With many of us thinking of becoming more eco-friendly, travelling on the bus has risen in popularity as the car is left at home and we embark on a journey where someone else is doing the driving! But unfortunately, this does not remove you from the possibility of being involved in an accident with several bus accidents occurring on the roads every day.
If you are a passenger on a bus there are several reasons why you may have sustained an injury. Some examples of bus accidents are as follows:
Collisions – The bus is involved in a collision with another vehicle or object. This circumstance is of course quite straight forward however we would need to ascertain whether it was the bus as fault or the other vehicle. For example; if a car has pulled out in front of a bus it is most likely going to be the car’s fault- however vice versa if the bus has pulled out into a car- the bus driver is most likely to be held liable.
Adverse weather – one of the more difficult claims. Unfortunately, nobody can control the weather (as much as we would like to!) and therefore if an accident has been caused by ice, surface water etc. unless we can show that the driver of the bus was driving negligently (i.e.- driving too fast in those conditions perhaps) it could be very difficult to pursue a claim. (But never say never!)
Mechanical Fault – if the bus has an accident because something is up with it the bus company may have been negligent in its upkeep of the bus as they are under a duty to ensure their vehicles are road-worthy and safe.
Driving error – The bus driver simply might be a bit speed happy, reckless when turning corners or jumping traffic lights. The bus company may be liable for any accidents caused in this way through the principle of vicarious liability- meaning that the company is responsible for its driver’s actions.
Falls/Slips – There may be discarded rubbish, bus tickets on the floor of a bus which may cause you to fall.
Breaking hard – This is difficult as the bus driver may not be held liable for breaking hard to avoid a hazard- however if they do so for no good reason- you may have a claim.
These are but a few examples of accidents that can occur on buses – however this list is not exhaustive and therefore if you have been injured after an incident on a bus, you should always contact a personal injury solicitor (like ourselves) to assess the circumstances.
There are a few things that you can always do to help improve your claim these are:
- Keeping your bus ticket (proof of travel and proof you were there!)
- Reporting the incident to the bus company ASAP
- Obtaining details of the driver/reg number/bus ID
- Details of other people on the bus (witnesses)
- Details of other vehicles (if a collision)
Of-course, depending on the severity of your injuries some of these things may not be easily obtainable but this does not mean you don’t have a claim. It is always best to speak with a personal injury solicitor at your earliest convenience to ensure any further evidence (such as CCTV and police reports) are obtained straight away.
