Naperville Bus Accident Lawyers
If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a bus accident in Illinois, contact an experienced Naperville bus accident lawyer at Chute, O’Malley, Knobloch & Turcy for assistance with your claim. Whether your accident involved a public transit bus, school bus, or private charter, our law firm can help. We will fight to ensure you receive maximum compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
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Types of Bus Accident Cases We Handle
Our Naperville injury law firm represents injured victims (plaintiffs) in a wide range of bus accident cases. Whether you suffered injuries as a passenger, pedestrian, or driver in another vehicle, our experienced attorneys have the experience, skill, and resources it takes to ensure that the party or parties responsible for your accident are held accountable.
We handle injury cases involving :
Public Transit Bus Accidents
Accidents involving public transit buses, such as those operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), can result in serious injuries for passengers, pedestrians, and other motorists. These cases often involve government entities, requiring compliance with strict filing deadlines and specific procedures.
School Bus Accidents
Whether the accident occurred due to school bus driver negligence, inadequate maintenance, or another driver’s actions, we’ll work to hold responsible parties accountable and secure compensation for your medical expenses and emotional trauma.
Charter and Private Bus Accidents
Accidents involving charter buses, private shuttles, or tour buses often involve unique challenges. This includes determining liability among private companies, third-party contractors, or drivers. In many cases, these types of claims involve multiple defendants.
Intercity and Greyhound Bus Accidents
Intercity buses, such as Greyhound or Megabus, travel long distances and can be involved in high-speed crashes on highways and interstates. Our attorneys understand the federal and state regulations governing these buses and will fight to obtain full and fair compensation on your behalf.
Driver Negligence Cases
Many bus accidents are caused by the negligence of other drivers. Examples include speeding, distracted driving, fatigue, and impaired driving. If another driver’s reckless or negligent behavior caused the accident, we’ll help you file a personal injury claim against that party’s insurance company.
Bus Maintenance Failures
Poor maintenance can lead to brake failures, tire blowouts, or engine malfunctions, increasing the likelihood of a crash. We pursue claims against bus companies, maintenance providers, or other responsible parties to ensure they are held accountable for their negligence.
Employer Negligence and Vicarious Liability
If a bus company fails to properly vet or train its drivers, or if it encourages unsafe practices like over-scheduling, it may share liability for an accident. We investigate these situations to hold the employer accountable for its role in the crash.
Passenger Injuries
Passengers inside a bus may suffer injuries due to a crash, sudden stops, or poor safety protocols. Whether the accident involved a collision or other hazardous event, we can help you pursue compensation for your injuries.
How to File a Bus Accident Claim
The bus accident claims process can be intimidating for victims, especially when dealing with multiple liable parties or government entities. Mistakes or omissions can significantly impact your ability to hold liable parties accountable for your losses. Working with an experienced attorney ensures that your case is handled effectively, giving you the best chance at a successful outcome. Filing a claim after a bus accident involves the following steps.
Gathering Evidence for Your Bus Injury Claim
The first step in the bus accident claims process involves investigating the incident and gathering relevant evidence. This includes collecting videos, photographs, witness statements, medical reports, and medical bills relating to your injuries.
Determining Liability for Your Injuries
The next important step is determining the liable party or parties in your claim. This can prove tricky, due to the various entities that could be held liable. For instance, defendants in your claim might include a bus driver, a bus company, a government entity, a defective parts manufacturer, or even a mechanic who was responsible for maintaining the bus.
Proving Negligence in a Bus Accident Case
Additionally, you must prove that the defendant or defendants were negligent. You’ll need to show that they owed you a duty of care, they breached that duty, and that the said breach caused you to suffer injuries and losses. Since buses are common carriers that provide transportation for hire, they owe the public a higher level of care to prevent harm. As such, even slight acts of negligence may be enough to establish liability for bus accident injuries.
When you hire our attorneys at Chute, O’Malley, Knobloch & Turcy, we’ll handle the claims process on your behalf, so you can focus on what’s more important – getting better.
Client Testimonials
“My wife was head on hit in her lane while driving home. She had multiple injuries and the car was totaled.
Although the at fault driver got 5 tickets for the violence driving, but the worst case was that driver does not have insurance.
Michael Knobloch helped us go through the difficult time. One year later, we got the settlement with my own car insurance company for the compensation, and my health insurance company for the huge medical bill. We are very happy with the results. Thanks a lot, Mike.”
Everyone was outstanding, great communication and helpful in explaining how this process would work.
I highly recommend Tom and his team.
I was unceremoniously included in a physics lesson that the driver behind me was forced to learn because a cigarette had the opportunity to demonstrate the laws of gravity as well as angular momentum to the driver. After the accident I wanted legal advice but all of the heavily advertised law firms had that “Better Call Saul” / ambulance chaser feel. What I wanted was a Law Firm that I felt comfortable with and I could trust. So, I asked my Uncle for a recommendation. Chute, O’Malley, Knobloch & Turcy was at the top of his list as well as his friends list. My Uncle and his friends and been using this Law Firm for decades for much more serious injuries than mine. Thomas Chute was my lawyer and he was excellent. That said, what I was most impressed with was the staff. Each was a joy to interact with, got my dark sense of humor and were thoroughly knowledgeable about what questions they could and could not answer with regard to legal inquires. The fact that every person, including Thomas, was a joy to work work with speaks volumes to the leadership at Chute, O’Malley, Knobloch & Turcy.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Bus Accident?
Several parties might be able to be held liable for injuries in a bus accident claim. The most common defendant is the bus driver, but the bus manufacturer, the bus company itself, and road maintenance companies can also be held liable for injuries. If the collision involved a city bus, the local government could be held liable as well. By identifying all factors that played a role in the accident, our attorneys can ensure that all negligent parties are held accountable.
What Are Common Causes of Bus Accidents?
There are many factors that can contribute to a bus accident. Some common causes include:
- Fatigue: If a bus driver is fatigued, the amount of time it takes for their brain to register outside stimuli, such as sights and sounds, is typically increased. Slower reaction times increase the risk of the bus colliding with another vehicle or pedestrian.
- Improper Maintenance: Improper maintenance increases the risk of a bus accident because critical components, such as brakes, tires, or steering systems, are more likely to malfunction.
- Distracted Driving: Switching the radio station, reaching for something in the back seat, and talking or texting on the phone are all examples of distracting behaviors that can take a driver’s attention off the road.
- Speeding: Speeding impacts the driver’s ability to control the vehicle, making actions such as stopping or turning difficult. In addition to increasing the risk of an accident, speeding makes the impact of a collision a lot worse.
- Impaired Driving: Driving a bus while under the influence of drugs (including some prescription drugs) or alcohol impairs judgment, reaction times, and focus – significantly increasing the changes of a wreck.
Is There a Time Limit for Filing a Bus Accident Claim?
In Illinois, the statute of limitations sets a time limit for filing a bus accident claim, typically giving you two years from the date of your injury to take legal action. However, certain circumstances may increase or decrease this deadline. For instance, if you were a minor at the time of the accident, the time limit is paused until you turn 18. A bus accident attorney can help you understand how these rules apply to your specific case.
What Damages Can You Claim in a Bus Accident Case?
In a bus accident claim, you can claim economic and non-economic damages for your losses. In some cases, you may even be awarded punitive damages as well.
Economic Damages
Also known as special damages, economic damages are the tangible losses you can claim in your bus accident case. These can refer to medical expenses relating to your accident, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and property damage.
Non-Economic Damages
Also referred to as general damages, non-economic damages are the subjective losses you incurred because of your accident. Examples include loss of consortium (companionship), emotional distress, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Punitive Damages
These damages are awarded in some cases where it is determined that the liable party acted in extreme negligence. Punitive damages are designed to punish the wrongdoer to discourage this type of behavior from occurring in the future. You cannot be awarded punitive damages if your case involves a government entity.
What Injuries Are Common in Bus Accidents?
Accidents involving buses often lead to more severe injuries than those involving only smaller motor vehicles. Broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, scrapes, burns, bruises, and lacerations are a few examples of the types of injuries you can suffer. In some cases, bus accidents could lead to one or more fatalities.
Do I Need to See a Doctor After My Accident?
It is crucial that you seek medical attention right away if you were involved in a bus accident, even if you feel fine. Some injuries may not be apparent at first, and it may take time for symptoms to manifest. By the time these injuries start to show symptoms, they could be much worse than they would have been if proper medical intervention had been initiated earlier. Additionally, if you wait to see a doctor, the defense might argue that your injuries were not as severe as you claim, or that your injuries were not from the accident. Seeking medical attention as soon as possible and getting an official medical record of your injuries can help strengthen your case.
Related Videos About Bus Accidents
What Should You Do After a Bus Accident?
Knowing what to do after a bus accident can protect your well-being and your right to recover compensation from the responsible parties.
After a bus accident in Illinois, the first thing you should do is call 9-1-1 to get emergency medical services and law enforcement on the way. Move to a safe location and assess your injuries, then check on the condition of other people who were involved in the accident. Provide assistance to other victims if you are able to do so.
While you’re waiting for paramedics and the police to arrive, gather evidence from the accident scene if you can. Take pictures or videos of vehicle damages, your injuries, passenger injuries, and the surrounding area. Make sure to capture any traffic lights or signs in the pictures or video as well. Witness statements are also a good form of evidence, so make sure to take down contact information for anyone who may have seen the crash occur.
If your injuries don’t require immediate medical attention, be sure to get checked out by your doctor as soon as possible after your accident, just in case. Sometime, the symptoms of serious internal injuries don’t show up for a few hours, or even days after a person suffers harm. Without medical treatment, these types of injuries can be deadly.
As soon as your condition is stable, contact an experienced bus accident lawyer near you to make sure your rights are protected. Request a free consultation and case evaluation to determine whether legal options are available to you and to learn more about how to recover compensation for your losses.
Call Our Naperville Bus Accident Lawyers Today
If you’ve been seriously injured in a bus accident in Illinois, our attorneys at Chute, O’Malley, Knobloch & Turcy want to hear from you as soon as possible. You are owed justice from the insurance company who represents the liable party. Call us today to set up your free initial consultation.
