Riverside Bus Accident Attorneys

Riverside Bus Accident Attorneys at Bisnar Chase have spent over 40 Years representing victims injured in bus accidents, establishing an impressive 96% Success Rate.

With over $500 Million won for our clients, contact us to see if we can help get your compensation maximized. Taking the bus is a cost-effective way to get around Riverside County. In September 2013, The Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) received a first-place AdWheel Award from the American Public Transportation Association for its many accomplishments in the fiscal year 2012.

The RTA in fact experienced historic highs in ridership that year because more and more Riverside residents are using mass transit. Riding the bus is typically safe, but when mishaps do occur, they can result in devastating injuries or fatalities.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, contact us today at 951-530-3711 to speak to one of our experienced inland empire personal injury lawyers for a FREE consultation.

Under California personal injury law, you are entitled to compensation for your injuries as well as your pain and suffering. Bisnar Chase will deliver you compensation that will cover the cost of your recovery, and if we don't, you don't pay a dime!

Common Causes of Riverside Bus Accidents

There are many reasons why bus accidents occur in Riverside County. The most common causes include:

• Driver negligence: Speeding, distracted or impaired driving can put passengers and others on the roadway at great risk. Federal law also requires bus drivers and other commercial operators to get adequate rest before they get on the road. The drivers are required to maintain records logging the number of hours they drive and the number of hours they rest.
• Company negligence: It is not only the responsibility of companies to hire skilled drivers, but also to make sure the vehicles are properly maintained. When a crash occurs due to poor vehicle maintenance, the bus company can be held liable. The company, as the employer, can also be held liable when a crash occurs due to driver negligence.
• Defective products: If a defective product causes a bus accident, the manufacturer of that defective part can be held liable

In this ABC News video, the discuss the dangers of buses, and more specifically the safety of our children in school buses, where seat belts are not required.

California Bus Accident Statistics

Of the 311 people killed in bus accidents nationwide in the year 2009, 39 were in California.

Also, 1,140 people were injured in California bus accidents during that same year. Of the 2,815 motor vehicle crashes that resulted in traffic deaths, 23 involved buses. Between the years 2001 and 2010, there were 1,236 fatal school transportation-related crashes nationwide.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the fatal school bus-related crashes accounted for only .34 percent of the total fatal motor vehicle accidents during that time period.

Of the 1,368 people killed in school transportation-related mishaps, 72 percent were people who were in other vehicles, 21 percent were non-occupants such as pedestrians and bicyclists and 7 percent were occupants of school vehicles.

Riverside Bus Crashes

There has been many bus accidents in and near Riverside County recently. In one such accident, 13 people were injured when a bus left the roadway and came to rest against a fence.

According to media reports, the Riverside County accident occurred when the driver tried to get on a highway exit ramp on Interstate 10. Investigators determined that the driver was going too fast and lost control of the vehicle. Of the injuries suffered, 11 were considered minor and two were classified as moderate including a broken arm.

It is a common misconception that these types of accidents are not particularly dangerous because buses are larger than other vehicles and hence safer. Unfortunately, passengers can get thrown around the inside a bus during a collision and suffer blunt force trauma.

A majority of buses do not have seat belts or other safety devices commonly found in smaller vehicles such as front and side air bags. Therefore, passengers can get easily thrown from their seats or even ejected on to the pavement, particularly in rollover accidents. They can even get hit by flying debris inside the vehicle.

The first step in receiving compensation is to identify and determine who was at-fault for the accident that you were involved in. During your free consultation, our skilled Riverside bus accident attorneys will take the details of the case that you convey to them and then help you determine who was responsible for the bus accident as well as how to take action against that party.

If a school bus was the catalyst to the accident that you were involved in, then it is possible to hold the school district that own that bus liable in a court of law. It is the responsibility of the school district to hire and train drivers that can safely transport children from "point A" to point B" without endangering others on the road.

It is also the school district's responsibility to maintain their buses and failure to do so is negligence. If the school district or a driver of the school district acted in a way that was negligent and this course of action lead to your injuries, these parties may be held liable for your injuries.

If the bus is owned by a private company, then that company may be held liable for our injuries. It is the bus owner's responsibility to safely transport those using the bus to travel. In addition, if the bus belonging to the bus owner hurts another individual, it is the responsibility of the owner to compensate for their injuries.

Finally, the bus owner must perform routine maintenance on all the vehicles they own. Many accidents derive from faulty parts as a result of poor maintenance and the owner will be held liable in cases like this.

Government bodies may also be held liable for bus accidents if the vehicle was owned by the state or local government or if the accident was catalyzed by hazardous road conditions that should have been fixed and the responsibility lied with a government body or agency to fix these hazards.

In addition, bus drivers share the road with many drivers and not all of them hold safety to a high regard. If another driver's recklessness or negligence set off a bus accident, that driver can be held liable for your injuries.

The key in these types of cases is to determine whose negligence or lack of pro-activeness lead to your injuries. If you lost a loved one in one of these typed of accidents, you may additionally file a wrongful death case to compensation for lack of companionship and additional pain and suffering.

Wrongful death cases are consider civil and not criminal. This is why your bus accident lawyer can help you take legal action in these types of cases.

What to Do after a Riverside Bus Accident

Anyone injured in an accident should make sure that the authorities have been notified, file a police report and write down important details such as the bus driver's name, vehicle license plate and registration details. It is also important that accident victims seek medical attention right away in order to maximize their chances of a full recovery.

Bus companies owe their passengers the "utmost duty of care." This means that they have legal obligation to safely transport their passengers. If an accident or injury occurs during transit, it is the responsibility of the company to ensure that passengers are fairly compensated for their losses.

If you have been seriously injured in an accident, it would also be in your best interest to contact one of our experienced Riverside bus accident attorneys who will remain on your side, fight for your rights and ensure that you are fairly and fully compensated for all your losses.

Seeking Damages From a Riverside Bus Accident Injury

Accident victims can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, pain and suffering and emotional distress.

Attorneys Serving the Inland Empire for Over 40 Years

The experienced Riverside Bus Accident Lawyers at Bisnar Chase can help guide you through the claim process and ensure that your rights are protected every step of the way. Do not talk to insurance companies or legal representatives of the bus company. Do not accept a settlement or sign an agreement until you have discussed your case with your injury lawyer.

Your Case Evaluation is Free. Please contact one of our Riverside Bus Accident Attorneys right away to obtain more information about seeking damages and pursuing your legal rights after a bus accident injury.

Call us at 951-530-3711 for a Free Consultation.