Bus Accident Attorneys
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Massachusetts Bus Accident Lawyers Fighting for Your Rights
Our accident attorneys will tell you that bus accidents may not be as common as car accidents, but they do happen too often in the State of Massachusetts. The most devastating part of a bus accident is that a collision will not just affect the drivers, but can also injure or even kill any other passengers on the bus.
Who is at Fault?
Negligence of the bus driver: In Massachusetts, there have been some counties that are under scrutiny for letting negligent bus drivers off the hook after a crash, then not properly retraining them because it is too expensive. At times, it can be the fault of the bus driver if they become distracted and have to make a sudden maneuver to avoid a collision – large buses are difficult to control in a situation like this. Bus drivers, including school bus drivers, are sometimes guilty of paying attention to phone calls, text messages, and other things that distract them from the road and the safety of their passengers.
Mechanical failure or malfunction: The companies and owners of these buses have a legal obligation to maintain them and make sure they are routinely serviced. These regular checkups are meant to avoid bus accidents, but sometimes when there is a malfunction with the steering or brakes that cause an accident, the bus company can be found negligent if they are not able to show the bus was adequately serviced.
Types of Bus Accidents
Bus accidents are generally broken down into three categories. An attorney handling bus accidents should be familiar with these types of cases, the laws, and the regulations.
Commercial Bus Accident: A commercial bus (also called an intercity bus) is a transit service that takes passengers a significantly long distance. Unlike a transit bus that has frequent stops throughout, a transit service will generally have a starting point and a destination. This distance could be from city to city or state to state. Greyhound is one of the more popular commercial bus companies.
Transit Bus Accident: Transit buses (public buses) are the buses we see every day to and from work. Combine all the going and stopping with cars trying to drive around the buses (as well as cutting them off) and it is no surprise these buses end up in accidents. Unfortunately, these buses tend to be involved in pedestrian accidents and fatalities.
School Bus Accident: This is the most common bus accident each year. According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 1,236 fatal school transportation-related crashes from 2001 to 2010.
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