Arizona Bus Accident Lawyer

If you suffered an injury in a bus accident in Arizona, you know all too well the life-changing nature of your accident. While you struggle to recover from your injuries, the clock is ticking. If you were hit by a city or government bus, you do not have a lot of time to file a claim. Even worse, insurance companies will begin trying to minimize their liabilities and may even try to pin some – or all – of the blame on you! 

At Ciccarelli Law Offices, we don’t let large insurers and bus companies take advantage of our injured clients. We work tirelessly to obtain the maximum compensation for them. To learn more about your legal options, we encourage you to call our law firm today! We offer FREE initial reviews so that we can answer your questions and provide you with the information and guidance you need to move forward after a serious Arizona bus accident. 

Arizona Bus Accident Overview

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, in 2019 there were 84 school buses, 15 intercity buses, and 78 transit buses involved in fatal crashes. In the decade from 2009 to 2019, intercity buses accounted for 12 percent of all bus crashes, school buses accounted for 39 percent of all bus crashes, and transit buses accounted for 34 percent of all bus crashes. (“Other” buses accounted for the remaining 15 percent, possibly accounting for charter buses). Between 2009 and 2019 there was a 47 percent increase in bus crashes. 

Bus accidents fall under common carrier law because buses transport people as a part of a business. A common carrier transports people, goods, or services for a fee and can be private companies or public entities. School buses, taxis, trains, light-rail, airport shuttles, airplanes, ferries, cruise ships, tour boats, and trolleys all fall under common carrier law. Common carriers have a legal responsibility to show a higher duty of care because they transport the public. If a bus accident is due to the negligence of the bus driver, the carrier is liable for damages under wrongful death tort law or personal injury. 

Further, because many common carriers are governmental agencies, there are specific—and limited—time frames for filing a claim for damages. This is known as the statute of limitations. If you have been injured in a bus accident, it is critical that you speak to a knowledgeable attorney who has significant experience in common carrier law. Ciccarelli Law Offices has the level of experience necessary to ensure your rights are protected following your bus accident. 

Why Choose the Arizona Bus Accident Lawyers from Ciccarelli Law Offices?

If you should find yourself injured, maybe even unable to work following a bus accident that was due to the bus driver or carrier’s negligence, you do not need to face an uncertain future alone. When you have a knowledgeable, compassionate Bus accident attorney from Ciccarelli Law Offices on your side, you can rest easy, knowing your attorney will be fighting on your behalf for fair compensation every step of the way. 

You may have never needed an attorney before and aren’t quite sure how to choose a personal injury attorney that truly has your best interests at heart. Many people ask their friends, family members, neighbors, or co-workers for a referral. If you do not happen to know anyone who has hired a personal injury attorney, you might consider looking online in your area or even calling the Arizona Bar Association. 

At Ciccarelli Law Offices, we understand that you have plenty of choices when hiring an Arizona bus accident attorney. We believe that once you have spoken to an attorney from our office, you will clearly see our commitment to your future and understand that we truly care about your recovery from the accident. We will help you find the best doctors and medical treatments, then we will give you the time you need to heal while we negotiate a settlement that fully covers your damages. 

We are always ready to go to bat for you, whether that is during negotiations, or at trial. We offer a free initial consultation and accept personal injury claims on a contingency basis—you pay nothing unless we secure a settlement for you. We have hundreds of five-star reviews from satisfied clients, plus attorney Lee Ciccarelli has been recognized as:

• Super Lawyer 
• Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers Association
• Having the highest rating (10.0) by AVVO 
• One of the Top 100 Litigation Attorneys by the American Society of Legal Advocates.

If you want a lawyer who truly cares about you, your family, your financial health, and your future, contact Ciccarelli Law Offices today.  

What Compensation is Available Following an Arizona Bus Accident? 

Your compensation following your Arizona bus accident will depend on whether you were on the bus when it crashed and received serious injuries, or if you were in your own vehicle when a negligent bus driver hit you. 

In either case, you should be entitled to collect medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, however, if you were driving your own vehicle, you will also be entitled to reimbursement for the damages to your vehicle. 

Medical expenses and lost wages are known as special damages because an actual monetary figure can be assigned to them. You are entitled to medical expenses up to this point, as well as any future medical expenses you may incur as a result of your bus accident injuries. Medical expenses include ambulance costs, ER and surgical costs, physician expenses, prescription drug costs, and the cost of any necessary rehabilitative therapies. 

If you were unable to return to work following your bus accident, you may be entitled to lost wages. 

If you are injured so badly that you may not be able to work for months, years, or (ever), then you will also be entitled to lost future wages. Your attorney will accurately calculate the medical expenses and lost wages you will have in the future, based on a number of factors. 

Pain and suffering fall under general damages. Pain can be actual physical pain or emotional pain and trauma. It is more difficult to place a monetary amount on your pain and suffering. One method is to add your special damages and then use a multiplier from 1.5 to 5.0 to determine your pain and suffering (The higher the number, the more severe your injuries and other damages). 

In virtually every case, those who are legally represented end up in a far better financial situation than those who attempt to represent themselves. Personal injury attorneys receive no payment unless they win compensation for their clients. Their fee is a percentage of the total settlement, so there is an incentive to obtain the best settlement possible, both for the client and for themselves. Contingency fees provide confidence that your attorney will do everything in his or her power to win the maximum settlement. 

What Are the Most Common Injuries Associated with Arizona Bus Accidents?

Injuries can vary widely following a bus accident, depending on where you were sitting on the bus, or if you were in a vehicle that was hit by a bus. Internal bleeding and internal organ damage are always possible, as are catastrophic injuries like traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. Brain injuries and spinal cord injuries can cause trauma that lasts a lifetime and can prevent the injury victim from ever working again. Brain injuries can require loved ones to become caretakers. 

Other common injuries include burns, facial lacerations and disfigurement, vision loss, lacerations, whiplash, sprains, torn ligaments, broken bones, herniated discs, and amputated limbs. These injuries can range from moderate to severe. Severe injuries can cause lives to change forever. When this occurs as a result of a bus accident caused by negligence or carelessness, the victims of the accident are entitled to compensation for their injuries.  

What Are the Most Common Causes of Bus Accidents in Arizona?

There are many causes of bus accidents, and distracted driving is one of them—just as drivers in all types of vehicles can become distracted, causing an accident. We are a nation of multitaskers, and that carries over into our driving. We eat, change radio stations, text, talk on our cell phones, and talk to passengers while we drive. Bus drivers are (hopefully) less obvious about their distractions, but may still drive while distracted and that distraction can cause an accident. Other causes of bus accidents include: 

• Negligence on the part of the bus company—bus companies may turn a blind eye to federal regulations governing the number of hours a driver can be behind the wheel. This means the driver may be overly fatigued and more likely to have an accident. 
• Lack of maintenance and upkeep on the buses
• Bus drivers who are driving carelessly or recklessly
• Bus drivers who are impaired
• Inclement weather
• Roadway hazards
• Blind spots or areas that cannot be seen by the bus driver
• Poorly maintained tires—when a tire shreds or “blows,” it is usually due to a lack of tire maintenance and can cause extremely serious accidents. 

What Should You Do Immediately After an Arizona Bus Accident?

Immediately following your bus accident, you should obtain medical attention. This is crucial for your personal injury claim as well as your overall health. If you are medically able, you should take photographs at the scene, and obtain contact information from any witnesses. 

The police should be called—while the bus driver will likely do this, if the police do not arrive within a few minutes, you should make the call yourself. Write down all details you can remember about the accident, as the smallest detail could be more important than you know. 

Finally, contact an experienced personal injury attorney from Ciccarelli Law Offices who can guide you through the entire process in the best way possible. 

Call Our Arizona Bus Accident Lawyers Today

If you suffered an injury in a bus accident in Phoenix, Chandler, Tempe, or anywhere in the state of Arizona, you face a difficult road ahead. These accidents are often complicated and may involve government entities. As such, you may not have much time to seek justice. 

At Ciccarelli Law Offices, our Arizona bus accident lawyers have the experience and resources you need to investigate, litigate, and win complex bus accident cases. We can go head-to-head against any insurance company, and we will fight aggressively for you. 

Let Attorneys Lee Ciccarelli and his team help you through this difficult time in your life. Call us today to begin fighting for justice after a serious bus crash.