Were you injured in a car accident involving a bus in Columbus, GA? Whether you were a bus passenger, driving your own vehicle, or simply walking down the street, you may deserve compensation. You can make the most of your compensation award by calling an experienced Columbus bus accident lawyer at Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm for a free consultation.
With over 26 years of legal experience, our founding attorney has already recovered tens of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts.
Do you have questions about your legal options after a bus wreck? Contact our law offices in Columbus, Georgia at 706-940-4030 to schedule your free consultation today.
How Can Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm Help You After a Bus Accident in Columbus, GA?
Negligent bus drivers and bus companies won’t be quick to cut you a fair deal after an accident. In fact, they’ll be working hard to minimize their own liability. That often means they’ll try to blame you or someone else. You’ll have to put up a strong fight to recover the fair compensation you deserve.
That’s why an experienced Columbus personal injury attorney should be your first call. Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm has earned an AV-Preeminent rating from the Martindale-Hubbell lawyer rating service. That’s the highest rating a law firm can earn.
While you recover, our team will:
- Investigate to determine why the crash happened, how it could have been avoided, and who is responsible
- Seek compensation from all parties who share blame
- Defend against allegations that you caused the crash
- Handle insurance settlement negotiations
- Make sure you understand your case value so you can reject lowball offers
- Bring your case to trial if necessary
We’re always here to answer your questions and help you understand your legal options. Just call for a free consultation with a Columbus personal injury lawyer who can help today.
How Common Are Bus Accidents in Georgia?
The METRA Transit System serves Columbus and the greater Muscogee County area. Currently, ten routes exist to help residents and visitors alike get from point A to point B.
These buses don’t operate in a vacuum. They share the roads with smaller passenger vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. And, unfortunately, bus accidents aren’t uncommon in Georgia.
According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports, across the state of Georgia, 615 buses were involved in accidents in 2023. 429 people were injured, and at least three victims lost their lives in those crashes. That’s a significant increase from 2022, when only 278 bus accident injuries were reported.
What is My Columbus Bus Accident Case Worth?
Most injury victims wonder how much their case is worth. Your case value will generally depend on what types of injuries you’ve suffered and how much those injuries have changed your life.
Here are some things to keep in mind when discussing your case value:
- What are your medical treatment costs to date?
- Are you expected to suffer any long-term or permanent disability?
- Are you losing income while you recover?
- Will you be able to return to work in the same capacity?
- Will you need ongoing medical care or rehab? How much will it cost?
- How has the injury impacted your daily life?
- Has your quality of life suffered?
- Do you struggle with mental health issues, like depression or PTSD, because of the crash?
- How much were your vehicle repair costs?
- Is there evidence to prove you contributed to the crash?
When assessing your case value, our lawyers may bring in experts who can testify about various aspects of the accident and injury.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Bus Accident Victims in Columbus, Georgia?
Compensatory damages fall into two classes: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages compensate for financial losses, including:
- Current medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential and disability
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing care
- Property damage
Non-economic damages can be awarded to compensate for subjective and personal losses, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
Our Columbus bus accident attorney will carefully review the details of your case. That way, we’ll be able to fully appreciate the losses you’ve suffered and fight for every available dollar.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Columbus, GA?
There’s no upfront cost to hire us for your legal representation. We work on a contingency fee basis. When we recover compensation for our clients, we take a percentage of that compensation.
How Can Georgia’s Shared Fault Laws Impact My Right to Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Bus Accident?
Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence law with a 50% bar to recovery. In plain English, you keep your right to damages if your share of fault is less than 50%. Your compensation is reduced by your share of fault.
Once your percentage of fault reaches 50%, you’re barred from recovering any compensation at all.
Who Can Be Held Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?
Anyone who shares legal responsibility for the accident can be held liable for your damages.
That might include:
- The bus driver
- The METRA transit system and other government agencies
- Private bus companies
- School districts
- Private school bus companies
- Bus maintenance companies
- Manufacturers of defective bus parts
- Third-party drivers
- Employers of negligent drivers
- Property owners
Bus accident cases are different from your average car accident case. Buses are common carriers. They typically transport passengers to make a profit. That means bus drivers and owners are held to a higher standard of care.
Most bus drivers are also employees. The company that hires them can be held liable if the driver’s negligence causes a crash. So, even if the bus driver caused the accident, we may actually file your lawsuit against someone else.
Our Team in Columbus Will Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Bus Accident Injuries
At Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm, we often represent accident victims who have sustained:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Burns
- Broken bones
- Nerve injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Facial injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Amputations and loss of limbs
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
It’s important to get medical attention as soon as you can after a bus accident in Columbus. Get to the closest emergency room to get checked out. Sometimes you might not realize you’ve suffered an injury until hours or even days have passed.
What Are the Leading Causes of Bus Accidents in Columbus, Georgia?
Most accidents are caused by negligence. That’s true even though bus drivers must obtain a commercial driver’s license to operate the vehicle in Georgia. School bus drivers are subject to even stricter requirements.
Still, many bus accidents happen because of:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Racing through a yellow light
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Tailgating
- Inexperienced bus drivers
- Aggressive driving
- Unsafe passing
- Wide turns
- Drunk driving or drug use
- Negligent hiring or failure to properly screen bus drivers
- Improper vehicle maintenance
Bus drivers aren’t always responsible for bus accidents, of course. Third-party driver negligence, road hazards, and even bad weather can all contribute to the cause of a bus wreck.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Bus Accident in Georgia?
Negligence means that someone owed you a duty of care and breached it in some way. If that breach of duty caused your accident, you can seek compensation for your damages.
Bus drivers are common carriers in Georgia. Under Georgia law, they’re held to a heightened standard of care because they get paid to transport passengers. That can make it easier to prove the bus driver somehow breached their duty of care. Even a small mistake can be enough to establish negligence.
Still, you’ll need to give the insurance company evidence to establish every element of your claim. That evidence may include:
- Accident reports
- Video surveillance footage from dash cams, traffic lights, and smartphones
- Photos and video of the accident scene
- Details about the bus driver’s CDL and qualifications
- Bus maintenance records
- Details about the bus company’s hiring practices
- Medical records
- Cell phone records
- Witness statements
- Drug and alcohol test results
You probably don’t have the time or energy to collect the evidence you need. That’s okay. Call our law firm in Columbus today, and let us handle the investigation.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Bus Accident in Georgia?
In Georgia, injury victims generally have only two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. This two-year statute of limitations starts running on the date of your accident. If a government transit agency is a defendant, however, you’ll have less time to take legal action.
Contact a Trusted Columbus Bus Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you were injured in a bus accident, count on Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm to handle your legal representation. We offer a free consultation with an experienced Columbus bus accident lawyer, so call to schedule yours today.
