Due to their immense size, buses naturally tend to inflict catastrophic damage in an accident with a car. This includes serious injuries to the occupants and significant damage to the vehicle itself.
You can still sue even if you were partially at fault
In most accidents, at least one party is negligent. If the accident was entirely your fault, then you may not be able to sue anyone for your damages. However, in California, even if you were partially at fault, you can still sue other parties to recover for your damages. This is due to California’s comparative fault law that reduces the amount you receive per your share of the fault for the accident.
What types of damages can you recover?
If you suffer damages as a result of another party’s negligence or recklessness, then you may be entitled to compensatory damages, both economic and non-economic. In rare cases, you may also be entitled to punitive damages, which serve to punish another party for their egregious and reckless actions.
Some examples of compensatory damages that Los Angeles bus accident lawyers can pursue on your behalf include the following:
- Doctor, hospital, and emergency room bills
- Pain and suffering
- Medical supplies and medications
- In-home care
- Physical therapy
- Lost wages, which covers any compensation that you lost due to this accident
- Lost earning capacity, which covers your future loss of compensation due to this accident
- The cost of repairing your car
- Loss of consortium
- Emotional and psychological suffering
How do you prove negligence?
To prove another party’s negligence, qualified lawyers know that you must prove that there was a duty of care to you, that duty was breached, and that breach played a substantial role in harming you. In general, all motorists owe a duty to other motorists to drive safely and follow all traffic laws– so establishing the element of duty is standard. However, to prove that this duty was breached, you must show that the other driver broke an established traffic law, and that violation led to the accident. A Los Angeles personal injury attorney should be well-versed in all of the above scenarios.
Legal representation is key
How do you prove that the other driver acted unreasonably, and how do you prove that this breach caused your damages? This is where it is up to you to make the right decision for you and your family. To protect your interests, it is crucial that you hire a qualified personal injury attorney to advocate on your behalf. For 25 years, Salamati Law has been here to represent Los Angeles residents through some of the most stressful periods of their lives.
Contact our team of Los Angeles bus accident lawyers for a free consultation
If you were hit by a bus, we have a Los Angeles bus accident attorney waiting to work with you, so contact us to schedule your free consultation. You can reach us 24 hours a day. We work on a contingency-fee-basis, so there are no upfront costs.
