Who’s liable for damages in a Votran bus accident in Daytona Beach?

Daytona Beach, FL – When you get on a bus, your only worry is not to miss your stop. Why would you worry when all you have to do is sit down and enjoy the ride. Bus accidents are not all that common, but they can be just as dangerous as a car crash. Even more so as on most buses you don’t wear a seat belt so you’ll be tossed around if there’s a collision. You may hurt your head or break a leg easily. Who pays for your damages?

This is a question only an experienced accident lawyer in Daytona Beach can answer. In a bus accident, more than one party may be liable for your damages, but you won’t know exactly who you can hold accountable until your lawyers have had a chance to examine your case.

How does Florida’s no fault insurance impact bus accident claims?

Florida is a no-fault state, which means that injured passengers or drivers in other cars involved will first submit an injury claim to their own insurance company. Your PIP policy will cover this type of accident even if you’re not driving. 

The problem is that if you sustain a severe injury, your PIP may not cover all your damages. 

If the damages exceed your coverage, you’ll have to step outside the no-fault system and use the comparative fault doctrine to sue those responsible for the crash. 

Under Florida law, you can file a claim only if your injury is serious enough to meet the threshold for a catastrophic injury.

Who can you sue if you are injured in a bus accident?

First of all, your lawyers will have to prove that the bus driver was guilty of negligence. That’s the basis of all personal injury claims. 

If the driver committed an error, was speeding, distracted or intoxicated, you have all you need to file a claim. 

However, since buses are public transport means their owners must make sure the passengers and other road users are safe. You can use the vicarious liability doctrine to sue the company that owns the bus.

If it’s a public bus, like Votran, you may also sue the government municipality. If that is the case, you need to speak to a reliable accident lawyer in Daytona Beach right away. When you want to sue local authorities the claim window for is much shorter than a standard injury claim against a private carrier.

You can seek damages for your economic losses as well as compensation for your pain and suffering. In many cases, a claim will be settled out of court so you don’t have to fear that getting a lawyer means you’ll be dragged into a lengthy trial.

If you were recently injured in a bus accident in the Daytona Beach area, schedule a free consultation with an experienced lawyer at Pappas & Russell PA. They work on an no-win no-fee basis so you don’t pay anything upfront.

Contact info

Pappas & Russell PA

213 Silver Beach Avenue

Daytona Beach, Florida 32118

Phone: (386) 254-2941

www.pappasrussell.com/