lthough public transport systems like buses have high health and safety standards, accidents can still occur. If you find yourself in such an accident, it is only expected that you would want to get yourself compensation from the party involved. As per Louis Law Group, a Fort Lauderdale-based Bus Accident Injury Insurance Claim Firm, the effects from a bus accident can leave you with significant physical disabilities, mental stress, and financial losses, so it only deserves you get a fair settlement. However, before this, you have to understand the scenarios that can qualify you for a bus accident insurance claim:
- The bus you are in is involved in an accident and crashes.
- You are hit by a bus while waiting at the bus stop or bus shelter.
- A bus bumps into the vehicle you are driving, and it was not in any way your fault.
- You get thrown off your seat or bump your head on the seat in front of you because of the driver’s recklessness.
- You sustain injuries while getting on or off the bus because the driver was not patient enough for you to get off before moving, or the driver shuts the door before you were completely in the bus.
Irrespective of the reason for your injury, as long as it was not due to your negligence, you are entitled to a settlement. It should be pretty easy to claim compensation for a bus injury. Sadly, it is not; there could be other reasons for your injuries that the other party and their insurance companies would want to bank on. Excuses like you bumped your head against the seat not because of a driver’s recklessness but because of the bad road conditions. However, this is not a problem your lawyer cannot overcome.
A LAWYER’S ROLE IN A BUS ACCIDENT INJURY INSURANCE CLAIM
Some of the things your lawyer would do for you if you are involved in a bus accident are:
- Gathering and Evaluation of Evidence: Before your insurance laid can be successful, you would need evidence that shows the accident was not your fault. Your lawyer is in the best position to help with this. He would gather evidence to help him understand who caused the bus accident, how the injuries happened, and the nature and extent of harm a client has suffered. Even though evidence gathering might be quite overwhelming, an experienced lawyer knows how to go about it. Some of the types of evidence your lawyer may find helpful in proving a bus accident claim include:
- Medical records
- The police report
- Witness statements
- Accident scene photographs
- Cell phone records
- Bus driver employment records and driving logs
- Engaging in Negotiations: Another way your insurance claim lawyer can be helpful in your insurance claim is by negotiating for a fair settlement on your behalf. Negotiations start with your lawyer making a “demand” for payment from the party at fault. In negotiating, an experienced bus accident attorney would use the facts of your case to present the strongest possible arguments for why the third party and their insurance company should pay damages and the appropriate value of the settlement. During this process, your lawyer would ensure that the agreement is reached in your best interests.
- Filing a Lawsuit: Although bus accidents can be settled between the party at fault and the one claiming for settlement without filing a lawsuit, it becomes necessary sometimes. The third party and their insurance company may decide to reduce or evade the claim. If this happens, your lawyer would be prepared to take them to court if that would mean getting you your settlement. Because most insurance companies would prefer to pay the compensation outside court, most would settle once they learn of your intention to pursue legal actions.
- Ensuring Payment: A significant role of your lawyer in your insurance claim is ensuring that your settlement gets to you. They would ensure that the insurance company does not just make empty promises about the payment.
PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS BY GETTING A LAWYER
If you are a victim of a bus accident, one of the best things you could do for yourself is to protect your rights, which can only be done with the help of a lawyer. It would be dangerous of you to try to claim a settlement by yourself. If you do, you would only be making yourself a prey of insurance companies. As per this Lawyer Roll article, insurance companies would try to diminish your claim even when it is obvious you are entitled to a settlement. The process involved in getting payment is quite stressful, especially with your injuries. You certainly do not want to take any step of it without your lawyer guiding you every step of the way.
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