Even though New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) bus accidents are less than half the number of the next ten largest cities in the country, thousands of people are injured or killed every year in a bus or truck accident. Most of those injured or killed are pedestrians. In fact, the Department of Transportation findings showed that pedestrians account for over 52% of the fatalities caused by bus or truck accidents in New York City.
Bus drivers can be careless, distracted, or even worse, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, If they are impaired, drivers will make poor judgements or even potentially drive recklessly, endangering passengers, other motorists, and pedestrians.
These are some of the most common causes of bus accidents:
- Speeding
- Reckless or careless driving, or making dangerous maneuvers
- Driver falls asleep behind the wheel (overtired)
- Driver violates service hours or mileage restrictions
- Driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Manufacturing defects or equipment failure, such as broken axles or exploding tires
- Bus exceeds weight limits or driving on inappropriate roads
Those who can be held responsible for a bus accident in New York City include the drivers themselves, any other automobile driver who collided with the bus or somehow caused the accident, the bus company, the bus manufacturer (and the city).
Examples of those who could be responsible for a bus accident:
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- Bus Driver: if they chose to text or otherwise distract themselves while driving; if the driver knowingly did something illegal and committed traffic violations such as illegal lane changes or running red lights; if the driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Other Motorists: if another driver is driving in an illegal manner and crashes into the bus; if another driver is driving recklessly or carelessly; if another motorist is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol; if they in any way cause the bus to take evasive action.
- Bus Company: if the company failed to perform regular vehicle maintenance; failure to do major needed maintenance; if they did not comply with government regulations; if they failed to hire qualified drivers or failed to train drivers properly.
- Bus Manufacturer: if there is a defective part on the bus; if the manufacturer did not comply with any government safety regulations.
- Metro Transit Authority
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus or truck accident in New York City, it is extremely important to contact an experienced bus MTA lawyer. The rules for filing these lawsuits are very specific in New York and you will need an attorney who has handled these types of accidents to get you the compensation you deserve from the insurance companies, and to hold all the parties at fault responsible.
Some of the most common injuries of bus accidents include:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Cuts and bruises
- Lost limbs
- Head/brain injuries
- Becoming paralyzed
- Coma
- Death
Any bus or truck driver can be negligent and cause an accident. Not just city buses, but tour buses and charter buses, too. Regardless of the type of bus, if you have been involved in a bus accident as a bystander, a passenger, or even the driver, we can help. If the accident was caused by negligence of another driver, your driver’s distraction or recklessness, or even manufacturer defect on the vehicle, you may be eligible for compensation.
If it is an MTA bus that was involved in or caused the accident, the MTA is a public corporation and they are responsible for overseeing public transportation in the greater NYC area, everything from subways to buses, to LIRR, the Metro-North Railroad, seven bridges, and two tunnels. If an MTA vehicle is involved in an accident, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigates it. Oftentimes, the police and other agencies conduct their own independent investigations. It is very important to have someone like Mitchel Ashley on your side looking out for your best interests and helping to coordinate all details and paperwork from various investigations, so that you can concentrate on your treatment, healing, and recovery.
A few of the Motor Vehicle Accident cases The Ashley Law Firm has won recently:
- $6,020,000 verdict awarded to an injured and bereaved mother after motor vehicle accident. The woman was pushing her daughter in a stroller and was struck by the vehicle. The mother was severely injured and the child was killed as a result of the accident.
- $5,500,000 verdict for a female security guard who was crossing the street in a crosswalk and was hit by a turning 18-wheel truck. She was dragged under the front of the truck for one block and suffered extensive injuries to both of her legs due to the accident.
- $815,000 verdict awarded to a man hit by a vehicle in New York City. The man was hit while exiting his employer’s vehicle. The man had a catastrophic leg fracture. The employer held Supplementary Uninsured Motorist insurance coverage, which allowed us to receive $790,000 more in the settlement than the insurance company wanted to pay.
- $300,000 settlement from an insurance company for a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in Nassau County.
The Ashley Law Firm has handled countless bus and motor vehicle accident cases and has been able to recover millions of dollars for their clients who have been severely injured.
If you or a loved one has been injured in any type of accident involving a bus in New York City, contact Mitchel Ashley, a trustworthy bus accident attorney with experience in these cases, to help you get the justice you deserve.
