Bus Accident Facts
Were you or someone you know the victim of a bus accident? If so, consider contacting an attorney who can help you decipher the best course of legal action. If your situation results in a lawsuit, Lawsuit Hotline can possibly ease your financial burden during the settlement process.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) regulates bus lines as a common carrier. As such, the agency strives to improve safety standards to prevent accidents that threaten the safety of passengers.
When a bus line does experience a collision or other mishap, NTSB and other investigators attempt to determine the cause. If the root cause is an unsafe practice on the part of the common carrier, injured passengers and/or their families may have the basis for a lawsuit.
Experience
In January 2008, a bus carrying 53 people ran off the road, leapt an embankment, and rolled over near Mexican Hat, Utah. The accident ripped the roof off the bus and ejected all but two of the occupants, killing nine people and injuring 43 others. After probing into the cause, investigators ruled that the vehicle was speeding, and that the driver was fatigued after three days of head congestion.
This accident prompted new discussion among the NTSB and related agencies regarding safety equipment on commercial buses. In the Mexican Hat crash, the only occupants not ejected from the vehicle on impact were the driver and one passenger. The driver was the only one equipped with a seat belt, and the passenger stayed in the vehicle because his leg was pinned. Presently, seat belts are not required safety equipment on commercial buses.
Read the Washington Post article on Bus Accidents and safety rules
Action
Many people that are involved in bus crash lawsuits eventually face financial hardships. Many can’t work and the legal process is long and drawn out. Some cases take many years to resolve. Lawsuit Hotline specializes in the funding of settled and pre-settled bus crash lawsuits. During the funding process, Lawsuit Hotline requests some of the case documentation, underwriting evaluates the lawsuit to determine whether funding can be extended, and if approved, a contract is issued for the injured party and his/her attorney to sign. The injured party’s attorney then repays the lien when the case is resolved. All funding is non recourse, which means that if for any reason, there is no recovery on the case, then no money is owed back.