Bus Accidents

Bus Injury Attorneys in Durham, NC

We send our children to and from school on buses. More and more, we choose buses for our own recreational travel – they’re relatively affordable, convenient, comfortable, and energy-efficient. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) tells us that buses are one of the safer forms of transportation.

But buses have their dangers. Beyond normal road and traffic hazards, there are risks created by impaired, fatigued, untrained or unqualified drivers, faulty or poorly maintained equipment, and overloading.

If a bus crashes, many people can be injured – more than typically would be injured in an auto accident. And because of the size and weight of buses, and because not all buses have seatbelts, there is a greater risk that crash injuries will be catastrophic or fatal.

Determining who should pay for injuries in a bus accident can be complicated since the operator of a bus is not always its owner. School districts, municipalities, and churches sometimes hire outside companies to operate their buses. Commercial and tour buses are sometimes operated by charter companies. When there is a crash, these outside companies may share responsibility. If a crash results from defective or poorly maintained equipment, a parts manufacturer, inspector, or technician may be implicated.

If you are injured in a bus crash, whether as a passenger, a traveler in another car, a cyclist or pedestrian, it is important that you speak with an attorney. Our attorneys are experienced in investigating bus accidents to identify all responsible parties and hold them accountable. We work with injury victims and their families to secure compensation for medical expenses, lost income, disability, pain and suffering, lost companionship, diminished quality of life, and other damages, and to plan and provide for the future. Please call us for a free consultation.

Bus safety information: FMCSA publishes safety regulations for commercial buses online, and a “Look Before You Book” web page that provides safety information to travelers. It even offers a SaferBus mobile app so that travelers can easily access the safety records of commercial bus lines and report safety violations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website provides similar information for school and activity buses.