Were you recently injured in a bus accident in York, Pennsylvania? Don’t hesitate to contact the award-winning team at Marzzacco Niven & Associates. Our bus accident lawyers in York, PA, can help you take a stand and fight to recover the compensation you need for your medical bills, lost wages, and other crash-related damages.
Marzzacco Niven & Associates has been a trusted advocate for bus accident victims and grieving families in Southern Pennsylvania since our founding back in 2008. Collectively, our top-rated trial attorneys have over 120 years of experience and have secured tens of millions in jury awards and private settlements for clients like you.
Do not settle for less than your bus accident case is worth. Put our trusted team of litigators on your side and set yourself up for the victory you deserve. Call (717) 995-8998 and our law office in York is ready to get started with a free consultation now.
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How Marzzacco Niven & Associates Can Help After a York, PA, Bus Accident
Buses are commercial vehicles, so navigating a personal injury claim after an accident can be complicated. Many parties can be involved – from the bus driver to the owner of the bus to third-party motorists and insurance companies. None will want to accept responsibility or compensate you for the suffering and costs you’ve endured.
That’s where Marzzacco Niven & Associates can help. When you hire our York personal injury lawyers, you can force a fair fight and increase the odds of a meaningful financial payout.
You’ll also give yourself the time and opportunity to focus on getting better while our experienced team handles every aspect of your bus accident case for you.
Count on our skilled legal team in York, PA, to:
- Review results of accident investigations conducted by state and federal government agencies
- Oversee an independent inquiry into your bus accident
- Analyze medical records, accident reports, bus black box data, bus driver records, photographs, property damage, logbook information, witness statements, and other evidence
- Determine why and how your bus accident happened and, in turn, identify who’s at fault and liable
- Represent you during all conversations with the bus company, government agency, and/or insurance company
- Fight to get you a maximum settlement offer during negotiations
- Bring your bus accident lawsuit to trial in York County, if necessary
When you choose Marzzacco Niven & Associates, you’ll put a team of experienced and successful Pennsylvania trial attorneys in your corner. We know you’re under a lot of stress and financial pressure, so we’re ready to help you at no upfront cost. Since our law firm works on contingency, you’ll only pay if we win compensation for your bus accident case.
Contact our personal injury law firm today to learn more about how we can help. Your initial case evaluation is free.
How Common Are Bus Accidents in Pennsylvania?
Buses offer a great way to visit and travel through York, Pennsylvania. The city has an extensive bus public bus system and is also served by a number of private and charter bus services, like Greyhound and Flixbus.
While buses can reduce traffic congestion and provide a safe way to travel, accidents can and do still happen. In fact, Pennsylvania saw at least 726 bus accidents statewide in 2022.
That’s nearly two bus accidents a day.
For many, these bus accidents are serious. A total of 604 injuries and 8 fatalities were reported in 2022.
What Do I Have To Prove To Win My York Bus Accident Case?
Bus accident cases are generally based on negligence. Negligence essentially means that someone failed to exercise a reasonable level of care and, as a result, caused another person’s injury or wrongful death.
To win a negligence action in York, PA, you’ll need to prove:
- Duty: The defendant owed you a duty of care. In Pennsylvania, buses are classified as common carriers, which means that they must exercise the “highest standard of care” when transporting passengers.
- Breach. The defendant breached this duty of care in some way. If your case is against a bus driver or bus company, even minor mistakes or lapses of judgment can be considered a breach of the duty of care owed to you.
- Causation. The defendant’s conduct was the direct and proximate cause of a bus accident. If the defendant hadn’t been careless, the bus accident would not have happened.
- Damages. You have suffered an injury or experienced the wrongful death of a family member, resulting in damages.
Pennsylvania law requires you to prove your bus accident case by a preponderance of the evidence. A factfinder has to believe that your claims are more likely true than not.
Our bus accident attorneys in York, PA, have spent decades building successful negligence actions on behalf of clients like you. Put our extensive experience to work for you. Give us a call to discuss the specific details of your bus accident case today.
What Causes Most Bus Accidents in York?
Common causes of bus accidents in York, Pennsylvania, include:
- Driver distraction
- Drug and alcohol use
- Fatigued driving
- Violating FMCSA safety regulations
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Inexperienced operators
- Vehicle defects
- Vehicle malfunctions, often due to negligent maintenance
- Speeding
- Driving in a bus’s blind spot
- Hazardous weather conditions
Our York bus accident lawyers will carefully assess the details of your crash to determine exactly why and how it happened. The more we understand about the cause(s), the better prepared we’ll be when we begin to pursue compensation from those responsible.
What Damages Can I Recover Through a Bus Accident Claim?
Whether you file a lawsuit or a claim or insurance benefits, you may be entitled to recover compensatory damages after a York, PA bus accident.
Compensatory damages can include money for:
- Verifiable financial losses and expenses, known as economic damages; and
- Hard-to-value trauma and life changes, known as non-economic damages.
Examples include:
- Current and future medical bills
- Physical therapy
- Lost wages and earnings
- Diminished earning capacity
- Property damage
- Funeral expenses if a York bus accident is fatal
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
- Reduced quality of life
- Embarrassment
- Loss of consortium
The bus company and its insurance carrier will work hard to control the terms of your personal injury claim. They’ll try to downplay your injuries and dismiss the impact the bus accident has had on your life.
Marzzacco Niven & Associates will be there to level the playing field and force a fair fight.
We will enlist the help of medical professionals, commercial vehicle specialists, and other experts as we build your case. With their help, we’ll construct a compelling claim that forces the defendant to engage in meaningful negotiations and extend a fair offer.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Getting Blamed for a Pennsylvania Bus Accident?
Contributory fault probably won’t impact your bus accident claim if you were a passenger on the vehicle. However, you may also have a bus accident case if you or your vehicle was hit by a bus. In these cases, Pennsylvania’s modified comparative negligence statute can impact your ability to recover compensation.
Under the state’s law, you cannot recover compensation if you are more than 50 percent responsible for a bus accident.
You can recover a reduced award if you share some – but not most – of the blame.
Let’s say your car is hit by a bus at an intersection in York, PA. You’re assigned 25 percent of the blame for the bus accident because you were distracted. If your damages were worth $100,000, you’d be able to recover a maximum payout of $75,000 once shared fault was factored into the equation.
It’s important to be ready to defend yourself against claims of shared fault. Our York bus accident attorneys can anticipate these (often baseless) allegations and work to protect your opportunity to get the money you need and deserve.
Common Bus Accident Injuries
Whether you’re a bus passenger, a pedestrian, or an occupant of another vehicle, injuries sustained in a bus accident have the potential to be catastrophic.
Marzzacco Niven & Associates will be there to help you seek substantial compensation for all of your bus accident injuries, including:
- Broken bones
- Cuts and lacerations
- Chest injury
- Eye injury
- Concussion
- Traumatic brain injury
- Neck injury
- Back injury
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injury
- Crushing injury
- Amputation
- Burn injury
- Degloving injury
- Knee injury
- Soft tissue damage
- Nerve damage
- Wrongful death of a family member
Get to the closest hospital in York, PA, as soon as you can after a bus accident. Then call our skilled legal team to discuss your legal rights and options.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Bus Accident Lawsuits in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a two-year statute of limitations that applies to most bus accident lawsuits.
You must file your legal claim within two years of the date of your bus accident or loved one’s wrongful death if you want to recover compensation.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Bus Accident Lawyer in York, PA
At Marzzacco Niven & Associates, we’ve been years fighting for victims of school bus accidents, public bus accidents, tour bus accidents, and private charter bus accidents across the state of Pennsylvania. Now that you’ve been injured, our bus accident lawyers in York, PA, are ready to help you demand the financial accountability you deserve.
We offer a free consultation, so don’t hesitate to reach out to our law office in York to schedule a time to sit down with a member of our compassionate legal team. We’re here to help 24/7/365.