BUS ACCIDENT INJURY ATTORNEY
If you or a loved one was involved in a bus accident and suffered an injury from a bus accident, contact a Texas personal injury lawyer at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP to learn more about your legal rights.
In most states, bus drives and bus companies are held to a higher standard of care than common drivers. Bus drivers and bus companies are referred to as “common carriers.” Common carriers transport people and are responsible for loss or injury during transport. Because common carriers transport precious cargo, they are required to go to extra lengths to protect the people they serve. Furthermore, there are special safety rules and regulations set forth in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) that govern bus drivers and bus companies. Many of the federal regulations governing buses can be found in Part 374 of the FMCSR. Learn more about the FMCSR here.
Unfortunately, bus companies and other motor carrier companies don’t always take the necessary steps to ensure their drivers are driving under optimal physical conditions. Similarly, bus companies don’t always properly maintain the physical condition of their buses. Due to the weight and speed of buses, when there is driver error or mechanical error, the results can be severe or even fatal.
Does the Bus Company Already have an Attorney?
You better believe it. The bus driver and bus company have attorneys ready to defend themselves and their conduct. In some instances, the insurance adjuster may have even arrived on the scene of the accident and asked passengers to fill out forms and sign documents. In many instances, insurance adjusters may be attempting to get you to sign medical releases or other documents that may not be in your best interest. Companies like Greyhound attempt to have passengers fill out C-4 Forms at the scene of the accident in an effort to protect the Company’s interests.
Ask yourself: is the Insurance Adjuster calling you trying to help you or his client?
The fact is that the bus company’s insurance adjuster is trying to protect the interests of the insurance company. In other cases, the bus company may be self-insured or may have hired a risk adjuster to help it directly. In any event, whether it’s the insurance company’s adjuster, the bus company’s employee, or someone else hired by the bus company, one thing is for sure–their interests are not aligned with yours.
From the first instance of becoming aware of the bus accident, you can be assured that the bus company began lining up their attorneys, risk adjusters, and, in some cases, their PR departments in response to the bus accident. These parties work together to minimize the amount of money the insurance company or the bus company has to pay as a result of the bus company’s negligence. Shouldn’t you work with your legal team to outperform the bus company and its legal team to maximize your recovery?
Everything Can And Will Be Used Against You
Before you give a recorded statement or sign any documents, get informed about your legal rights. Anything you say can be used against you to deny your claim and reduce the amount of money you are entitled to. Therefore, we advise our clients NEVER to give a recorded statement.
CONTACT A TEXAS BUS ACCIDENT INJURY ATTORNEY
If you or a loved one has been involved in a bus accident, contact an accident attorney at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP to discuss your legal rights. We don’t collect a fee until we have recovered compensation for you. You have nothing to lose; contact us today.
