Chicago Bus Accident Attorneys
With ever increasing gas prices and tough economic times, public transportation is on the rise. As more people utilize city buses, there is an increase in the number of injuries and fatalities resulting from bus accidents. Victims of Illinois bus accidents have it in their best interest to contact an experienced Chicago Illinois bus accident attorney right away to discuss their case.
School Buses
If you have children who are old enough to ride on a school bus, you may have noticed that school buses basically look the same as when you went to school. Most school buses still do not offer restraint systems or seatbelts. Studies show that taking the school bus is the safest form of travel for students, but when accidents do happen, the consequences can be catastrophic. The Illinois Department of Transportation’s Crash Facts & Statistics reported 133 injuries were sustained in 2009 Illinois school bus accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 71 passengers on school buses were killed from1994 to 2004 in the United States.
Illinois Bus Crashes
The Illinois Department of Transportation reports that two people were killed and 576 people were injured while riding a bus that was not a school bus in 2009. Victims of Illinois bus accidents may be eligible for compensation for their losses. A skilled Chicago traffic collision lawyer will quickly assess fault and liability to help victims secure the compensation they rightfully deserve.
Common carriers are legally obligated to provide passengers the "utmost duty of care." This duty of care supersedes negligence duty owed by the bus company to drivers of the other vehicles involved in the collision. Whether it is a public or private carrier, a bus company has a duty to transport passengers safely to their respective destinations.
Illinois Bus Crash Statute of Limitations
A statute of limitations is the amount of time injury victims have to file a claim following an accident. Once that time period has passed, injured victims of bus accidents will no longer be able to pursue compensation for their losses. In Illinois there is a one-year statute of limitations on bus accidents. If the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is involved in the collision, there is a six-month CTA notice requirement. Many injury cases allow for a couple of years to file a claim, but this short statute of limitations on bus crashes means that victims must act quickly.
If you have been injured in a Chicago bus accident, please contact the experienced Chicago traffic accident injury lawyers at The Bradley Law Firm. It would be in your best interest to refrain from talking to insurance adjusters or attorneys for the bus company until you have talked to your own lawyer, who will fight for your legal rights and look out for your best interests.