WESTCHESTER BUS ACCIDENT LAWYERS

Our Westchester bus accident lawyers know that cases involving bus accidents are among some of the most complicated cases because of the strict time limits and counter-intuitive laws. These unclear and often counter-intuitive laws are a trap for the unwary and even small missteps can prevent you from receiving compensation for your personal injuries. If you were injured in a bus accident, you need an experienced bus accident lawyer right away. From our White Plains office, our bus accident lawyers have handled bus accident cases from all over Westchester County, including White Plains, Yonkers, Mount Vernon, Harrison, Valhalla and New Rochelle. Our bus accident lawyers have handled every type of bus accident imaginable, including Bee Line bus accidents, school bus accidents, tour bus accidents and motor coach bus accidents. No matter what type of bus accident you were injured in our attorneys have the experience to get you the compensation that you deserve.

ARE THERE TIME LIMITS TO SUE FOR A BEE LINE BUS ACCIDENT

If you were on a Bee Line Bus, the time limits to file a claim for this type of accident are different than for a standard personal injury case. The Bee Line Bus is run by the County of Westchester, although it is operated by Liberty Lines. For any government run bus, including the Bee line in Westchester, a notice of claim needs to be filed with Westchester County within 90 days of the accident. Also unlike a standard personal injury case like a car accident, the statute of limitations is only a year and ninety days.

SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENTS WE ARE ON YOUR SIDE

CALL OUR WESTCHESTER BUS ACCIDENT LAWYERS

914- 574-8330

One of the most frequent questions our Westchester school bus accident lawyers are asked is

"My child was hurt in an accident while on school bus, What Do I Do?".

The first step is to figure out if the school bus is owned and operated by the school district or a private company. In Westchester, every school district operates differently. Some school districts operate their own buses, while others contract with private companies to provide busing services to their students. If your child was injured on a school bus, which was operated by the school district, then you have to file a notice of claim within 90 days of the accident, with the school district. While the statute of limitations is one year and ninety days from the date of the accident, for a child under eighteen years of age, the statute of limitations is tolled until their eighteenth birthday. If your child was injured in an accident while on a bus that was privately operated, there is no notice of claim requirement.

WHO PAYS MY MEDICAL BILLS IF I WAS HURT IN A BUS ACCIDENT

The laws involving bus accident personal injury claims are complicated. You need an experienced bus accident attorney on your side. There are strict time limits and the insurance companies will deny you the benefits that you are entitled to, if you do not file the claim correctly. The answer to who is responsible for paying your medical bills following a bus accident depends on the following:

Do You Own A Vehicle

While it may seem counter-intuitive, if you own your own vehicle and you were injured in a bus accident, your own insurance company has to pay your medical bills and lost wages. One of the most frequent comments are bus accident lawyers hear is "Why does my insurance company have to be involved, I got hurt on a bus, I don't want my insurance rates to go up". The answer is that is what New York law requires. Do not be afraid to seek the benefits that you are entitled to, you have already paid for the coverage. If you do not file with your own insurance company, then your claim will be denied and you will be stuck with the medical bills or doctors will not treat you for your injuries.

Does Someone In Your Household Own A Vehicle

If someone in your household owns a vehicle, their car insurance company is required to pay your medical bills and lost wages if you were injured in a bus accident. While it seems counter-intuitive, that is how New York law set the system up. Our Westchester bus accident lawyers frequently hear that my relative says their car wasn't involved, why should their insurance company pay? The answer is that is what New York law requires and if you don't file the claim with that insurance company, you will not get the medical treatment that you need, or you will be stuck with the bills.

If You Do Not Own A Vehicle

If you do not own a vehicle or have a vehicle in your household, then the bus company is responsible to pay your lost wages and medical bills. These benefits are more commonly known as no fault benefits and a no fault application has to be filed with the bus company within 30 days of the accident. It is important to get the accident report, because that will identify the correct bus operator to file a no fault claim with. Our Westchester bus accident lawyers can prepare the no fault claim for you during our initial consultation to make sure you are covered.

Car Hit By A Bus

If you were in a car or truck and were hit by a bus, your own car insurance company has to pay your medical bills and lost wages. Your own insurance company is responsible for your medical bills, even if the bus was at fault for the collision. While this may not seem logical, New York wants to make sure your get medical treatment without having to fight over who is at fault. So your own insurance company pays the medical bills and then gets reimbursed from the insurance carrier for the party who is at fault. However, if you were working at the time of the accident, then you are entitled to workers compensation benefits through your employer's workers compensation carrier.

YOU ONLY HAVE 30 DAYS TO FILE

CALL OUR WESTCHESTER BUS ACCIDENT LAWYERS TODAY

914-574-8330

CAN I SUE FOR A BUS ACCIDENT

In a bus accident case, anyone can sue if they were injured because the other party was at fault. If you were a passenger in a bus and were injured in a bus accident, then someone was at fault and you have a lawsuit.

DETERMINING WHO WAS AT FAULT

Bus Pulling Away From Curb

If your accident occurred because the bus collided with a vehicle while pulling away from a bus stop, you can sue the bus company. Bus drivers are responsible to make sure the travel lane is clear for them to move the bus prior to leaving the curb. If your bus hit a vehicle while pulling away from a bus stop, the bus was at fault, although the car may also have been at fault. Driver error is one of the most common reasons for bus drivers hitting a car while pulling away from a curb.

Pedestrian Hit By Bus

If you were a pedestrian in a cross walk and were hit by a bus that was turning, the bus company can be sued for your personal injuries. The most frequent incidence of pedestrians struck by buses, which our Westchester bus accident lawyers see, are turning buses hitting a pedestrian who is crossing the street. If a bus is turning, that means they have the green light, but the pedestrians on the street that they are turning onto also have the walk signal in their favor. In this scenario the pedestrian has the right of way and the bus driver has to yield to the pedestrian in the crosswalk. It is the bus driver's responsibility to make sure the intersection is clear when they turn the bus onto another street. In urban areas of Westchester such as White Plains, Yonkers, New Rochelle, Port Chester and Mount Kisco, bus operators can be inpatient and turn while pedestrians are in the cross walk. If you were hit by a bus, call our Westchester lawyers who represent pedestrians that were hit by a bus.

Vehicle Hit Bus That Was
Going Straight

If a bus was going straight in its lane of travel and was hit by a car or truck that entered its lane, then that the vehicle that came into the lane of the bus is at fault. While the bus driver has a responsibility to keep a proper lookout and brake to avoid an accident, the car that came into the bus lane is primarily at fault and the driver of the car can be sued. If the bus was also at fault, even partially, the bus company can also be sued.

Hit and Run- Bus Accident Where Other Vehicle Fled The Scene

Where a bus is involved in a collision with a vehicle which fled the scene, if the bus driver was at fault for the accident, the bus company can still be sued, even if the other driver fled the scene. Where the driver of the vehicle that hit the bus was at fault and fled the scene, you can make a claim for uninsured motorist benefits. New York law requires that every insurance policy written in New York provide coverage for compensation for injuries caused by uninsured or unidentified motorists. This coverage protects you if you were on a bus, which was hit by a vehicle which fled the scene of the accident.

Bus Hits Another Vehicle

If a bus hits a vehicle that is stopped or rear ends another vehicle, then the bus driver is at fault and the bus company can be sued. Bus drivers are responsible to operate the bus in a safe manner and to keep a proper look out. If a bus hits a stopped vehicle, then the bus is at fault and can be sued. If the bus is changing lanes and hits a car or truck, then the bus company can be sued because the bus is required to make sure it is safe to make a lane change before they move a bus from one lane to another. One of the most frequent causes of buses hitting a car while changing lanes is the bus mirrors not being properly adjusted. Our Westchester bus accident lawyers know that the bus driver at the beginning of their shift, is supposed to adjust the bus mirrors so they do not have any blind spots.

TOUR BUS AND MOTOR COACH ACCIDENTS

If you were injured on a tour bus or motorcoach bus that was travelling through Westchester County, trust our Westchester bus accident lawyers to get you the compensation that you deserve. Motorcoach and tour buses travel through Westchester constantly, for tours between Manhattan and the casinos in Connecticut, as well as for tours to upstate New York, such as Howe caverns. Bus operators have a responsibility to operate the buses safely and to operate the bus in such a manner that they do not get into an accident or cause injuries to their passengers. If you were injured in a tour bus accident, call our Westchester bus accident lawyers today.

WESTCHESTER BUS ACCIDENT LAWYERS

SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENTS WE ARE ON YOUR SIDE

CALL OUR WESTCHESTER BUS ACCIDENT LAWYERS

914- 574-8330