Much like tractor-trailer drivers, people who operate commercial or public buses as part of their jobs must obtain special driver’s licenses before they can get behind the wheel. Bus drivers are also subject to harsh standards for what qualifies as driving while impaired (DWI). While most people in Texas can only be charged with DWI “per se” if they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or over 0.08 percent, bus drivers and other commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders are breaking the law if they have a 0.04 BAC or higher while driving a commercial vehicle.
Needless to say, it is extremely important for bus drivers of all kinds to stay on the right side of this law, and any bus driver who causes a crash because they were driving their bus is almost always civilly liable for ensuing injuries and losses. It is vital to have help from an experienced bus collision lawyer if you want to effectively seek compensation following a drunk driving bus accident in Colleyville.
Who Is Liable for a Drunk Bus Driver Causing a Wreck?
Of course, the most obvious answer to the question of who is legally at fault for a drunk driving bus crash in Colleyville is “the bus driver who was driving drunk.” Virtually every civil claim based on a crash like this will name the bus driver as a defendant. Importantly, though, the bus driver is not the only person who could possibly hold civil liability for this kind of incident. In fact, suing just a single driver typically will not usually allow for enough financial recovery to make up for all accident-related losses.
In situations like this, the company—or government entity, as the case may be—that employed the drunk bus driver very often holds “vicarious liability” for their employee’s misconduct and can be made to pay for damages caused by that person representing them. Alternatively, a bus company may even be directly liable in certain situations. For example, if the company failed to perform a sufficient background check before hiring a bus driver with a history of DWI convictions, they could be held legally and financially accountable for a resulting accident.
For a free legal consultation, call (817) 775-5364
Criminal Versus Civil Proceedings for Bus Driver DWI
If a bus driver causes any kind of traffic accident because they were intoxicated or otherwise substance-impaired behind the wheel, they will almost certainly face criminal prosecution for their actions and may face even harsher penalties than usual if they were transporting minor children at the time. However, any criminal case pursued against someone who causes a bus accident by driving drunk in Colleyville will proceed completely separately from any civil litigation filed over that same incident.
The outcome of each case has no direct bearing on the outcome of the other, since criminal and civil cases have different “standards of proof” that people pursuing them must meet for a court to rule in their favor. This means it may be possible to hold a bus driver civilly liable for injuries stemming from a drunk driving crash even if they are not convicted of or even charged with a DWI offense. An experienced injury attorney could explain this concept in more detail during an initial consultation.
Colleyville Drunk Driver Bus Accident Lawyer Near Me (817) 775-5364
Contact a Colleyville Attorney for Assistance with a Drunk Driving Bus Accident Lawsuit
Drunk drivers are dangerous under any circumstances, but especially if they are operating a massive bus that outweighs almost every vehicle around it. Anyone who gets hurt in an ensuing wreck as a bus passenger or as another driver, passenger, or even pedestrian outside the bus may have grounds to file a suit.
That said, obtaining fair financial restitution can be challenging for anyone who tries to file suit without support from experienced legal counsel. Call today to learn more about how a bus accident lawyer could help you take action over a drunk driving bus accident in Colleyville.
Call (817) 775-5364 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
