Naperville Bus Accident Lawyer

Bus accidents are unlike those involving passenger vehicles. Injuries tend to be more severe, with more victims, and potentially multiple parties who can be held liable. These all translate to higher stakes for the insurance company and generally more reluctance to fairly compensate victims. On top of this, government entities tend to operate bus lines, and there are different rules for filing claims against them.

Regardless, bus accidents are rarely unavoidable. They almost always result from someone’s negligent conduct. This means that in many cases, victims may have the right to seek compensation for their medical expenses, lost income, and other losses.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Bus Accidents in Naperville?

Understanding why a bus accident happened is one of the most important steps in seeking compensation. Victims have the burden of proof, meaning that they must be able to show what caused the accident and how it ties back to negligence.

In Naperville, some of the most common causes of bus accidents include:

• Driver error: The driver may have been inexperienced or under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash. Distracted driving is another common driver error, often due to cell phone use. Speeding, reckless driving, and other traffic law violations may also be responsible.
• Poor training: Bus accidents caused by poor training are common. Buses are not like passenger vehicles; they are much larger, more difficult to maneuver, and more prone to causing serious accidents. The bus company has a duty to properly train its drivers, and failure to do so may indicate negligence.
• Poor road conditions: The size and weight of a bus amplify the dangers of poor road conditions, such as potholes, poorly designed intersections, and a lack of appropriate signage. Sometimes the bad conditions are due to ice, snow, and other forms of inclement weather.
• Poor vehicle maintenance: Buses require more inspections and maintenance than passenger vehicles do. Neglecting these duties can lead to tire blowouts, brake failure, steering problems, and engine issues, resulting in major accidents.
• Defects: Sometimes the problem is caused by a design or manufacturing defect. For example, the braking system components may have been improperly assembled. The bus might fail to slow down and stop in time, causing a collision.
• Other drivers: When other drivers behave negligently, their actions can cause a wreck. Motorists often cut off buses, fail to yield to them, or suddenly hit their brakes. It can take time and extensive investigation to determine which parties caused the accident.

Common Injuries Resulting From Bus Accidents

Bus accident victims tend to suffer serious injuries because buses are heavier and larger than many other vehicles on the road. Some of the most common injuries resulting from bus accidents include:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), including concussions
• Skull fractures
• Whiplash
• Spinal cord injuries
• Broken bones and fractures
• Soft tissue damage (sprains, strains, torn ligaments, and muscle injury)
• Internal bleeding and organ damage
• Lacerations
• Burns
• Anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other psychological and emotional damages

These and other injuries can lead to significant medical bills, lost wages, and more. Fortunately, victims may be able to recover compensation from the at-fault party for such losses. This is where having a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can make all the difference.

Common Challenges in Bus Accident Cases

Bus accident cases pose a unique set of challenges for accident victims. These are just a few reasons why:

• Multiple responsible parties: From the bus driver and bus company to third-party motorists and government entities, several different parties can be to blame for an accident. Sorting out their respective liability can be difficult.
• Claims against the government: Since buses are often owned and maintained by public transit agencies, they are subject to different rules. Suing the government is more complex, and you need a law firm that understands this.
• Insurance challenges: Bus accident injuries are often severe. This means that bus accident claims can be high-value, and insurance companies are likely to fight even harder to shift or deny liability in order to avoid paying victims what they deserve.
• Evidence and preservation issues: Bus inspection reports, maintenance logs, and onboard camera footage are some examples of the unique evidence you may have in your case. However, accessing and preserving this evidence can be an uphill battle.

Not all law firms are ready to deal with these and other common hurdles. It is imperative that you have a legal team that is ready to contend with these matters from day one.

How the Naperville Bus Accident Lawyers At Power Rogers Can Help

With more than $6 billion recovered for clients across Illinois since 1993, Power Rogers understands the challenges involved in complex injury cases like bus accidents and what it takes to build strong claims. When you retain our Naperville personal injury lawyers, we get to work by:

• Investigating the accident, reviewing the facts, and identifying responsible parties
• Gathering evidence, consulting experts, and building a clear case for negligence
• Calculating the full value of your damages, including current and future losses
• Handling insurance claims, negotiations, and any attempts to deny or reduce liability
• Managing notice and procedural requirements when a government entity is involved
• Filing a bus accident lawsuit and representing you in court when a fair settlement is not offered

Who May Be Held Liable for a Bus Accident in Naperville?

Liability in a bus accident is not always limited to the driver. Depending on how the crash happened, multiple individuals, companies, or public entities may share responsibility. Identifying every potentially liable party is an important part of building a strong claim and pursuing full compensation.

Depending on the facts of the case, liable parties may include:

• The bus driver
• The bus company or private operator
• A city, school district, transit agency, or other government entity
• Another negligent driver involved in the crash
• The manufacturer of the bus or a defective component
• Parts suppliers or distributors
• Third-party maintenance or repair contractors

In many cases, more than one party contributed to the accident. Our job is to investigate what happened, determine where responsibility lies, and hold each liable party accountable.

Types of Compensation Bus Accident Victims Can Recover

Every bus accident is different, and so are the damages that may be available. Depending on the unique facts of your accident, you may be able to seek compensation for the following:

Economic damages

These are for measurable financial losses, such as:

• Medical bills
• Lost income
• Property damage (e.g., damage to a vehicle)
• Out-of-pocket costs, such as transportation to medical appointments

Economic damages also include reasonably estimated future losses that victims are likely to incur. For example, you may have long-term medical care needs long after your case ends. You also may not be able to return to your previous career, thereby losing potentially significant sums of money in future earnings, bonuses, and employment benefits.

Non-economic damages

Compared to economic damages, non-economic damages are more subjective and difficult to calculate. Nonetheless, they exist to compensate the victims for the serious personal losses they suffer because of an accident. Some examples are:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Disfigurement
• Decreased enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium (e.g., the effect of the accident on your relationships)

Wrongful death damages

Fatalities are more likely in bus accidents. In the event the victim dies, eligible survivors can seek a number of wrongful death damages, such as:

• Funeral and burial costs
• Loss of financial support the deceased victim would have provided to their family
• Loss of future earnings and inheritance
• Loss of household services
• Loss of love, companionship, and society
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of parental guidance, instruction, and moral training

Steps To Take After a Bus Accident in Naperville

The aftermath of any accident can feel hard to navigate, but what you do in the minutes and days after the incident can have a significant impact on your health and your legal rights. Here are some of the key steps to take:

• Get to a safe place and call 911: Report the accident and request emergency medical services if anyone has serious injuries. If not, you should still contact the police and notify them of the accident. Law enforcement officers will come to the scene and create an accident report, which may be used to support your claim.
• Seek immediate medical attention: Even if you think you were unharmed or only suffered minor injury, let a doctor make this determination. If you don’t, you could make your injuries worse and allow the at-fault parties to blame you for aggravating your injuries.
• Document the accident scene: Find out the name of the bus company and the badge number of the driver, if possible. Take pictures and record videos of the accident scene, damage to your vehicle (if you were driving), and your injuries. Always err on the side of more pictures and videos.
• Gather eyewitness information: If anyone on or off the bus observed the accident, get their names and contact information. Find out if anyone recorded the accident on a dashcam or smartphone. Ask them to preserve and send a copy of this video evidence to you.
• Make personal notes about the accident: Write down the date, time, and location of the accident. Note the prevailing conditions, such as inclement weather, poor lighting, or slick roads. Include the identities of any nearby businesses that may have surveillance cameras. Also, write down the details of the events leading up to the crash. Do all of this early so you don’t forget any important information.
• Follow your doctor’s advice: Be sure you keep your follow-up appointments, take your prescribed medications, observe any work limitations your doctor orders, and see any specialists to whom you are referred.
• Speak with a Naperville personal injury law firm: As soon as you are able, give our office a call. Our personal injury attorneys can guide you through the claims process and handle your correspondence with the insurance companies.

Common Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Bus Accident Claim

There are certain things you should NOT do after an accident, including:

• Admit liability, even if you think you were somehow responsible
• Speculate as to who may have caused the accident
• Apologize; even saying you are sorry for someone’s injuries could be seen as an admission of liability under certain circumstances
• Post about the accident on social media
• Give any recorded statements to an insurance company without first talking to a lawyer
• Answer any insurance correspondence or agree to any settlements without first talking to a lawyer
• Forego medical attention and miss medical appointments

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Naperville Bus Accident Attorneys

At Power Rogers, we understand what is at stake in your bus accident claim. Our objective is to help you make the strongest possible case for the compensation that you deserve. If you were injured in a Naperville bus accident, contact us to schedule a free consultation. We handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, so you owe no attorney fees unless we win.