Were you injured in a bus accident in Lake Charles, LA? If so, Hale Injury Lawyers is here to help you pursue the compensation you deserve. Contact an experienced Lake Charles bus accident lawyer at (337) 426-1071 and schedule your free consultation today.
Bus accidents can be as devastating as crashes involving large commercial trucks. Buses are large, heavy, and have the potential to cause significant damage.
Since 2008, we’ve been aggressively advocating on behalf of injured clients like you. We’ve used our skills, experience, and resources to recover tens of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts.
With more than 61 years of combined experience, you can trust that your case will be handled by a seasoned trial lawyer when you hire our team. Contact our law offices in Lake Charles, Louisiana to take the first step toward securing the justice and compensation you deserve.
How Can Hale Injury Lawyers Help After a Bus Accident in Lake Charles, LA?
You have plenty on your mind after an accident. Recovery can be painful. It’s also stressful to wonder how you’ll pay your bills if you can’t work. The trauma of the accident can impact every aspect of your life.
Fighting with the insurance company shouldn’t add to the situation. Our Lake Charles personal injury lawyers at Hale Injury Lawyers can handle the insurance and legal challenges.
We’ve already earned a place on the Million Dollar Advocates Forum for our successful legal representation. Members of our team have been rated by Super Lawyers and The National Trial Lawyers.
We’ll put our skills to work for you by:
- Carefully investigating to find out why the accident happened
- Compiling all evidence to build your case and prove your damages
- Working with trusted experts
- Defending you if you’re blamed for the crash
- Negotiating with the defense attorneys and insurance companies for a full settlement
Our Lake Charles personal injury attorneys know how overwhelmed you must feel. We’re here to help. Contact us today to schedule your free case evaluation to get started.
How Common Are Bus Accidents in Louisiana?
According to data published by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), 290 buses were involved in traffic accidents across the state of Louisiana in 2022.
Compared to car crashes, of course, bus accidents are relatively rare. However, they can be dangerous. 506 people were injured in those crashes, and six people were killed.
Currently, the Department of Public Works Transit Division operates five public bus routes in Lake Charles. School buses transport students throughout Lake Charles and Calcasieu Parish every day. Lake Charles is also home to a popular bus station for Greyhound buses and Flixbus.
If you were injured in an accident involving any type of bus in Lake Charles, call Hale Injury Lawyers for help today. We’ll do everything we can to recover the full compensation you deserve.
What is My Lake Charles Bus Accident Case Worth?
The cost of treating an injury and recovering from that injury can vary widely from person to person. The value of your personal injury claim will, therefore, depend heavily on the facts of your case.
While different facts can be relevant, the most influential tend to be:
- The severity of your injuries
- Whether you are expected to recover completely or suffer a permanent disability
- The cost of your medical care
- The value of your lost income during recovery
- Whether you’ll need assistance with basic living activities
- How the injury is expected to impact your future
- The circumstances of your case and the strength of the evidence
At Hale Injury Lawyers, we’ll sit down with you and listen to your story. We’ll ask questions so that we can fully understand how the injury has changed your life. We also have relationships with a network of respected experts who can assess the value of your difficult-to-value losses.
What Types of Compensation Are Available to Bus Accident Victims in Lake Charles, Louisiana?
You can recover money to cover your expenses – or economic damages – and harder-to-value non-economic damages, including:
- Current medical bills
- Future medical expenses, rehab, therapies, medications, etc.
- Lost wages during recovery
- Reduced earning capacity if you suffer a permanent or long-term impairment
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Diminished quality of life
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
No two cases are exactly the same. Your damages won’t be the same as any other victim–even if that victim was hurt in the same bus accident. When the insurance company is pressuring you to accept a settlement, contact our lawyers in Lake Charles. We’ll review the facts and help you negotiate a fair deal.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Lake Charles?
Like most personal injury attorneys in Louisiana, we work on a contingency fee basis. Before you hire us, we’ll agree on a percentage for our fees. If we recover compensation for you, we deduct our attorney’s fees from your awarded compensation.
You won’t have to pay any attorney’s fees upfront. You can also rest assured that your lawyer is doing everything possible to maximize your compensation award–because your lawyers don’t get paid unless they win.
What Happens to My Compensation if I Share Some Blame for a Bus Accident in Louisiana?
If the insurance company has evidence to prove you share some blame for the crash, your compensation will be reduced.
Louisiana has pure comparative negligence laws. If you were found to be 30% responsible, you lose 30% of your settlement or verdict. You don’t lose your right to compensation entirely unless the accident was completely your fault.
Our Lawyers in Lake Charles Will Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Bus Accident Injuries
A bus accident can have both immediate and long-term consequences. Bus passengers often suffer severe injuries when they aren’t restrained by seat belts. Occupants of small vehicles can also suffer due to the size and weight of the bus.
At Hale Injury Lawyers, we handle all types of injury claims, including those involving:
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Facial injuries
- Concussions
- Whiplash and other soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
If you or a family member were injured, call our Lake Charles bus accident attorneys today. We’ll review your case for free and help you understand your legal rights.
What Causes Most Bus Accidents in Lake Charles, Louisiana?
While every accident is different, some causes are reported much more often than others.
In Lake Charles, some of the most common causes of bus accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Inexperienced bus drivers
- Fatigued bus drivers
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Tailgating
- Wide turns
- Aggressive driving and road rage
- Failure to account for the bus’ longer stopping times
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Drunk driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs
- Mechanical failures
- Worn tires or brakes
- Defective safety equipment
Bus drivers in Louisiana must obtain a commercial driver’s license to operate the vehicle. That means passing certain tests and meeting certain requirements. Still, most crashes involving buses happen due to driver error.
How Do I Prove I Deserve Compensation After a Bus Accident in Louisiana?
You can only recover compensation if you can prove that someone else was responsible. That almost always means you must prove negligence. Roughly speaking, negligence means carelessness.
However, you will have to prove four separate elements:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Damages
All drivers have a duty to safely operate their vehicles and obey traffic laws. Bus companies and transit authorities also have a duty to maintain their buses and use caution when they hire bus drivers.
In bus accident cases, more than one party may ultimately be responsible, including:
- Bus drivers
- Private bus companies
- Public transit authorities
- School districts that operate fleets of school buses
- Maintenance companies
- Manufacturers of defective bus parts
- Third-party drivers, bicyclists, or pedestrians
When our lawyers are investigating, we’ll search for evidence to prove causation and establish liability. That evidence may include video footage, hiring records, statements from witnesses, maintenance records, and even information about the bus driver’s qualifications.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit if I Was Injured in a Bus Accident in Louisiana?
The statute of limitations in Louisiana personal injury cases is only two years (with some exceptions). The two-year clock starts ticking on the date of your accident.
However, if your crash involved a public transit bus, you’ll likely have less time to take legal action. Special rules govern cases involving government agencies. Because these rules can be relevant to your bus accident case, it’s always a smart idea to speak with a lawyer soon after the crash.
Contact a Lake Charles Bus Accident Lawyer for a Free Case Review Today
Were you injured in a Lake Charles bus accident? Let our Hale Injury Lawyers team handle the legal issues. Call an experienced Lake Charles bus accident lawyer to schedule your free case evaluation today at (337) 426-1071.
