Because buses often do not have safety features common to other types of vehicles like airbags or, in many cases, even seatbelts, passengers on buses that get involved in traffic accidents are at high risk of suffering serious injuries. While civil litigation against the people at fault for a wreck like this can help mitigate the negative impact of your injuries, you will first need to understand what types of losses you can seek recovery for, to begin with and what amount of money you should demand for each one.
As is the case with virtually every other aspect of a bus accident claim, this is why assistance from a seasoned legal professional can prove vital to achieving the best possible case result. With a knowledgeable bus accident lawyer by your side, you will have a much better chance of recovering fairly for damages in a Colleyville bus accident case than you would ever likely have filing suit on your own.
Recovering for Both Economic and Non-Economic Losses
Even if an injury stemming from a bus accident in Colleyville will heal completely given time and proper medical care, it will still be important to recover financially for “economic” damages caused by that injury. In addition to bills for medical care they have already received, work wages they have already lost, and personal property damage they have already experienced, an injured person can also demand compensation for expected future losses—for instance, the costs of rehabilitative and therapeutic care, lost future earnings and working capacity, and costs related to alleviating a long-term disability.
On that note, it can be important in almost any case to account for “non-economic” forms of harm as well, but especially in cases built around permanent and debilitating injuries. Examples of recoverable non-economic losses in a typical claim may include physical pain from injuries, emotional and psychological distress, and loss of overall enjoyment/quality of life.
For a free legal consultation, call (817) 775-5364
Unique Rules for Damages in Public Bus Crash Claims
If negligence by a commercial bus driver or operating company leads to a bus accident in Colleyville, state law would not place any artificial “caps,” or maximum limits, on how much money an ensuing civil claim could demand for all types of “compensatory” damages discussed above. The same cannot be said, though, for cases against public transit employees or government bodies responsible for operating those services, thanks to the Texas Tort Claims Act.
In exchange for carving out bus accidents and a few other scenarios, as exceptions to the “sovereign immunity” government entities usually have from civil liability for injuries, the Tort Claims Act caps financial recovery for a single person suing over a public bus crash at $100,000 and caps total liability for any one accident at $300,000 total. Unfortunately, these caps are calculated based on both economic and non-economic damages combined, and there are no exceptions made to them even in situations involving permanent injuries.
Let a Colleyville Attorney Help Maximize Damages From a Bus Accident Case
Even if there are limitations on how much money you can recover after a bus crash, it can still be crucial to make the most of your right to seek civil restitution. Otherwise, you will be forced to take on the financial burdens stemming from your wreck all by yourself, even though you likely did nothing whatsoever to cause that wreck in the first place.
Getting paid fairly for damages in Colleyville bus accident cases can help reduce stress in the short term and protect your and your family’s best interests in the long term. Call our firm today to learn more.
Call (817) 775-5364 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
