Legal Issues in a Seattle-area Bus Accident

Anyone harmed in a crash involving a public or private bus should seek legal advice quickly to preserve and understand potential legal claims.

Any crash involving a bus is potentially dangerous, even deadly. Just by the sheer size and weight of a private or public transit bus or of a school bus, bus passengers, people in other vehicles, and motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians are at high risk of serious injury in an accident with a bus.

Legal and factual issues stemming from a bus collision can be very complex, so the victim of such a crash should seek legal counsel as early as possible after the incident. Early examination of the potential legal remedies will allow time to meet any legal filing deadlines, and if the bus owner or operator is a public entity, a lawsuit will likely be more complicated than one against a private party.

It is also important to retain a lawyer early so that they can launch an investigation on behalf of the client. Such an investigation can cast a wide net, as the accident may have been complex. Witnesses should be interviewed while their memories are still sharp and there may have been many people involved. The scene of the crash will be studied, and an accident reconstructionist may be retained to help understand exactly what happened and who was at fault.

The legal team must review many related items like trip logs, driver training records, maintenance and repair records, employment records, driving records, police records, and others.

Bus systems are common carriers, which owe the highest duty of care toward their passengers “commensurate with the practical operation of its services at the time and place in question,” to repeat a phrase cited throughout Washington cases from Price v. Kitsap. A bus driver would also be liable for injuries to people harmed because of the bus driver’s negligent or reckless driving.

Some of the potentially responsible parties may include:

• The bus driver
• Drivers of other vehicles
• The owner or operator of the bus, like King County Metro Transit, a school district, or a private company
• The manufacturer of the bus, or of parts or components of the bus, if a faulty design or negligent manufacturing contributed to the accident
• Maintenance companies or mechanics who performed negligent repair or substandard maintenance
• The dangerous design of the roadway involved
• Negligent maintenance of the roadway
• Involved insurance companies

Contact a Bus Accident Lawyer Today

This article provides basic information about bus accidents – a subject that is complex. A lawyer can answer questions about a particular incident involving a bus.

The attorneys at Dubin Law Group with offices in Seattle, Everett, and Belleview represent injured victims of bus accidents and surviving family members of people killed in bus crashes.

Matthew D. Dubin

Matt Dubin has spent more than 20 years honing his skills as one of the top personal injury lawyers in the State of Washington. In his career, Matt has focused on protecting consumers from dangerous household products, medical mistakes, roadway accidents, and many other causes of injury. Matt has recovered nearly $20 million on behalf of his clients.

Education

• University of Washington School of Law, Seattle, Washington – J.D.
• Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut – B.A.

request free consultation call us at (206) 800-8000

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