Bus Accident Attorney Tennessee
Drivers have a tremendous responsibility to keep their riders safe given that they have a large amount of passengers. Due a bus’s high center of gravity they are more likely to tip or rollover. Such accidents can leave many passengers with a number of severe injuries.
If you have been injured in a bus accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering. At the law office of Tawni Tagaki, we believe that victims of bus accidents deserve complete and compassionate representation in court.
We pride ourselves on fighting for the highest possible amount of compensation owed to victims of bus accidents. Our attorneys possess many years of experience with all kinds of accident litigation.
Kinds of Buses
Any vehicle capable of carrying over 10 people at a time that also has two axles with six tires is considered to be a bus. Such vehicles rarely have seatbelts, and can weigh more than 10,000 pounds. Therefore, bus crashes can sometimes involve passengers being ejected from the vehicle.
Some of the common types of buses are:
- Coach Buses
- Double-decker buses
- School bus
- A minibus
While most buses tend to be commercial, sometimes people convert them and take them on long trips for personal travel. It’s important to keep in mind that buses have large blind spots, and to avoid them when sharing the road with one. Driving defensively is also good policy. Don’t make the assumption that the bus can see you, and if you happen to be a pedestrian, take extra caution as the driver might not see you.
A Few Causes of Bus Accidents
Although each accident is unique, there are a common set of negligent behaviors performed on the part of motor vehicle operators and those that drive a bus that tend to lead to crashes.
On Tennessee’s roads and highways, a few common contributing factors to bus accidents include:
- Intoxicated driving
- Distracted driving
- Inexperienced drivers
- Drivers who are fatigued
- Lack of proper vehicle maintenance
- Lack of adequate visibility
- Exceeding speed limits
If a driver is traveling beyond designated speed limits, driving drunk, or driving a malfunctioning vehicle, even minor accidents can become severe ones. Traveling at high rates of speed increases the force of a collision and can cause additional damage to all vehicles involved and by extension, all passengers.
Pedestrians are at particularly great risk of being injured by a bus accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, every year 11 children and 13 pedestrians lose their lives to bus accidents.
Injuries Resulting from Bus Collisions
The U.S Department of Transportation recorded 20,000 injuries due to bus crashes and 254 deaths across the nation during the year 2009.
Some of the most common injuries caused by bus accidents include:
- Head injuries
- Spinal injuries
- Fractured bones
- Disfigurement of the face
- Severe burns, abrasions, and lacerations
- Internal bleeding and soft tissue damage
Call our Tennessee Bus Accident Attorneys Today
Contact us today to begin the process of your claim.