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Four Basic Steps to Take Following a Bus Collision

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Every day, countless children and adults ride buses to and from school and work, while others take buses for tours. Although most bus trips are accident-free, sometimes crashes do occur. When bus collisions happen, they’re usually much more severe than just the usual vehicle fender bender. Because buses are significantly larger and have more occupants than vehicles, bus accidents generally involve more injuries and damages. If you’re involved in a bus collision, it’s important to stay calm and know what to do. Here are four basic steps to take after being in a bus collision, along with a few considerations and warnings.

1. Get Examined And Treated For Injuries By A Trauma Injury Specialist

Even if you have minor injuries or think you’re not injured at all, you should still get checked out by a doctor who specializes in trauma injuries as quickly as possible. Consider how you’ll need a medical exam for injuries that could be hidden, such as fractures or concussions.

Additionally, keep in mind how symptoms for back strain, whiplash and other types of soft tissue injuries can show up the next day or later, so you’ll need to be evaluated for injuries. Another reason to be thoroughly examined is for legal purposes in establishing how an injury may be linked with the bus accident.

2. Contact The Police And Write Down Information

Report the accident to the police right after it happens, unless you need to be promptly transported to a hospital. Although bus drivers are supposed to contact their supervisors and call the police after an accident, they don’t always follow through.

Be sure to write down the number of the bus as well as the number of the license plate. Besides getting the bus driver’s contact information, ask for the phone number of the company owning the bus. This is because both the driver andbus company can be liable for injuries sustained by passengers. Furthermore, if possible, obtain the contact information of any witnesses.

3. Take Photos Of The Accident Scene And Collect Evidence

If you’re able to take pictures, use your cell phone for photographing the accident scene, including any damage to the bus. What’s more, take photos of the specific spot on the bus where you sat when the accident happened. Photograph details, such as skid marks, traffic signs, and stoplights, because they can be used in court as evidence. Photos can help to document your injuries and can be helpful for your attorney when representing you or for negotiating purposes.

4. Contact A Personal Injury Attorney

Get in touch with a personal injury attorney even if you think you have a straightforward or simple case. Consider you may not be able to be reimbursed from parties or people who are liable that you failed to identify, such as the bus manufacturer and bus driver’s supervisor. Sometimes, even a city is liable for an accident caused by highway defects or faulty street layouts.

Other Considerations And Warnings

  • Get out of the bus as soon as possible and exit the scene of the accident as there’s the risk of a bus catching on fire. This is even more critical for passengers on lager buses.
  • Keep organized records of damages caused by the accident. This includes bills, receipts, and other records that can be used in determining the amount of financial damages caused by the crash.
  • In addition to keeping receipts for medical and physical therapy bills, save gasoline receipts from driving to and from a hospital, doctors’ offices, or any other type of healthcare facility.
  • Often, people die in bus accidents because they aren’t wearing seatbelts. For example, only four of the 61 passengers who lost their lives in school bus crashes from 2005 to 2014, wore seatbelts.

Call Meldon Law If A Bus Injured You

Were you recently injured because of the negligence of someone else? If so, don’t hesitate to consult a highly trained and experienced personal injury attorney who is well-versed and proficient in this field of law. When you let the legal specialists at Meldon Law handle your case, you can be assured we’ll pursue the maximum financial compensation for all your injuries and damages. We provide consultations that are completely free of change: please contact Meldon Law online or call us at 800-373-8000.

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