Being in a traffic accident can be a major inconvenience. It may derail your day and force you to worry about car repairs and insurance headaches. When a collision involves a bus, the size of the vehicle and the possibility of multiple injured passengers turn an inconvenience into a potential disaster.
If someone else’s negligent actions caused a crash that injured you, whether you were a passenger or the driver of another vehicle, a personal injury attorney could help you seek compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages. A Sarasota bus accident lawyer from our firm could listen to your story and help you understand the options you have to pursue your rights.
Under state law, bus accident victims may file a personal injury lawsuit to claim damages. Typically, these suits must be filed within two years of the date of injury. If you miss this deadline, a time limit called the statute of limitations bars your claim.
One exception to the statute of limitations occurs when you do not immediately discover your injuries. In this case, your lawyer could argue that the countdown to the filing deadline should not begin until you discover, or reasonably should have discovered, your injuries.
Claims against nongovernmental parties, such as other drivers or vehicle manufacturers, must be filed within two years. However, if your claim is against a government entity in Florida, you have three years to file. Therefore, if the accident that caused your injury involved a school or city bus, you may have longer to organize your case.
Contacting a Sarasota lawyer as soon as possible after your bus collision gives us the best opportunity to collect important evidence, including traffic camera footage and eyewitness statements, while it is still available.
Bus accident victims can claim both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include medical bills, lost wages, and property repairs, while non-economic damages compensate victims for less tangible losses, such as pain and suffering, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment of life.
In cases where the at-fault party’s behavior was particularly egregious, the court may also award punitive damages. These damages are not intended to compensate the victim, but instead to punish the wrongdoer and deter future bad behavior.
An experienced Sarasota attorney could consider all expenses, both past and future, associated with your bus accident. They could also help you collect and effectively demonstrate the evidence to create a strong argument for your case. Your lawyer can compare any settlement offers from the at-fault party with the potential damages you might win at trial, helping you decide whether to accept.
Passengers need to be able to trust that they are in good hands when they step onto a bus. Road users need to count on bus drivers to follow traffic rules and avoid reckless maneuvers that might endanger others. When someone’s negligence causes a wreck, the injured parties deserve fair compensation.
Filing a personal injury lawsuit may feel like a lot to take on, especially if a government entity is to blame. You do not have to pursue your case on your own. A Sarasota bus accident lawyer from our firm could help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today to get your life back to where you want it to be.
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