more challenging than people expect. Working with a personal injury attorney from a firm that has been repeatedly voted Nashville’s Best by the Tennessean’s Best of Music City Awards can give you the strongest chance at a successful outcome.
Bus companies and individual bus drivers are legally considered common carriers because they transport human passengers—rather than cargo—in exchange for compensation. For this reason, bus operators have an expanded duty of care compared to most other drivers on public roads. This duty of care requires them to act responsibly and avoid putting their passengers in harm’s way.
For example, if a bus passenger falls and gets hurt because their driver took a turn too sharply, that passenger might have the same grounds to file suit as someone who was hurt through a traffic collision that the same bus driver caused. A Murfreesboro attorney from our team can explain what filing options might be available in your unique bus accident case during a private initial meeting.
Tennessee state law imposes unusually strict limits on the rights of personal injury victims to sue for damages, and we can help you understand and navigate these limitations. Most notably, state law caps civil recovery for non-economic damages, such as physical pain and psychological distress, at $750,000 in most cases. It also typically allows injury victims just one year to file suit after they initially sustain harm.
The Tennessee Tort Claims Act also imposes some important restrictions on the rights of people injured in public bus crashes to sue over their injuries. While this Act does nullify the immunity that government entities usually have from all forms of civil liability, it also limits total compensation from ensuing settlements or court verdicts to:
Additionally, you have a 12-month deadline to file claims of this nature. Our lawyers in Murfreesboro can help you comply with all these requirements after your public transportation accident and pursue the maximum amount of compensation possible.
Being involved in a traffic accident or sustaining injuries in any other way aboard a commercial or public vehicle can be a uniquely frightening and life-altering experience. No matter what losses you have suffered due to a bus driver or bus company’s negligence, you deserve full and fair restitution.
We are longtime residents of middle Tennessee with years of experience fighting tenaciously for people like you, and we have the credentials, awards, and case results to prove it. Call Ponce Law today to learn what a Murfreesboro bus accident lawyer can do to help you recover.
