Being involved in a bus accident in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, is a traumatic event. Bus accident victims often sustain severe injuries. They incur substantial medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses.
You could be entitled to compensation if you were involved in a bus accident in Lebanon. However, the insurance company and at-fault parties won’t make obtaining a fair settlement agreement easy for you. You need an experienced Lebanon bus accident lawyer on your side to fight for full compensation.
Our Lebanon personal injury lawyers have over 120 years of collective experience handling personal injury cases. Since 2008, we have stood up for the injured victims and their families in Central Pennsylvania and have recovered tens of millions of dollars in the process.
Contact Marzzacco Niven & Associates to be able to schedule a free consultation with one of our Lebanon bus accident lawyers at (717) 995-8963.
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How Marzzacco Niven & Associates Can Help After a Bus Accident in Lebanon
As a victim of a bus accident, you have legal rights. You can file an insurance claim and lawsuit seeking damages from the responsible parties. You deserve to receive the compensation you need as you continue to recover from your injuries.
Our legal team at Marzzacco Niven & Associates is qualified to help you every step of the way. We work hard to obtain life-changing results for our clients because we understand the devastation caused when a person sustains injuries in a bus accident.
When you hire our top-rated Lebanon personal injury lawyers, we handle all aspects of your bus accident case, including:
- Complete a thorough investigation to determine how the bus accident happened
- Identify all parties who could be liable for your damages
- Work with expert witnesses to gather additional evidence and expert opinions
- File insurance claims and monitor deadlines to file lawsuits
- Analyze your damages to assess the value of your bus accident claim
- Handle all communications with the insurance company and other parties
- Prepare all documents and paperwork for claims and the court
- Negotiate to settle your case for an amount that compensates you sufficiently for all damages
- File a lawsuit and proceed to court to argue your case to a jury if the other party refuses to accept liability or agree to a fair settlement amount
We are honored to receive awards and top ratings from prestigious organizations in the legal industry. Our attorneys are members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates. We have also received recognition from US News & World Report, Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and the National Trial Lawyers.
Call us today to schedule your free consultation with an experienced bus accident in Lebanon, PA. We are here to help you when you need a trusted legal advocate on your side.
What Causes Bus Accidents in Lebanon, PA?
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), there were 461 commercial bus accidents in Pennsylvania in 2022. School bus accidents that year totaled 274. Many of the causes of bus accidents are avoidable because they are due to negligence and human error. However, some causes are outside of the driver’s control.
Examples of reasons why bus accidents happen include:
- Fatigued and drowsy driving
- Driver distraction
- Speeding and reckless driving
- Inexperienced bus drivers
- Alcohol and drug use (DUI accidents)
- Hazardous weather conditions
- Vehicle defects and/or malfunctions
- Dangerous road conditions
- Road rage and aggressive driving
- Violating FMCSA safety regulations
- Driving in a bus’s blind spot
The parties responsible for a bus accident depend on the factors involved in the accident. Any party contributing to the cause of the crash can be financially liable for damages. Examples of parties who could be responsible for bus accident injuries include:
- Bus driver
- Government entities
- Bus owners and operators
- School districts
- Bus companies
- Negligent passengers
- Mechanics and repair shops
- Bus manufacturers
- Tour companies
- Motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians
- Third-party contractors
Our Lebanon bus accident attorneys at Marzzacco Niven & Associates handle all types of cases, including school bus accidents, private charter buses, city bus accidents, tour bus accidents, and commuter buses. Call us to discuss your bus accident claim with an attorney.
Common Injuries Resulting From Bus Accidents in Lebanon, PA
Bus accidents cause catastrophic injuries for bus passengers, motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The size and weight of the bus can crush a pedestrian or cyclist. It can also cause severe damage to a passenger vehicle, increasing the risk of severe injuries for the occupants.
Injuries that you might sustain in a Lebanon bus accident include:
- Crushed, fractured, and broken bones
- Traumatic brain injury
- Severe burns
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Internal organ damage and bleeding
- Chest injury
- Amputations and loss of limbs
- Neck injuries, including whiplash
- Soft tissue injuries and nerve damage
- Back injuries
- Degloving injury
A bus accident can cause life-threatening injuries. Families can sue for wrongful death damages. If you are injured in a bus accident, seek immediate medical treatment for your injuries. Delays in medical care could cause your injuries to worsen, and it could cause problems in your case.
Proving Liability for a Bus Accident in Lebanon, PA
Negligence is a common legal theory used to establish liability for a bus accident claim. Before you can receive compensation for damages, you must prove the legal elements of negligence, which are:
- The at-fault party owed you a duty of care
- They breached their duty of care through their acts or omissions
- Their breach of duty was a direct and proximate cause of the bus accident
- You sustained injuries, harm, and damages because of the party’s breach of duty
Our Lebanon bus accident lawyers gather evidence proving the requirements to establish liability. Evidence in a bus accident case could include eyewitness statements, expert witness opinions, and police reports. It can also include a driver’s employment and driving records, bus maintenance records, and information about the company’s hiring practices and safety procedures.
Each case is unique, so the evidence in your case could include much more. Our legal team has extensive experience investigating crashes and gathering evidence.
What Damages Can I Receive for a Bus Accident Claim in Lebanon, PA?
The damages in a bus accident case include economic and non-economic damages. You could receive compensation for your:
- Medical treatment and care, including hospitalizations, surgeries, doctors’ bills, rehabilitation, medications, etc.
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Lost wages, income, benefits, and earning capacity
- Physical pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
- Long-term personal and/or nursing care
- Property damage
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Impairments and disabilities
A jury could award punitive damages if the facts in the case support an award. Punitive damages punish the defendants for gross negligence and intentional wrongdoing. Our Lebanon bus accident lawyers thoroughly analyze your case to assess your damages. We seek maximum compensation from all available sources.
Can I Receive Compensation for a Lebanon Bus Accident Case if I’m Partly at Fault for Causing the Crash?
Insurance companies and at-fault parties try to shift blame for a bus accident to other parties, even innocent passengers. By shifting the blame, the company can reduce the amount it must pay for damages under Pennsylvania comparative negligence laws.
Call an attorney immediately if you are blamed for contributing to the cause of a bus accident. The law bars you from receiving compensation for damages if you are 51% or more at fault.
However, if a jury decides you are less than 51% to blame, you could receive a portion of your compensation. The court reduces your compensation by your percentage of fault. Therefore, if the jurors decide you are 10% to blame, the court reduces the damages award by 10 percent.
Our Lebanon bus accident lawyers fiercely defend clients against allegations of contributory fault. We are prepared for this common insurance tactic. If you could be partially to blame, we’ll devise a legal strategy to minimize your share of responsibility for damages.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Bus Accident Claims in Lebanon, PA?
Each state sets its own statute of limitations for personal injury claims. The Pennsylvania statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is two years from the accident date. Therefore, you would need to file your bus accident lawsuit before the two-year deadline, or you could lose your right to pursue a claim in court.
It is important to understand that there are exceptions to the statute of limitations. These exceptions and specific factors in your case could change the statute of limitations for your bus accident claim.
We strongly urge you to reach out to our office to discuss your case with our Lebanon bus accident attorneys as soon as possible. Waiting too long to contact a lawyer could result in missing a deadline.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Lebanon Bus Accident Lawyers
At Marzzacco Niven & Associates, we take on the largest opponents to protect your right to fair and just compensation for a bus accident. Contact us to schedule a free case review with an experienced Lebanon bus accident attorney. We are available to discuss your case 24/7.