Tampa Bus Accident Lawyer

Were you injured in a bus accident in Tampa, Florida? You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Whether you were a passenger on the bus, walking, or in another vehicle, a Tampa bus accident lawyer at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight for the compensation you deserve. 

Since 1996, our lawyers have committed our practice to advocate for accident victims of construction accidents, Tampa assault injuries, motorcycle accidents, Tampa Uber accidents, electric scooter accidents, and more. Our hard work has paid off–we’ve already recovered over $100 million in compensation for our clients. 

If you were hurt, call our law offices in Tampa, Florida at (813) 686-7588 to schedule a free consultation and discuss your legal options in detail.

How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Bus Accident in Tampa

How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Bus Accident in Tampa

Most accident victims ultimately look to an insurance company for compensation. Bus accident claims are particularly complex in this respect. Even if the bus driver is at-fault, someone else could be liable for your damages. 

Identifying the person who’s liable can be a battle in itself. When multiple parties share fault, you’ll have to contend with each trying to avoid liability. An experienced personal injury attorney in Tampa, FL, to help fight these battles. 

Hiring Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers means you’ll have a legal team with over 75 years of experience behind you. Plus, our lawyers are Board Certified civil trial specialists.

Our attorneys will help by:

  • Conducting an investigation to determination causation and identify liable parties
  • Assessing the fair value of your personal injury claim
  • Handling all paperwork and communications with the insurance companies
  • Defending you when others try to blame you for causing the bus crash

Our Tampa personal injury attorneys can increase your chances of recovering the maximum compensation available after an auto accident. To learn more about how our board-certified trial lawyers can fight for you, call to schedule a free case evaluation today.

How Common Are Bus Accidents in Tampa?

Nationwide, there were nearly 74,000 bus accidents in 2019. Many of those wrecks caused serious and life-threatening injuries.

According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports, at least 5,096 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal motor vehicle accidents during 2018. Around 40% of those accidents involved school buses.

At least 386 people were injured in Florida bus accidents during 2018. However, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports only account for bus drivers and bus passengers. Hundreds of additional victims in smaller passenger vehicles aren’t included in these statistics.

At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle all types of bus accident cases, including those involving:

  • School buses
  • HART buses
  • Greyhound buses
  • TECO Line streetcars
  • Charter buses
  • Shuttle buses
  • Delivery vans

Unfortunately, school bus accidents have been on the rise across Hillsborough County in recent years. Were you or a loved one injured in an accident involving a bus? Please contact our lawyers in Tampa to schedule a free case review today. 

What is My Tampa Bus Accident Case Worth?

One of the very first questions most accident victims ask is “how much is my personal injury case worth?” There’s no simple answer to the question.

Every injury claim is different. Most injured parties can recover compensation for all out-of-pocket costs for medical care, rehabilitation, and property damage. However, there are a number of other factors that can influence the total value of your claim.

Some of those factors include:

  • How severe was your injury?
  • Are your injuries permanent?
  • How did the injury change your life during your recovery?
  • Was your career, education or quality of life impaired?

Your damages award can also be reduced or eliminated under Florida comparative fault law if your own actions contributed to the accident.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Bus Accident Victims?

At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, our lawyers will fight for compensation to make you as whole as possible after an accident. If you were injured in a bus wreck, you’re entitled to two primary types of damages.

Economic damages compensate injured parties for financial losses related to your injury. 

Most accident victims will be entitled to receive money for:

For some, out-of-pocket costs are only the tip of the iceberg. You may be in excruciating pain. The trauma of an accident could haunt you for years. You can’t put a price tag on these losses, but they’re equally important.

Your settlement or verdict may also provide non-economic damages for:

Did you lose a loved one in a fatal bus accident? Our lawyers may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit for additional damages. 

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Bus Accident Injuries

When fully loaded, an average passenger bus can weigh between 17 tons and 23 tons. Buses that provide public transportation are also much larger than passenger vehicles and are more difficult to control.

It’s no surprise that bus accident victims’ injuries tend to be more severe than a typical car accident case. 

Our Tampa bus accident attorneys represent clients in all types of injury claims, including those involving:

Bus companies and government agencies have the resources to fight your claim. If you were injured, you deserve an experienced attorney who can help you fight back. With more than 75 years of experience, you can count on Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers to do everything possible to maximize your financial recovery.

What Causes Most Bus Accidents in Tampa, Florida?

Some of the most common causes of bus accidents in Tampa include:

  • Inexperienced drivers
  • Distracted driving
  • Fatigued drivers
  • Failure to yield the right-of-way 
  • Tailgating 
  • Speeding
  • Aggressive driving
  • Unsafe passing
  • Illegal lane changes
  • Failure to leave enough space when turning or changing lanes
  • Stopping in unsafe locations
  • Running a red light or stop sign
  • Drunk driving
  • Failure to properly maintain the bus
  • Defective bus components or safety features
  • A bus company’s failure to properly screen, hire, and train drivers

Taking photos and videos of the accident and accident scene can be helpful after an accident. If you’re seriously hurt, our lawyers can help you find out what caused your accident. We can also help you locate any evidence the police may have missed.

How Do I Prove Negligence After a Bus Accident in Florida? 

Florida law divides responsibility for an accident between all parties whose negligent or wrongful acts contributed to the crash. Most bus accidents happen because someone was negligent.

Four elements are necessary to establish a successful negligence claim, including:

Everyone is subject to a general duty to take reasonable precautions to keep others safe. As common carriers, bus drivers are generally subject to a heightened duty of care. It’s also possible that someone other than a driver might be liable for the accident. 

After a bus accident, responsible parties might include:

  • Bus companies
  • Government transit authorities
  • Negligent third-party drivers
  • An employer of a negligent driver
  • Bicyclists or pedestrians
  • A manufacturing company that sold defective safety equipment or bus parts
  • Bus maintenance companies

Ultimately, it’s up to the victim to prove who was responsible and why. Our lawyers will investigate every aspect of your case to prove what happened. 

That includes locating and evaluating:

  • Accident reports
  • Past safety records
  • The driver’s license, qualifications, and past driving history
  • Video surveillance footage
  • The vehicle’s inspection and maintenance history
  • Eyewitness testimony
  • Medical records

We also have relationships with expert witnesses whose experience in accident reconstruction can help us uncover who is responsible for your crash.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Bus Accident in Florida?

The statute of limitations in Florida personal injury cases is two years. If the defendant in your case is a private party, you’ll usually have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit.

Note that the Florida statute of limitations historically provided four years to pursue injury claims. However, the state updated its law on March 24, 2023. Thus, if your Tampa bus accident occurred after that date, you have two years to take legal action.

Often, buses are maintained and operated by government authorities. A different set of rules applies in these cases. You may be required to file a notice of claim against Florida government authorities within three years (two years in wrongful death cases). 

You’ll only have a limited amount of time to take action–or risk losing your right to compensation. Our lawyers can help make sure your case isn’t dismissed because of a technicality. If you were hurt, call our law firm today to schedule a free case evaluation.

Contact a Tampa Bus Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Fighting a legal battle can take time and energy you just don’t have when you’re hurt. Let an experienced Tampa bus accident lawyer at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers help you fight for the fair compensation you deserve. Call today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your legal rights.

Our personal injury law firm in Tampa also provides: