Florida is a no-fault state for car accidents, meaning you typically turn to your own insurance company for financial compensation via personal injury protection (PIP). If you were a passenger on the bus, or another accident victim who did not have PIP coverage, you could be entitled to file an insurance claim or lawsuit against the company that owned the bus.
Learn how to sue a bus company after an accident in Florida with these legal insights, including how to build a strong case and the benefits of hiring a Florida bus accident lawyer to pursue your financial recovery. Personal injury law firms typically offer a free consultation so you can learn more about your rights at no cost or obligation.
A Bus Accident Legal Guide Helps You Make Important Case-Building Decisions
The type of bus involved in your accident could make a difference in how your claim for compensation is handled. After a bus accident, personal injury protection (PIP) will cover your medical bills, lost wages, and provide limited death benefit compensation if you are a registered vehicle owner. Even as a bus passenger, your car insurance provides this coverage.
If you do not have car insurance or your injuries exceed the limitations of PIP’s insurance coverage, you sue the insurance company for damages. These cases can be complex, though, so consider hiring a personal injury lawyer to ensure you meet the required legal parameters.
The Role of Common Carriers in Florida Bus Accident Claims
Many types of buses move people around Florida’s cities and towns every day. The size, weight, and height of the bus can play a role in the outcome of the accident. The most common include:
- Shuttle buses
- Double deck buses
- School buses
- Coach buses
- Charter buses
- City buses
- Party buses
- Church buses
- Tour buses
Common carriers—a transportation service that moves people from a pickup point to a destination—are not required to carry PIP coverage. You can file a lawsuit against the bus company or government entity to recover economic and non-economic damages.
Investigate and Document the Negligence that Caused Your Bus Accident
The legal steps for a bus accident include discovery sessions, which allow your legal team to review and examine the at-fault party’s evidence. They also include deposition sessions (face-to-face questioning under oath). In addition, your lawyer will collect the following evidence:
- Bus company and police reports
- Medical first responder reports
- Bus repair and maintenance records
- Medical care records and bills to date
- Passenger and other witness statements
- Accident scene photos and reconstruction
The majority of bus accident claims are settled out of court, often following depositions and a thorough examination and understanding of the evidence. Your lawyer will build the strongest possible case file and fight for maximum financial recovery.
A Strong Evidence Collection Can Identify the Required Elements of Negligence
When you sue a bus company in Florida, you must prove their bus driver, repair shop, or other person or entity was negligent. That means proving its legal components:
- Duty of care: The at-fault party’s responsibility to safeguard other, i.e., drive responsibly
- Breach of duty: Any action(s) the at-fault party takes that violates their legal obligation
- Causation: The direct connection between the at-fault party’s action and your accident
- Damages: The economic and non-economic damages resulting from your injuries
Proving negligence allows you to seek damages from the at-fault party. A bus accident attorney can define negligence and its role in your injury claim.
Types of Compensation Bus Accident Victims Can Pursue
The at-fault party in your bus accident can be legally compelled to compensate you for its financial consequences. You can recover the following economic damages, provable with bills, receipts, and other documentation:
- Known and anticipated medical expenses for your bus accident injuries
- Known and anticipated losses of income from all earning sources
- Loss of the ability to earn in the future due to the extent of your injuries
- Property damage, total destruction, or diminished resale value
Documenting non-economic damages on your own can be challenging. A lawyer can collect your future prognosis and other tangible forms of evidence to prove the value of your intangible damages:
- Disfiguring injuries
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Pain and suffering
- Physical disability
Non-economic damages also include monetary compensation for your loss of enjoyment of life, including the ability to engage in previously enjoyed hobbies and activities.
Recoverable Damages in a Florida Wrongful Death Bus Accident
If your family experienced the unexpected loss of a loved one in a fatal accident, you might face significant financial hardship. While nothing can atone for your loss, a wrongful death claim can allow you to obtain the following types of compensation:
- Burial and funeral expenses
- Loss of financial support
- Loss of domestic support
- Lost consortium and care
- Loss of companionship
A Florida wrongful death lawyer will guide you through the financial recovery process, including clarifying who can take legal action and which family members can get damages.
File Your Florida Bus Accident Lawsuit on Time to Meet the Statute of Limitations
You generally have two years to file your personal injury claim or wrongful death lawsuit, according to Florida Statutes § 95.11. Failure to file your lawsuit on time could mean:
- You cannot file your lawsuit at all
- It will be summarily dismissed
- The insurer will refuse to negotiate
If your lawsuit involves a city transit or other government-owned or operated bus, the notification deadline is different. You generally have six months from the date of the accident to submit your claim in writing, according to Florida Statutes § 768.28(6)(a)(1).
Contact Our Bus Accident Lawyers Today to Learn More About Your Legal Rights
If you or a loved one was injured in a collision involving a bus, you could be entitled to compensation. Our bus accident lawyers can clarify how to sue a bus company after an accident in Florida: legal insights and step-by-step legal support can help you build a solid injury claim.
Find out what it means to work with a law firm that treats you like family. Call our law firm to reach a consultation team member at the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato today.
