If you have been injured in a bus accident involving the Spokane Transit Authority contact us today for a free consultation. Established in 1948, CCD Law has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for the injured.
A bus accident can be very sudden and violent. Passengers usually aren’t prepared for the impact. There aren’t any seat belts to restrain them, and their aren’t any air bags to cushion the blow either. When you’ve been injured in an accident involving the Spokane Transit Authority (STA), the law allows you bring a claim against it for ordinary negligence. Negligence attributable to its driver might include but not be limited to:
- Being drowsy at the wheel
- Being distracted while at the wheel
- Tailgating and failing to reduces speed to avoid an accident
- Failing to yield the right-of-way to other motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians
- Putting a bus in motion before passengers have boarded or alighted
Common injuries in bus accident
Other than the driver, everybody on a bus is a passenger. That fact makes it difficult to allege any negligence on behalf of a passenger for his or her own injuries. The only factor that operates to protect passengers in the event of a collision is the massive size and weight of the bus itself. Common bus accident injuries include:
- Head, brain and spinal cord injuries
- Fractures
- Deep cuts, bruising and abrasions
- Neck and back disc and nerve damage
What is the Washington State Transit Insurance Pool?
RCW 48.62 allows municipalities to join together for purposes of forming a self-insurance program. There are 25 public service transit agencies in Washington that participate in the Washington State Transit Insurance Pool (WSTIP). STA is one of them. These agencies all contribute and pool funds for purposes of providing risk management and training, buying insurance and management of claims and litigation. WSTIP operates like any of the private insurance companies. Should a personal injury claim arise against a transit agency, it need not pay a deductible. Primary liability coverage is available at up to $2 million, and with another $20 million of coverage resources being available. That operates to the benefit of anybody who is catastrophically injured and the family of somebody who was killed at the hands of the STA.
What to do if you’re in a bus accident
Since you want your medical condition to be stabilized, you should seek medical help from paramedics and emergency room personnel. If you don’t seek medical attention, you’re diminishing your chances for a full recovery and possibly damaging a case that you might have. The next step after leaving the hospital is to contact us right away, and then follow all instructions from your healthcare providers. That means not missing any appointments or having any gaps in treatment. Your doctors will tell you when you’ve reached maximum medical improvement.
As opposed to every other state in the country, a government entity in the State of Washington can be held liable for ordinary negligence. Time limits apply to bringing any claim or lawsuit for personal injury, so don’t sit around thinking about it without contacting us. A consultation and case evaluation on any personal injury case doesn’t cost you a penny when you see us. It won’t cost you a penny to retain us either, and it’s not going to cost you anything on the way to a settlement or judgment. That’s because we don’t get paid unless we obtain a settlement or verdict for you. Contact us as soon as you are able to after any accident. Victims of the carelessness and negligence of others deserve full and fair compensation.
