Read our free 5 point guide to why bus and coach accidents happen and what you can do following a accident on a public transport.
Any road traffic accident is scary and can lead to significant injuries. When you are a passenger on a bus or in a coach that has an accident, there is an additional fear of having no control over the accident. The absence of seat belts on a bus and coaches, as well as the far greater space within a bus or coach, can mean that your injuries as a passenger in a bus / coach accident are greater than they might have been in a comparable car accident. If you have been injured in a bus or on the coach accident, you will be eligible for compensation. Call us on 0121 565 4317 or claim online to find out how much compensation you might receive.
Accidents That Take Place On A Bus Or Coach Can Include:
- Falls and Trips
As a result of the bus starting or stopping suddenly, you have a responsibility for your own safety on a bus, meaning that you are expected to take the first seat that is available for you. If you have not yet reached a seat or if you have a visible impairment that makes you more susceptible to falls, the bus driver should not move off. If there are no seats available and passengers have to stand, the driver is expected to take this into consideration in terms of how fast they move off. If you suffer an injury following a fall as a result of a bus driver not taking sufficient care, you may be able to make a compensation claim for this accident. - Objects Falling On You Or Into You
Sudden starts and stops of the bus can lead objects to fall, either from overhead storage in coaches or along the floor in buses. These objects can cause abrasions, bruises or even broken bones. If the driver’s actions have contributed towards the accident, you are likely to be entitled to compensation for your injuries. - Minor Road Traffic Accidents
Although buses and coaches are usually a very safe mode of transport, minor road traffic accidents will still occur. Minor road traffic accidents, such as small bumps, will rarely lead to significant injuries for seated passengers on a bus. It is still possible for seated bus passengers to suffer whiplash injuries, bruises, abrasions, sprains, strains or even broken bones. Injuries are more likely with standing passengers, but the range of potential injuries is very similar. - Assaults On Coaches and Buses
Assaults on buses and other forms of public transport are thankfully very rare, but they can be particularly distressing. If you are assaulted on a bus or other form of public transport, you may be eligible for compensation from the criminal injuries compensation scheme. This can be a complex and time consuming process, but we can help you with your claim through this scheme as well. - Major Road Traffic Accidents
Major road traffic accidents involving buses and coaches can be more serious than those involving normal domestic vehicles. This is because there is significantly more space in coaches and buses for objects to gather momentum before they hit you and you may also be thrown around the inside of the vehicle. You are also more likely to be standing during a major bus accident. This means that there is a significantly higher risk of serious injury, such as spinal injuries, concussions and broken bones. If the bus or coach that you are travelling on is involved in a serious road traffic accident, including high speed collisions or tipping over in high winds or as a result of cornering too quickly.
Although it is easy to think about bus and coach accidents as only referring to a typical road traffic accident, there are a variety of different injuries you can suffer while travelling a bus or a coach. The driver is responsible for keeping you as safe as possible, and if insufficient steps haven’t been taken to preserve your safety, you may be able to make a claim.
How Do I Go About Starting Coach Or Bus Accident Claims?
Any accident in which you sustain an injury can be a stressful and emotional experience. The idea of making a compensation claim for your bus accident many seem like a step too far, conjuring up images of endless paperwork, long delays and wrangling with obstructive insurance companies. We believe that you deserve justice for your accident or injury without any of the associated stress and worry. In most cases, we are able to offer our services on a no win no fee basis to help you resolve your bus accident claim. This means that you do not need to pay anything to begin your claim for compensation following your bus accident. We will take over all of the arrangements including:
- Writing to the other party to notify them of your intention to make a claim and asking them to accept liability (this is legal term for accepting that they are at fault) for your accident and injury.
- Gathering evidence to support your claim in the event that the other party is unwilling to accept liability. This can include statements from experts, CCTV evidence from the bus or coach company and getting accounts of the accident from witnesses and other passengers.
- Once liability has been agreed, conducting negotiations to agree how much compensation you will receive. In these negotiations, we will pass on details of every offer the other party make and will give you our expert opinion as to whether this is a fair offer or not. The final decision as to whether to accept or reject an offer of compensation will always be yours. If you chose to reject an offer of compensation, we will write to the other party explaining your position and giving the reasons we believe that the offer is insufficient, for example if we believe that they have not properly accounted for any expenses you may have incurred as a result of your injury.
By taking over the majority of the work when it comes to making your bus or coach accident claim, we free you up to devote your time and energy to getting your life back on track. Call us on 0121 565 4317 or claim online and we will begin the process of making your bus accident claim.
Is It Very Expensive To Start Bus Or Coach Accident Claims?
Making a claim for your injuries following your bus or coach accident may have you worried that you might be left with large legal fees. We don’t believe that the depth of your pockets should be a factor in deciding whether or not you get justice for the injuries you have suffered in your bus or coach accident. As a result, we offer our services on a no win no fee basis to the majority of our clients, including those involved in making a bus accident claim, like you.
Working on a no win no fee basis allows us to act on your behalf without you having to pay anything up front. You can leave it all to us, as we progress your claim and negotiate your compensation. You only have to pay for our services once you have received your compensation. Our fees will be an agreed percentage of that compensation, meaning that you will never be left worse off as a result of having made a claim for the compensation you deserve. We will also make sure that you are aware of the details of our fees in advance of making any decisions, including making it clear to you how much compensation you will receive in the end before you accept an offer. This way, you are in control of the process at all times and there are no unpleasant surprises.
Unfortunately, there are a few cases where we would not be able to offer our services on a no win no fee basis, for example in cases of medical negligence, but if you are in this unfortunate position we will make this clear to you and talk through your options for alternative funding solutions to make sure that you are as protected as possible.
How Much Compensation Will I Get For A Bus Or Coach Accident Claim?
Every compensation claim is unique, as it reflects the exact details of your personal situation. It is impossible to give an exact figure, as this will almost always be dependent on the outcome of negotiations. It is possible to give a guideline figure, however, based on a number of factors.
All compensation claims for personal injury are made up of two parts. The first is based on the specifics of your injury. The level of compensation payable as a result of different injuries is set nationally by the Judicial College. They give a broad range of values for compensation amounts for each injury, reflecting the fact that some broken legs (for example) are worse than others. Our expert team of personal injury solicitors have years of experience in interpreting these guidelines and will be able to give you a much more accurate estimate than a simple online calculator.
The second part of the compensation due to you following your bus accident claim is more variable, as it is based on any costs and expenses you may have incurred as a result of your accident and injury. This would include having to make modifications to your home, increases in transportation costs (this can be particularly important in cases of bus accidents, as you may develop anxieties such that using public transport is no longer an option for you) or any expenses associated with reducing your recovery time such as physiotherapy. Our team are highly experienced in making sure that we understand the full impact that your bus accident has had on your life and ensuring that we include everything that you are entitled to in your bus accident claim. This money is designed to help you get back on your feet after your bus accident and we want to give you the best possible chance to get your life back to how it was.
If you think that you might have a bus accident claim, call us on 0121 565 4317 or claim online and our expert claims team will get back to you straight away. Find out how much compensation you might be entitled to claim as a result of your injuries following your bus accident.