So long as buses are trundling down the streets of Brooklyn, there will be bus accidents. Unfortunately, inclement weather, distracted driving, and other factors regularly cause bus accidents that result in serious injuries and/or damaged property.

Victims of such accidents need to know who to turn to if they experience a Brooklyn bus accident. To get you started, let’s break down what to look for in a Brooklyn New York bus accident lawyer and how to know when you should file a lawsuit.

If at any point you have questions, please call Schwartzapfel Lawyers at 1-516-342-2200 to speak with one of our expert bus accident attorneys at no charge.

Frequency of Brooklyn Bus Accidents

Although personal vehicles and taxis make up the majority of auto vehicles throughout Brooklyn, bus accidents are still startlingly common. In fact, according to official statistics, Brooklyn accounts for the third highest number of crashes in all of New York State.

Moreover, many of these accidents have serious consequences beyond their initial repercussions. For example, in 2011, Brooklyn bus accidents contributed to over 54 deaths and 13,000 injuries.

Car accidents, in general, are common in Brooklyn. January 2022 alone saw over 2,500 crashes throughout Brooklyn’s streets.

The New York Post also indicates that bus accident frequency has not decreased over the last few years. For example, between 2015 and 2018, buses under the control of the MTA were involved in nearly 22,000 crashes or collisions. In total, this adds up to an average of 23 crashes per day over the 31 months.

Both drivers and pedestrians must be careful when driving or crossing streets. Buses are much larger than normal vehicles, so they carry an increased potential to cause property or physical damage to those they impact.

What Causes Brooklyn Bus Accidents?

Bus accidents in Brooklyn are caused by many of the same factors that cause regular auto accidents. Oftentimes, Brooklyn bus accidents can be attributed to:

  • Distracted driving, such as a car driver or bus driver driving while texting or on the phone
  • Not checking mirrors properly before merging into traffic
  • Driving while under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or improperly administered medication

Furthermore, the unique sitting position of bus drivers (i.e. above much of the street traffic) sometimes leads to accidents. For example:

  • A bus driver may not see a pedestrian crossing the street beneath them
  • A bus driver may not see a bicycle, motorcycle, or low vehicle in front of or next to their bus

Other factors may lead to dangerous Brooklyn bus accidents and severe injuries as well, including but not limited to:

  • Hazards in the road such as improperly stored construction equipment
  • Inclement weather like ice on the road or a snowstorm
  • Product or component defects. For example, a bus constructed with faulty brakes could be involved in a serious accident. The bus manufacturer, rather than the driver, could be held at fault for the incident and any resulting injuries.

Regardless of the circumstances leading up to a crash, Brooklyn bus accidents can be very dangerous and even deadly for those involved. To learn about how you can better protect yourself and your loved ones, give Schwartzapfel Lawyers a call at 1-516-342-2200 today.

Injuries From Brooklyn Bus Accidents

Because Brooklyn buses are much heavier and harder to stop than other motor vehicles, they often lead to severe injuries for those involved. Potential injuries from Brooklyn bus accidents include:

  • Herniated discs
  • Broken and/or fractured bones
  • Knee injuries l(e.g. ACL tears, meniscus sprains)
  • Strained and/or torn tendons
  • Lacerations
  • Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
  • Internal bleeding
  • Spinal injuries and/or paralysis

In particular, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other unprotected individuals are at risk of suffering severe injuries when involved in bus-related accidents in NYC. As well, these injuries often lead to extreme medical bills and require extensive recovery time, all of which can devastate financially as well as physically and mentally.

How Lawyers Help With Bus Accident Lawsuits

Because of the possibility of high medical bills and long-lasting injuries, bus accident victims should contact Brooklyn bus accident lawyers right away. The right Brooklyn bus accident legal team can provide many benefits to victims of these incidents. You can get started with a top-tier legal team by contacting Schwartzapfel Lawyers P.C. today. Call 1-516-342-2200 now! Your consultation will be free and the information provided to you may save you time, hassle, and heartache in the long run.

File Claims on Time

One way in which a skilled Brooklyn bus accident lawyer can help their clients is by filing their claims on time. This is important because many bus accident lawsuits are subject to a statute of limitations of 2 to 3 years. Therefore, victims must file their claims before these deadlines if they wish to receive compensation for their injuries and bills.

Brooklyn bus accident lawyers can also ensure that victims file other paperwork properly and on time. This will all contribute to a strong legal case and a greater likelihood of securing a high amount of compensation.

Gather Evidence

Furthermore, the right Brooklyn bus accident attorney will be able to gather the evidence needed to secure a great case outcome. For instance, a well-qualified bus accident lawyer will be able to obtain:

  • Eyewitness testimony from people present at the accident scene
  • Police reports, as police are often called to the sites of bus accidents
  • Medical notes or reports, which can be useful when proving the injuries sustained by one or more victims were related to a bus accident
  • Auto accident reports or manufacturing reports, which can be useful in cases where manufacturer defects are thought to be partially or mostly responsible for an accident

It can be very difficult for victims to gather the evidence to prove their cases alone, especially when recovering from major injuries. Legal professionals can do this work and leave no stone unturned on behalf of their clients. Act now and call 1-516-342-2200 to allow Schwarzapfel Lawyers the honor and privilege of fighting for you™!

Present a Strong Case

Perhaps most importantly, an elite Brooklyn bus accident law firm will be able to convincingly present your case to the court. Many bus accident cases are far from open and shut and may incur significant pushback from the MTA and/or the other parties involved in the accident.

To overcome such hurdles, a skilled legal professional will fight for you every step of the way. Depending on the circumstances of your claim, your bus accident lawyer may find it effective to:

  • Prove that physical injury occurred as a result of the bus accident
  • Establish the seriousness of the injury suffered in the bus accident
  • Demonstrate how at least one other party was mostly or partially responsible for the accident’s occurrence

In this way, bus accident lawyers can secure the compensation their clients need to recover financially so that they can focus on what’s most important: getting better.

Choosing the Right Legal Team

While hiring any legal assistance is generally better than hiring no legal assistance at all, hiring the right legal team is always best, as this will drastically improve your chances of securing the maximum compensation for accident-related damages. In determining whether a law firm is right for your needs, one of the best indicators of future performance is past performance. Accordingly, you will likely find it helpful to know if the law firm has represented clients similar to you and, if so, what were the outcomes of those cases?

A History of Success

You should always make sure that a bus accident lawyer or legal team has a history of repeated success for their clients. Your time, health, and financial future are much too important to risk by hiring any lawyer whose track record is less than stellar. Instead, go with Schwartzapfel Lawyers: a proven legal team that has secured millions of dollars for clients over the years.

From having handled dozens of cases involving MTA and other NYC buses, we know what to expect from the legal process and will use this knowledge and expertise to secure the maximum compensation our clients are entitled to under the law.

To learn more, you can give us a call at 1-516-342-2200 or chat with us online now!

A Focus on New York Bus Accident Cases

For an optimal outcome, you should also ensure that your legal team specializes in bus accident cases overall. Because, while auto accident attorneys can be effective, bus accident lawyers with a history of success in the field are ideal.

Why? Simply put: Bus accident lawsuits are not the same as regular auto accident lawsuits. Whereas auto accident lawsuits typically involve individuals, bus accident lawsuits often involve larger organizations such as the bus driver’s employing company. Additionally, many of these lawsuits also involve the state or city government of the accident’s occurrence.

Going against these organizations can be tough and may require highly specific strategies. Luckily, Schwartzapfel Lawyers P.C. is well-equipped and ready to fight on your behalf against any organization, particularly if they’re responsible for your bus accident injuries.

Reach out to us at 1-516-342-2200 to act now and learn more!.

A Willingness to Fight for You

More than anything else, our dedication to our clients is what sets Schwartzapfel Lawyers apart. We understand the realities of recovering after a bus accident. We also understand the difficulties, which is why it is our mission to help all those needing help as best we can. As a Schwartzapfel Lawyers client, you can trust that we will not rest until you are financially compensated and on the road to recovery

That’s why Schwartzapfel Lawyers treats every case we receive as critical and each of our clients as family – because they are. As such, we will never charge you a dime unless we win!

As evidence by our testimonials page, we’re the right people to contact if you or a loved one has been involved in a Brooklyn bus accident and needs compensation for:

  • Past and future medical bills
  • Lost income if your injuries prevented you from working
  • Pain and suffering from your injuries

Contact Schwartzapfel Lawyers Today!

You deserve compensation for your Brooklyn bus accident. Get the legal support you need with Schwartzapfel Lawyers: a tried-and-true team of trial lawyers and legal professionals who will fight for you from start to finish. Contact us today at 1-516-342-2200 for more information and a free consultation!

Sources:

Schwartzapfel Lawyers P.C. | Fighting For You™™

SAS Guest Portal | Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research (ITSMR)

Jan 2022 Motor Vehicle Collision Report | Police Department City of New York

MTA buses were in more than 21K collisions in just 3 years | NY Post

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