Hurt in a Cleveland bus accident? KNR can help.
100% FREE consultations. You pay nothing unless we WIN.
800-487-8669Everybody at KNR was amazing. I would recommend them to anyone. They were very nice and informative. I never really felt alone in my case, and that was the best thing I got out of it.
On This Page
Legal Help for the Injured
Bus accidents are more common than many realize. If you were hurt on an RTA bus, a school bus, or a charter, or a bus hit your car, a Cleveland bus accident lawyer at Kisling, Nestico & Redick can help you understand your rights and pursue the compensation you are owed.
Bus cases come with their own rules, especially when a public transit agency is involved, and our Cleveland team works alongside the firm’s Ohio bus accident lawyers to hold the responsible party accountable. Contact us today for a free consultation with a highly experienced Cleveland personal injury attorney near you. Call (216) 658-1330 to schedule your free, no-risk consultation.
We're Award-Winning & Highly-Skilled Attorneys
In any case involving injuries sustained in an accident, determining the accident’s cause is essential. Once the reason for the accident has been established, identifying the party responsible is usually the next step.
When seeking compensation through a personal injury lawsuit, blame must be assigned. If it can be proven that another driver is at fault, they may be required to pay for financial losses.
Common causes of bus accidents in Ohio include, but are not limited to:
Due to their size, buses have the potential to cause a tremendous amount of damage. When a bus is involved in an accident, much of the force is transferred to the smaller vehicle’s occupants.
As a result, bus accident injuries are often more serious than those that are sustained in a typical car crash. Passengers face their own risks: most city buses have no seat belts, and many riders are standing when the bus brakes hard or is hit, so falls inside the bus are common. People on foot are hurt too when a bus turns across a crosswalk or pulls away from a stop, and our Cleveland pedestrian accident lawyers handle those cases.
Personal injuries that are sustained by the victims of bus accidents include, but are not limited to:
Head injuries in bus crashes can change a person’s life, and our Cleveland brain injury lawyers work with medical experts to document them.
Different buses are run by different operators, and who runs the bus shapes how the claim works.
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority runs the city’s buses, including the HealthLine along Euclid Avenue. RTA is a public agency, so claims against it follow special rules, covered below.
School buses carry children who have no control over how the bus is driven. Claims may involve a school district, a private bus contractor, or another driver who failed to stop. Our guide for parents of a child injured on a school bus covers the first steps.
Private charter companies carry sports teams, church groups, and tour groups. These companies and their drivers must follow federal and state safety rules, and their records often show whether a driver was overworked or a bus was poorly maintained.
Long-distance buses travel I-71, I-77, and I-90 at highway speed. Crashes involving these carriers can involve federal rules, out-of-state companies, and large insurance policies.
Shuttles running between Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, hotels, and parking lots are often driven by employees juggling schedules and luggage. The shuttle’s owner can be responsible when a driver causes a crash or a passenger is hurt boarding.
Fight for Everything You’re Owed
If you have been involved in a bus accident in which you sustained injuries and damages, it is important to know that filing a personal injury claim can be beneficial. The process does not have to be frightening. With the help of our Cleveland bus accident attorneys at KNR, you can focus on recovery. Our dedicated legal team will handle all of the legal aspects of your case.
When a person is injured in a bus accident that is caused by another person’s recklessness, they may choose to pursue funds for the following losses:
When a person is tragically killed in a bus accident, it may be possible for surviving family members to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit. Losses that can be recovered include, but are not limited to:
A claim against RTA or a public school district is not handled the same way as a claim against a private driver. Ohio law gives public agencies broad immunity from lawsuits, with exceptions. One important exception covers injuries caused when an agency employee negligently drives a vehicle on the job, which is what allows most bus crash claims to go forward. Even then, the rules are different:
In most cases, the filing deadline for a claim against a public agency in Ohio is the same two years that applies to other injury claims. But these cases take longer to build, transit agencies start their own investigations right away, and video from the bus can be overwritten, so call a lawyer quickly.
Buses are treated as a common carrier, which means they owe passengers a high degree of care. When that care is not met, more than one party may share the blame:
Sorting out which of these parties is responsible, and which insurance applies, is one of the first things we do in every bus case.
Bus Accidents
Our client, a passenger on a Greyhound bus, was injured when the bus was struck from behind. The…
Read More
What Makes KNR Special?
Since our inception in 2005, Kisling, Nestico & Redick has been dedicated to helping personal injury victims fight for the compensation they deserve after an accident affects their way of life. We have helped more than 10,000 people, and we’re ready to keep fighting for Ohioans and anyone who deserves compensation for their personal injury claims.
Free Consultations // Available 24/7 // No Recovery, No Fee
Contact KNRWhat Makes KNR Special?
The aftermath of a bus accident can be almost unbearable with the high cost of medical treatments, strained personal relationships, and intense pain and suffering. However, there is a way to alleviate some of the stress associated with your injuries.
Our skilled Cleveland bus accident lawyers at Kisling, Nestico & Redick can handle the legal aspects of your case while you focus on moving on with your life. We will work tirelessly to ensure that all of the details are gathered so you have the best chance to obtain maximum compensation for your injuries.
Call (216) 658-1330 or 1-800-HURT-NOW for a free consultation.
Yes, in many cases. RTA is a public agency, and Ohio law protects public agencies from many lawsuits, but there is an exception when an employee’s negligent driving causes an injury. That exception covers most crashes caused by an RTA driver. Claims against RTA have limits on some types of damages, so it helps to work with a lawyer who handles them.
If the bus driver caused the crash, the bus operator or its insurance is usually responsible. If another driver caused it, that driver’s insurer pays. Your own auto policy may also help through medical payments or uninsured motorist coverage, even though you were not in your car.
In Ohio, most claims against a public agency such as RTA have the same two-year filing deadline as other injury claims. That does not mean you should wait. The agency starts investigating right away, bus video can be lost, and these claims take longer to build. Talk to a lawyer as soon as you can so the deadline is confirmed for your case.
You can bring a claim against the party responsible for the crash, usually the bus operator if its driver was at fault. If the bus belongs to RTA or a school district, the public agency rules apply. If it was a private charter or shuttle, the company and its insurer are responsible. Get the bus number, the driver’s name, and a police report at the scene.
Get your child checked by a doctor right away and report the injury to the school in writing. A school district, a private bus company, or another driver may be responsible, depending on what happened. A child’s deadline to file can work differently than an adult’s, but evidence fades quickly, so call (216) 658-1330 or 1-800-HURT-NOW to talk it through.
