An Aggressive Advocate, When You Need It Most.

Williamsport, PA Bus Accident Lawyer

According to data gathered by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), there were 321 commercial buses and 156 school buses involved in accidents in 2020 in our state. While bus accidents are statistically less frequent than passenger vehicle crashes involving cars, trucks, or SUVs, the results of a large bus collision can be catastrophic, and often deadly. With the help of a Williamsport bus accident lawyer from Stapp Law, LLC, you may be able to obtain full and fair compensation for the losses you have suffered in a bus collision.

We value buses for the service they provide our communities. Many of us benefit greatly from buses used for public transportation within our city and county, intercity buses like tour buses and charter buses, school buses, and even our local Williamsport trolleys shuttling visitors and locals alike to Little League games or Millionaires’ Row. The significance of buses in our neighborhoods makes it even more important that we work hard to fight against any negligence that puts bus passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, or the drivers or passengers of other vehicles in danger.

Stapp Law, LLC is available to provide legal help to individuals injured in a bus accident. If you were the victim of a bus-involved accident in central Pennsylvania, we invite you to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case with a lawyer experienced in representing PA bus accident victims and their families.

What Are the Common Causes of a Bus Accident?

Buses are some of the heaviest and largest vehicles on the road. And unlike most tractor-trailers, the cargo they carry is human lives. Because of the heightened accident risk associated with these large vehicles, bus drivers and the companies that hire them have an increased responsibly to protect those who use their buses for transportation. Almost every bus accident that occurs in Pennsylvania is entirely preventable.

It’s important to understand why and how a bus accident happens so that steps can be taken to prevent a future occurrence. Too many people have sustained personal injury or even the death of a loved one because diligent care was not taken to prevent an accident. One of the duties of a bus accident attorney is to make sure that preventable mistakes do not continue to endanger lives.

The following causes are most often found to contribute to bus accident incidents:

  • Bus driver error
  • Bus driver distraction
  • Bus driver fatigue
  • Drug or alcohol involvement
  • Broken traffic laws, speeding, or reckless driving
  • Equipment failure or mechanical failure
  • Manufacturing defect
  • Bus company negligence, such as poor training or hiring practices
  • Inadequate vehicle maintenance
  • Texting or cell phone use
  • Another vehicle driver’s negligence
  • Adverse weather conditions
  • Poorly-maintained roads

When you partner with a Williamsport bus accident lawyer from Stapp Law, LLC you can be confident that your attorney will dedicate time and effort to analyzing all details of the case and accurately determining the cause of the accident and its impact on your life.

What Are the Most Common Bus Accident Injuries?

Bus accidents are comparatively rare when measured against smaller passenger vehicle accidents—bus crashes make up only about 4% of all motor vehicle crashes in the United States each year. But due to the large size of a bus and the number of people involved in a single incident, the consequences of a collision can be devastating. Injuries sustained in a bus accident are often catastrophic, meaning that the injury has long-term, life-altering consequences.

The following list includes the most common injuries sustained in a bus accident:

  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI) or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)
  • Internal organ damage
  • Broken bones and fractures
  • Whiplash
  • Bruises, cuts, and lacerations
  • Burns
  • Sprains, strains, contusions, and other soft tissue damage
  • Head injury
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Back and neck injury
  • Permanent disfigurement and scarring
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological injury

The severity of bus-involved collision injuries can even result in wrongful death. When bus accidents occur, the life of every person in the vehicle is at risk. The risk can be even greater to the pedestrians, cyclists, or motorcyclists that are sometimes involved in bus accidents. Because school bus and public city bus accidents usually occur in areas with high walking traffic, pedestrian fatality can be a very real danger. Our firm specializes in representing those who were injured or lost their life in a bus accident through no fault of their own.

How Is Liability Determined After a Bus Accident?

It takes an experienced bus crash lawyer to investigate and determine exactly how an accident was caused and which party or parties were at fault. As we have seen, the factors involved in a bus collision may be numerous, and not immediately evident. It’s possible that one of the primary contributors to the accident’s cause was not even at the scene of the accident. This may be the case if a failure to properly maintain the vehicle resulted in a malfunction that caused an accident.

In order to ensure that the at-fault party is held accountable and injured victims are appropriately compensated, your Williamsport bus accident lawyer from Stapp Law, LLC will analyze multiple elements to establish a clear picture of what happened to cause the accident. The elements used to determine liability could include:

  • Police reports
  • Physical damage done to vehicles
  • Photographs of the accident scene
  • Eyewitness testimony
  • Traffic camera, surveillance camera, or dashboard camera (dashcam) footage
  • Expert witness statements
  • Records and logs from the bus company
  • Medical bills and physician notes related to injuries sustained in the collision
  • Property damage

With the representation of a Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer with experience in auto collision cases, you may be able to obtain compensation for the injuries you sustained through another party’s negligence. Using evidence like that listed above, your attorney will work to prove the negligence of the at-fault party and demonstrate that this negligence led to the accident. Your lawyer will also partner closely with you to gather proof of your injuries, showing that your losses were a direct result of the bus accident.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Williamsport, PA or the surrounding areas, you need to know that the party liable for the accident will be held accountable and made to take financial responsibility for the injuries and losses you suffered. At Stapp Law, LLC we possess a thorough understanding of Pennsylvania traffic laws, insurance policies, bus company regulations, and other legal knowledge relevant to your bus accident case.

When you have suffered a bus accident injury, we make your recovery our priority. Contact our office to set up a free initial consultation. We always listen to your experience and provide an honest assessment about how we may be able to help you.

Request Attorney Consultation

Call us or fill out the form below to schedule a confidential case evaluation. We can help you determine if you need a lawyer, if you have a potential case, and if so, what your next step should be.

Legal & Firm News

What To Know About Tire Blowouts

Most of us have either seen portions of tires discarded on the highway or interstate. You may have even watched footage on the news or social media showing a tire blowing out, a motorist losing control of their vehicle, and becoming entangled in a crash. Here at Stapp Law, LLC, we want you to know […]

Read More

How Does Workers’ Comp Pay for Lost Wages in Pennsylvania?

You’re injured, and now you can’t work. How will you pay your rent, mortgage, car note, and other bills? Will you be able to afford groceries and keep the lights on? And if you were injured on the job, do you know how workers’ comp pays for lost wages in Pennsylvania? We know this is […]

Read More

Pennsylvania Car Seat Laws

For over 60 years, motor vehicle crashes were the single leading cause of death for children in the United States. Only in very recent years has firearm injuries overtaken the top place, with car crashes remaining in the leading first or second positions in the past few years of research. Following all Pennsylvania car seat […]

Read More