SamTrans Bus Accident Attorney Near You

The Bay Area’s public transportation services are designed to help our communities. However, accidents involving SamTrans buses do happen — and they can have devastating consequences. Large public transit vehicles can be incredibly destructive, which means bus accident injuries are often severe and potentially life-altering.

If you’ve suffered injuries in a SamTrans bus accident in San Mateo, the team at Carcione, Henderson & Markowitz, LLP can fight for your right to fair compensation. We have the knowledge and experience to take on your bus accident case and seek justice on your behalf while you focus on recovery.

Contact us today for your free consultation with a San Mateo bus accident lawyer. You pay nothing unless we recover money for your accident claim.

Benefits of Hiring a San Mateo Bus Accident Attorney

CHM Law Firm has a reputation that speaks for itself. We’ve been dedicated to protecting consumers and working people for over 40 years. Over that time, we’ve secured multimillion-dollar recoveries that provided fair compensation to our clients and contributed to safer industry standards.

In addition to the experience we bring to every case we take, we also have the knowledge to pursue a SamTrans bus accident claim. Having an experienced personal injury attorney handle your case can alleviate much of that burden and significantly boost your case.

Your lawyer can do the following:

• Conduct a Thorough Investigation – Your attorney will gather witness statements, surveillance footage, accident reports, and other vital evidence to build the strongest case possible.
• Understand Complicated Laws – A bus accident claim against a government entity involves unique procedures, tighter deadlines, and a thorough understanding of complex laws. An experienced bus accident attorney will handle every detail for you.
• Maximize Compensation – Calculating your compensation is another complicated subject, and it’s easy to leave money on the table if you’re inexperienced with the process. Your lawyer will consider your medical costs, financial losses, pain, suffering, and emotional distress to determine the true value of your claim.
• Negotiate with Insurance Companies – Insurance companies will throw quick, unfavorable settlements at you or employ various tactics to deny or diminish your claim. A seasoned bus accident attorney can thwart these tactics and aggressively advocate for you at the negotiation table.

We understand how devastating a bus accident injury can be and that every case is unique. That’s why our San Mateo bus accident lawyers will take the time to get to know you, your story, and how your injuries have affected both you and your loved ones. We take on a limited number of cases so that each client receives the time, attention, and resources needed to achieve optimal outcomes.

Why Are Bus Accident Injury Claims So Complex?

There are several reasons why bus accident lawsuits can be so complicated. Some of them include the following:

• Severe Injuries and Serious Damage – Buses are large vehicles that carry many passengers, which means accidents involving them can often result in multiple victims, severe injuries, and significant damage.
• Government Involvement – SamTrans is a government entity. Personal injury claims against government entities have different, more complicated procedures compared to those against private entities, not to mention shorter filing deadlines.
• Multiple Liable Parties – Several different parties may be liable in a bus accident, including the driver, the bus company, the maintenance contractors, other drivers, and the bus manufacturers. This makes establishing liability a complicated process.
• Insurance Complications – Public transit insurance policies differ from standard ones, which can add extra complexity to settlement negotiations.

What to Do After a Bus Accident

Your actions in the days and weeks following a bus accident in San Mateo can heavily affect the outcome of your case. After you’ve sought medical attention, you should do the following:

• Contact a Bus Accident Attorney – Speaking with an attorney as soon as possible will reduce the work you must handle to pursue your claim and prevent you from making any critical errors as you seek compensation. Your attorney can do everything from filing the initial paperwork all the way through to representing you in court if necessary.
• Gather Evidence – You can aid your attorney’s investigation by taking photos and videos of the accident scene, obtaining a copy of the police report, collecting information on involved parties and witnesses, saving all communications, documenting medical costs and financial losses, and keeping a pain journal.
• Be Careful What You Say to Insurance – Insurance companies will look for ways to minimize your payout or deny your claim. This can include tricking you into offering more information than you need to or coaxing you into providing unnecessary medical records so they can look for previous injuries to discredit your current claim. Never admit fault, avoid recorded statements, never accept quick settlements, and always speak with a lawyer before speaking with them.

Who Could Be Held Responsible for a Bus Accident?

Several different parties may be liable for a city or school bus accident, and sometimes multiple parties may be liable at once. The most common liable parties include the following:

• The Bus Driver – Bus driver negligence is the most common cause of accidents. Drivers might be distracted, impaired, fatigued, or driving recklessly.
• SamTrans – Public transit agencies are responsible for maintaining their fleet and carefully vetting and effectively training drivers. If they fail to do this, they may bear some responsibility.
• Other Drivers – When another negligent driver contributed to the accident, liability may fall partially or entirely on them.
• Maintenance Contractors – By law, public buses must undergo regular maintenance. The maintenance contractor may be held responsible if mechanical failures that were ignored or undetected due to poor inspection led to a bus accident.

Your attorney can investigate the cause of the accident, determine potential sources of fault, and then work to establish liability and fight for your fair compensation.

What Compensation Can I Expect to Recover in a Bus Accident Claim?

Bus accident compensation comes in many forms. The types of compensation you’ll pursue may vary depending on the nature of your case, but typically they will include the following:

• Medical Expenses – The liable party may be responsible for any hospital bills, doctor’s visits, prescription medications, medical devices, surgeries, physical therapy, and future medical costs your injuries might incur.
• Lost Wages – If your injuries are preventing you from working, you may seek compensation for the loss of both past and future income. That includes hourly wages or salary, sick time or vacation days, commissions and tips, missed raises or promotions, and diminished earning capacity.
• Pain and Suffering – Pain and suffering often comprises the most significant share of a personal injury payout. The negligent party should compensate you for the physical pain and mental anguish you’ve endured.
• Emotional Distress – The psychological component of pain and suffering is just as significant as the physical injuries. Bus injury victims frequently suffer from depression, anxiety, and even PTSD symptoms after the accident. You may be entitled to compensation for these losses.

What If I Am Partly at Fault in a Bus Accident?

California operates under a pure comparative fault system. Under state law, you can still seek compensation even if you were partly responsible for the accident. However, your compensation will be reduced in proportion to your percentage of fault. For example, if you were found to be 40 percent at fault and your compensable losses were $100,000, you would receive $60,000.

An experienced bus accident lawyer in San Mateo can protect your rights and work to minimize your share of fault for the accident so that you can seek maximum compensation.

How Long Do I Have to File a Bus Accident Claim in California?

Under California law, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, it’s vital to remember that SamTrans is a government entity, which means that any accident involving them has a far shorter filing window.

Under the California Government Claims Act, you have six months to file a claim for:

• Personal injury
• Personal property damage
• Wrongful death

The claims process is particularly complex with government entities, which means it’s crucial to work with an experienced bus accident law firm that knows how to pursue such claims. It’s also essential to act swiftly, as the window for filing your claim is closing fast.

What Are the Common Types of Bus Accidents?

There are many ways SamTrans bus accidents might occur, each with unique legal considerations. Some of the most common include the following:

Our experienced personal injury attorneys handle these types of bus accident cases and more.

What Injuries Can Someone Sustain in a Bus Accident?

There are many ways people get injured on city buses. Injuries can be mild, severe, or even life-altering. The most common injuries include the following:

Even minor injuries can cause physical, mental, and financial distress and may entitle you to compensation. Reach out to a San Mateo bus accident attorney for a case assessment.