We understand that bus accidents can have a tremendous impact on the victim’s lifestyle, health, and mental attitudes. We offer strong and aggressive representation to victims of bus accidents in Phoenix and all of Arizona. Getting help for a loved one who has been a victim of a bus-related injury often takes more than just a qualified personal injury attorney. You need a compassionate team to help with the legal process and taking your case to trial, if necessary.

The Ramos personal injury team includes attorneys with vast trial and settlement experience. Dr. Joseph Ramos is not only an attorney, but also a qualified emergency medicine physician with many years of medical experience that will help in your case. That’s the Ramos advantage that you won’t find anywhere else.

If you’re involved in a bus accident, our team of skilled lawyers at Ramos has the knowledge, skill, and experience to negotiate your insurance claim, file a personal injury lawsuit, or file a wrongful death claim.

Complex Liability Issues Regarding Bus Crashes in Arizona

If the bus company is at fault, their insurance will pressure you to settle quickly. However, you should consult an expert bus accident attorney in Arizona to get a fair and adequate settlement. Each accident case is different based on the type of bus. That’s why a personal injury lawyer at Ramos Law has the experience necessary to help accident victims of all kinds.

Liability usually rests on the parties responsible for the accident and/or safety neglect, but there are different interpretations of liability:

• Public Buses – Liability for buses operated by cities or municipalities are usually limited to those governments. However, some jurisdictions outsource bus service to private contractors and, in some cases, the contractor and/or government could be liable.
• Private or Charter Buses – Private or charter bus negligent accidents usually result in liability for the company, its insurers, and possibly the bus driver.
• Tour Buses – Liability for tour bus accidents can often be complex to determine. If a group of tourists hire a bus, then the bus company and driver are liable. If a third-party group hired the tour bus for another group of people, the intermediary might also be liable.
• School Buses – School bus accidents usually result in the liability of the school board and district. If the school district hires a private company to provide bus service, the company is also liable.

Causes of Bus Accidents in Arizona

Most bus accidents are caused by driver negligence on the part of the bus driver or the driver of the other vehicle in an accident.

Negligent driving or safety neglect might include:

• Distracted driving
• Multitasking while driving
• Failure to inspect and repair the bus or other vehicle
• Driver fatigue
• Driving under the influence
• Inadequate training
• Speeding
• Failure to obey traffic signs and lights
• Unsafe maneuvering

We know that school bus accidents are relatively rare, but they can cause devastating injuries and deaths. You are 70 percent more likely to arrive at school or your home safely on a school bus than in private passenger vehicles, but accidents do happen, and you deserve a fair settlement for your injuries.

Compelling National Bus Accident Statistics

The American School Bus Council estimates that 480,000 buses provide daily transportation for 25 million elementary and secondary school students. Perhaps the worst aspect of bus accidents is that so many of them involve injuries and deaths of school-aged children who must ride the bus to school and special events. According to the NSC, there were 84 school-bus-related deaths in 2017. Also, about 70 percent of school bus accidents in 2017 resulted in injuries or death to people in passenger vehicles, and 17 percent of injuries involved pedestrians.

The Federal Motor Safety Carrier Safety Administration reported that 35,000 people were injured in all types of bus crashes in 2016. Additionally…

• 4,889 bus or large truck accidents resulted in deaths in 2017
• Bus accidents increased 4 percent in 2017
• School buses make up 40 percent of crashes
• Intercity bus and large truck accidents make up 13 percent of crashes
• Transit buses make up 5 percent of bus crashes

Buses are generally safe, but bus accidents can cause lots of damages to other vehicles. Each driver, passenger, or pedestrian runs a risk of injury in a bus crash, regardless of whether the person is riding on the bus.

Arizona Bus Accident Statistics

Buses are safer but more dangerous in crashes. Buses often have high injury and fatality rates simply because of their size, and people, especially children, often don’t wear safety restraints on buses equipped with safety protections.

Arizona has seen its fair share of bus-related crashes, including 269 crashes in 2017 with fatalities in nine of them. Additionally, the number of vehicle crashes in 2018 was 127,056 with 1,010 deaths.

An average of 2.77 people are killed on Arizona roads each day. Arizona motor vehicle crashes cost taxpayers and the state nearly $20 billion dollars. Injuries, deaths, and property damage contribute to these tremendous financial costs, but most of the expense is involved in medical and personal injury claims.

If you or a loved one has been injured, getting a bus accident attorney in Phoenix is important. The state, bus companies, and insurance companies naturally try to limit their liability, so you need an advocate on your side to negotiate a fair settlement.