Most attorneys work on a contingency-fee-basis, so you don’t have to pay anything upfront unless they recover compensation.
Filing for a claim or lawsuit is time-consuming and challenging, especially if you don’t have someone to help you through the legal process. Similarly, filing a claim after a bus accident is more complex because there can be multiple liable parties, not just one.
Regardless of the claim type, you must submit evidence of the accident scene and your injuries. But if you don’t consult with an attorney, the chances of you winning against the insurance or bus company as small. So if you’re thinking of making a claim, here are three steps to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
Determine Liability
The first and most essential step to making a claim after a bus accident is to find the liable party. However, depending on the details and severity of the accident, there could be multiple responsible parties. Still, working with professional lawyers who specialize in bus accidents can help you determine liability easier.
That said, potentially liable parties may include the following:
- The bus driver: if they caused the accident by negligent acts like texting and driving or violated traffic laws.
- The bus company: if they failed to maintain the bus or made the bus driver make unsafe decisions.
- The maintenance company: if their lack of proper service caused the accident.
- The manufacturing company: if they sent off their vehicle on the road with a defective part.
In any case, an attorney can help with your claim. For example, if you live in Columbus, Ohio, you can search for Columbus Bus Accident Lawyers, and they’ll determine the liable party or parties. At the same time, if the crash was caused due to negligence, you can report it to your city’s bus system, the Central Ohio Transit Authority – COTA being Columbus’ bus service.
Determining Recoverable Damages
Depending on the severity of your injuries or other factors, you can also recover economic or non-economic damages after a bus accident.
Essentially, economic damages are financial losses, which may include:
- Medical expenses
- Loss of wages
- Property damage
Non-economic damages, on the other hand, are emotional or physical trauma, including the following:
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced quality of life
- Disfigurement
A qualified legal team such as Ohio Bus Accident Lawyers can help you identify recoverable damages and calculate their value when they take your case to trial.
Working with an Attorney
Although you can file a claim independently, you don’t have to. An attorney can manage all aspects of your case so you don’t make any mistakes. Again, Columbus Accident Lawyers can provide different services when they represent you, such as:
- Demystify the legal process, so you have a clear understanding of your case
- Manage all negotiations, paperwork, and deadlines on your behalf
- File your claim or lawsuit
- Collect evidence of your damages and the responsible party’s liability
- Represent you at trial if the insurance company doesn’t offer a fair compensation
So if you were injured in a bus accident, you could rely on your legal team to take care of your case while you focus on recovery. Most attorneys work on a contingency-fee-basis, so you don’t have to pay anything upfront unless they recover compensation.
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