Both publicly and privately operated bus services, such as RTC RIDE, are statistically safer modes of transportation than driving or riding inside a personal vehicle, but that does not mean accidents involving buses never happen in the Reno area. If you were recently injured because of negligence by a bus driver, operating entity, or anyone else, understanding your legal right to demand civil recovery could be crucial to protecting your best interests for years to come.
Guidance is available in situations like this from seasoned auto accident attorneys who know how to handle claims like yours efficiently and effectively. No matter who is to blame for your incident or what specific damages you need to recover compensation for, a Reno bus accident lawyer at Shook & Stone could give you the custom-tailored support you need to achieve a positive case result.
Establishing Liability for a Bus-Related Injury
For the most part, “negligence” in automobile accidents works the same whether the vehicles involved are cars, trucks, tractor-trailers, buses, or anything else with a motor and wheels. Every person who operates a motor vehicle on public roads in Nevada owes everyone else on and around that road a “duty” to act lawfully and responsibly at all times. Anyone who recklessly or carelessly “breaches” that duty and causes injuries as a direct result is legally “negligent” and may be held liable for all ensuing losses.
Bus drivers and operating entities have an especially stringent duty of care since they operate as “common carriers” transporting human beings from one place to another. In addition to injuries caused by traffic violations that lead to collisions, bus drivers can also be liable for negligent operation of their vehicles, which leads to someone getting hurt outside of a crash—for instance, accelerating too quickly away from a stop and causing a boarding passenger to fall and break their wrist.
It is also worth noting that some unique rules and restrictions apply to cases that name public transit operators as defendants, since these are technically lawsuits against the government. If needed, our knowledgeable Reno bus accident attorneys could go into more specific detail about how these types of claims work during a private consultation.
Recovering Fairly Within Filing Deadlines
When a person involved in a bus crash can establish someone else’s liability for their injuries, they could seek reimbursement for both economic and non-economic repercussions of the incident. This means it is often possible to recover not just for objective financial losses like medical bills and car repair costs, but also more subjective personal damages like physical pain and psychological distress.
However, it is important to act quickly after this type of incident. Nevada Revised Statutes § 11.190 typically allows injured parties just two years to file suit after initially sustaining harm—and even shorter deadlines may apply to claims against government entities. Assistance from our team of proactive bus crash lawyers in Reno can make a huge difference when it comes to navigating around legal roadblocks and maximizing available recovery.
Enlist the Help of a Reno Bus Accident Attorney
Any injury stemming from an auto collision or other accident involving a bus can make for a deceptively complicated civil claim. Without qualified legal counsel on your side, you may have difficulty building a strong case to get paid fairly for your damages.
A Reno bus accident lawyer could help enforce your rights and give you the best chance of a favorable case outcome. Call today for a free consultation with one of our dedicated legal professionals at Shook & Stone.
