Who Is Liable in an Alabama Bus Accident?

Different organizations operate buses for different reasons, which can raise critical questions about liability in the event of an accident. A government organization or private business may be to blame, depending on whether the incident involved a school bus, a charter bus, or a public transit bus.

Liability in Public Bus Accidents

In an accident involving a public transit bus, the bus driver and the transit agency may be held liable for the crash if the driver’s actions, such as negligent or reckless driving, contributed to the accident. However, pursuing personal injury claims against a public transit agency or its employees may involve specific procedures, tighter deadlines, and other legal restrictions. 

Liability in School Bus Accidents

Liability for a school bus accident can depend on the school bus driver involved in the crash. Some public school districts and private schools own and operate their own bus fleets. Other schools and districts contract private companies to provide school bus services for their students. A school or school district that operates its school buses may be liable when one of its bus drivers causes an accident. Conversely, contracted school bus companies may be liable for bus crashes caused by their employees. 

Liability in Charter Bus Accidents

Charter buses are typically operated by private businesses, which means a charter company may bear liability if its driver causes the accident. However, aspects of the charter agreement could affect liability, including contractual arrangements between the charter company and the customer. In some cases, the customer who chartered the bus may also bear liability for the accident, such as when the customer directs the bus driver to operate the vehicle in an unsafe manner. 

Other Factors That Affect Liability

Some of the factors that may affect liability for a bus accident in Alabama include:

• The identity of the at-fault party – When a bus driver causes an accident, the injured accident victims may turn to the driver’s employer for compensation. However, another motorist may cause a collision with a bus, making that driver liable for injuries suffered by other accident victims. 
• Public entity immunity – Alabama law limits the amount of compensation recoverable from a governmental entity for bodily injury to $100,000 per person, $300,000 in the aggregate. As a result, victims of transit or public school bus accidents may have limitations placed on their financial recovery.
• Contractual assignments of liability – Parties who hire bus companies to provide regular transportation or charter a bus for a specific trip will typically sign a contract with the charter company. These contracts may assign liability between the parties for losses arising from an accident that occurs while fulfilling the contract. 

Contact Our Alabama Bus Accident Attorneys for More Information

Have you been hurt in a bus accident in Alabama? If so, you could be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, long-term care, lost income, and pain and suffering. However, bus accidents involve many factors and it can be difficult to determine who’s to blame, which is one reason you need the help of an experienced bus accident lawyer in Alabama.

Contact Stokes Stemle, LLC today for a free, no-obligation consultation about your case with an Alabama personal injury lawyer. We can identify who can be held responsible and explain how we can demand that they compensate you for the damages you’ve suffered, all at no upfront cost to you.