If You Get Hurt On The Bus, You Have Options, Including Calling A Personal Injury Lawyer

Picture this. One day you're riding on your local public transportation system. Your bus is very full, so you're standing in the center aisle. The bus is travelling on a busy thoroughfare, when all of the sudden the driver slams on the brakes and you fall down, hitting your head. Unfortunately, this situation is all too common. You have options though, including filing a complaint, seeking the assistance of a personal injury lawyer, and demanding safer streets and buses from your elected representatives.

Those people who choose to ride public transportation - buses, the subway, or local light rail - make that choice for myriad reasons. For some it's to save money. For others it's because of limited parking. And some other people are making an environmentally friendly choice. Whatever the reason, each public transportation rider deserves a safe and responsive system.

If you find yourself injured on public transit, your first priority should be to stabilize your medical situation. If you're in a medical crisis, have another passenger or the driver call the paramedics. The paramedics will assess your immediate physical condition, and will take you to the hospital if necessary.

A great next step is to contact a personal injury lawyer. These lawyers specialize in helping people injured by others in recovering monetary damages. Their expertise can be incredibly helpful in resolving your situation.

So what can a lawyer do for you? They often have relationships with local medical providers, so an attorney can be a strong advocate for you to get the essential longer-term medical care you need.

A personal injury attorney will also help you communicate with the transit agency. Often these agencies have a system in place through which injured passengers can make claims. An attorney can help you submit your claim to the agency, and will draft the claim in such a way as to address the full extent of your injuries, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Often, transit agencies will fight a passenger claim, or will attempt to settle it for far lower than the actual cost of injury. At this stage, having a personal injury lawyer is essential. He or she can then help file a lawsuit against the transit agency. During the legal proceeding, the lawyer will ensure that the injured passenger's interests are protected. He or she will work with the court to compel the agency to make available documents about the bus accident, including the driver's safety record and any security camera footage that was taken on-board the bus. And the attorney will represent the injured passenger in court, fighting for a full and just resolution of the claim.

Even if you resolve your issue, there are many bus drivers who are not driving as safely as they could, or cities that are planned in such a way to ensure safe traffic flow for public transit commuters. After you've addressed your injury, it's important to raise your voice to the local, state, and federal officials who administer and regulate public transportation agencies. They should know about your situation, and hear your ideas for improving the safety of public transport.

Unfortunately, many people are injured on commuter buses and trains each year. If you find yourself in this situation, it's important to file a claim, to seek the assistance of a public injury lawyer, and to raise your voice to ensure a safe and effective public transportation system.