Some of the most common types of injuries in bus accidents include:
- Broken bones
- Cuts and lacerations
- Internal injuries
- Head,neck, and spine injuries
- Psychological injuries
Whether it is a passenger on the bus, an occupant of another vehicle, or a pedestrian or cyclist, all victims of a bus accident are susceptible to a serious injury.
Broken bones
Broken bones can occur when passengers on a bus fall or are crushed, when pedestrians or cyclists are hit by a bus, or when occupants of a passenger vehicle are struck by a bus. Some fractures may be relatively simple breaks that heal over time, while others may be more complex and require multiple surgeries. Still others may result in permanent disability.
Cuts and lacerations
The windows, poles, and benches on a bus can become dangerous during a crash, causing cuts and lacerations among the passengers.
Occupants of passenger vehicles that collide with a bus are also susceptible to cuts and lacerations due to broken windows and other sharp objects both inside and outside of the vehicle.
Some cuts and lacerations may heal relatively quickly on their own or with stitches, but deeper cuts can cause severe blood loss or tissue damage. These more serious cuts and lacerations may cause permanent scarring and deformation, and often require plastic surgery. Further, deeper lacerations can potentially become infected, which may lead to severe complications or even death.
Internal injuries
As expected, pedestrians and bicyclists who are hit by a bus are often severely injured due to having zero protection from a vehicle, and some of these injuries may be internal.
Some common internal injuries resulting from a bus accident include:
- Internal hemorrhaging
- Punctured lungs
- Lacerations to the liver
- Damage to the kidney
If not treated immediately, these injuries can quickly become fatal.
Head, neck, and spinal cord injuries
Victims of bus accidents are also vulnerable to head, neck, and spinal cord injuries due to sudden stops and the external and internal impact with other people, objects, or vehicles.
These injuries can range from concussions, to broken bones in the neck or back, to paralysis, to traumatic brain injuries. All of these injuries can easily change the victim’s life forever and tragically render that person permanently disabled. Not only may these disabilities make it impossible for the victim to ever live on his or her own, but they may also prove to be fatal.
Psychological injuries
An experienced personal injury lawyer knows that psychological injuries are common for victims of bus accidents, as victims of traumatic events may develop any number of psychological disorders, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD can be severely debilitating for years or even decades if not treated properly, thus significantly impacting the quality of the victim’s life in future years.
Why bus accidents are particularly dangerous
Buses are generally much larger and heavier than regular passenger vehicles, which poses a heightened danger for pedestrians, bicyclists, and occupants of other vehicles that are victims of a Los Angeles MTA bus accident.
Passengers on a bus involved in an accident can also be at increased risk, as they often are not wearing seatbelts or may be standing or walking at the time of impact. The bus may be overcrowded, and heavy items such as luggage may not be safely secured.
The right attorney can make a big difference
At Salamati Law, we have been advocating for Southern Californians during the most stressful periods of their lives for the past 25 years. If you or someone you love has been injured in a bus accident, hiring a qualified personal injury attorney can make all the difference in your case, and failing to do so can cost you and your family millions of dollars.
Reach out today for your free consultation
Salamati Law offers FREE initial consultations, and we stand by our policy of charging no attorney fees unless we win your case and recover damages on your behalf. Our phone lines are always open, so contact Los Angeles bus accident attorney Sean Salamati today for your free consultation.
