What does a bus driver have to pay for after an accident in Gardere?

Gardere, LA – A bus driver can be sued whether they work for the government’s public transit program, or a private company such as a charter bus. Public bus drivers in the Baton Rouge area work for the Capital Area Transportation System, sometimes referred to as CATS. When the case against the driver is filed, the victims can ask for a few different types of monetary relief through their civil lawsuits. 

Employer liability

In many cases, the driver’s employer and their insurance company will be the ones to actually pay out any damages after an accident. Any commercial driver who is actively working is considered an agent of their employer. Therefore, the company that employs the driver is considered to be responsible for their actions. In personal injury lawsuits, this general principle is called respondeat superior, and it is applied in many kinds of cases where a worker causes an accident during their normal job duties.  

Medical bills and property damage

It is likely that any passengers, other drivers, or any other people experiencing damage will file a lawsuit. This means that things like transportation to a hospital in an ambulance, treatment at the hospital, other health problems related to the injury, and their lost income while they recover can be added into economic damages. It is also possible to project future costs if the person has long term damage or the treatment is not complete while the lawsuit is in settlement negotiations. 

Pain and suffering

Personal injury cases against bus drivers also allow for non-economic damages, which are sometimes called pain and suffering. The victim’s lawyer is given room to argue about how the person’s injuries and losses have affected their ability to live as normal. This means that the damages are not tied to any specific loss, but rather changes caused by the defendant through their involvement in the accident. In cases where there are serious injuries, the amount of pain and suffering damages can be high because the person will never be the same again. 

Punitive damages

Injury lawsuits generally only allow punitive damages in cases where there is some kind of reckless or malicious act by the defendant. In bus accident cases in Louisiana, this rule is even more narrow, as only drunk drivers will be made to pay out punitive damages under state law. 

Bus accident lawyers in Louisiana

Miller, Hampton, and Hilgendorf is a firm that focuses on motor vehicle accident lawsuits in Gardere and other parts of Louisiana. People who have recently been injured by any other driver can schedule a meeting with their firm. 

USAttorneys.com is a service that helps people find the right lawyers in their city. Anyone who is trying to find an attorney nearby can call 800-672-3103 for help.

Firm contact info:

Miller, Hampton, and Hilgendorf

3960 Government St., Baton Rouge, LA 70806

225-343-2205

www.mlhlaw.com