Public Transport Accidents

The use of public transportation - namely city buses - to get from place to place is a cost-effective option for many people in South Carolina, offering relief from the expense of car ownership and maintenance. While there are numerous benefits to using buses, there can also be dangers. While buses might be considered a safer option than standard automobiles, accidents involving buses can be particularly destructive. Our South Carolina bus accident attorneys are there to help victims of these rare but horrible accidents.

Bus drivers must go through specialized training order to get their license. They are educated about everything from special lanes to regulations about passing buses, and they go through ongoing operator education. Still, wrecks happen and when they do there can be major consequences. Motorists and pedestrians struck by buses may have greater injuries and loss of property than the victims of accidents involving regular sized vehicles. The injuries that could happen in these cases means victims often need the help of an experienced South Carolina bus accident attorney like those at Grimes Teich Anderson. Our trial tested attorneys know the law and they know how to protect your rights. They may be able to help you get benefits to which you may be entitled under the law.

Pedestrians aren’t the only ones who can suffer great loss in accidents involving public transportation. Passengers of public transportation may also suffer major injuries and loss of property. As the number of individuals – each with their own eyewitness accounts and personal damages - increases, the network of legal issues associated with a public transportation accident situation can become more complicated. Unlike car accident cases, where the insurance of the individual(s) at fault is supposed to pay for the damages and injuries to the accident victims, there may be additional considerations in crashes involving public transportation. There can be claims against the public entity operators, the bus, and claims against other motorists. The personal injury attorneys at Grimes Teich Anderson are knowledgeable and experienced in South Carolina law as it pertains to these wrecks.

As with all insurance cases involving the South Carolina transit system, determining the at-fault party is a first step in seeking a benefits package for damages sustained in an accident. For accidents involving a bus operated by the South Carolina government, proving that the bus driver was at fault may be influenced by internal monitoring systems of the buses.  Buses can have video recorders and electronic black box data recorders. These can provide valuable evidence so it needs to be secured as soon as possible.  Liability limits can apply to actions against government employers for negligence. This can mean that the damage sustained by even one victim could far exceed the benefits the state is ready to pay out. Our trial experienced injury lawyers know how to help victims get the maximum amount to which to they may be entitled to help cover their medical treatment, lost wages associated with injury, and other accident-related expenses.

In cases where the government is not the operator of the public transit vehicle these claims limitations may not apply, but there can still be the insurance limits that apply. Sometimes, proving that the driver is the at-fault party may be a difficult part of the case. These companies have the financial resources and their own attorneys to help to block the claims of victims. The lawyers at Grimes Teich Anderson know the law and stand up to insurance companies in defense of their clients. Call us today for your free injury consultation.