Bus Accident Lawsuit Loans

Bus Accident Lawsuits and Uplift Legal Funding

Everyone involved in a bus accident is at risk of serious injury. If you’re a bus passenger, it is unlikely that you are wearing a seat belt. Often, you could even be standing when the collision takes place. Because of a bus’s size and weight, damages are likely more severe than in typical car accidents. Bus accident lawsuit loans can help plaintiffs with severe injuries get back on their feet.

Frequently, these types of accidents can result in major injuries. If you have a bus accident case and need money to cover your financial obligations, Uplift can help. We provide fast bus accident lawsuit funding with low rates and great terms. In fact, we’re so confident that we offer to meet or beat any offer you receive from another company. Just send us a contract you received elsewhere, and we will save you money.

How a bus accident is different from a car accident

There are a few primary differences between a bus accident and a car accident. There are more safety features in a car than in a bus, primarily seat belts and airbags.

According to the United States Department of Transportation, in 2017, seat belts saved an estimated 14,955 lives. This means that the lack of seat belts on most buses can lead to severe injuries. Additionally, nearly 3,000 lives were saved by frontal airbags.

Buses are at a higher risk for tip-overs and rollovers than the average passenger vehicle. Additionally, people in bus accidents are just as likely to sustain injuries such as whiplash or fractures.

While bus accidents may not happen as frequently as car accidents, they can lead to more serious injuries due to the differences in safety features.

Bus accident statistics and what causes them

According to the United States Department of Transportation, of the 36,560 highway fatalities in 2018, only 43 were the result of a bus accident.

According to a University of Michigan study, there are as many as 63,000 bus accidents per year. This includes all types of buses, such as commercial, private, public, school, and other specialty buses. In those accidents, an average of 14,000 individuals sustain injuries.

However, in contrast to those 14,000 injuries, an average of only 50 people (including drivers) are killed per year as a result of a bus crash. Since 1975, there have never been more than 67 bus occupant fatalities in a single year in the United States.

Common causes of bus accidents

Below, we have listed eight of the most common causes of bus accidents.

• Bus company negligence – bus companies fail to keep buses up to safety protocols.
• Driver negligence – the bus driver is unaware of their surroundings or other vehicles.
• Bus driver fatigue – bus drivers are sometimes required to drive with little rest.
• Another driver – a passenger vehicle does not yield the right of way to the bus.
• Bad weather – bad weather increases the risk of accidents.
• Blind spots – a passenger vehicle is in the bus’s blind spot.
• Left turns – a bus makes a left turn into a car.
• Bus fires – the engine of the bus catches fire.

As a passenger on a bus, there is not much you can do to prevent an accident. You can buckle up if the bus offers that feature. If you are standing, make sure you have a firm grip on a handrail.

Be mindful of any potential spills on the bus that could lead to an injury. Always inform the bus driver of anything that appears unsafe.

Special bus legal issues

Typically, when you are in an accident, the at-fault party is responsible for your medical bills and loss of income. This is true if you are on a bus and a passenger vehicle is at fault for your injuries. However, if the bus driver is at fault, things become more complicated.

Most buses are operated by government-owned entities. This means they have a high likelihood of being self-insured. Suing a government entity is very complicated and has a short filing period relative to the typical statute of limitations.

Below, we have listed the filing periods for bus accident injuries in a few different states:

California

According to the California State Bar, the deadline to file a notice of claim against a government entity is six months from the date of the accident.

Florida

According to the state of Florida, the statute of limitations for suing a government entity is three years from the date of the accident.

Georgia

As stated in the Georgia statute of limitations, you have two years to file your claim against a bus company.

New York

In the state of New York, the plaintiff has 90 days to file a notice of claim and 1 year and 90 days to file the lawsuit.

Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, you have two years from the date of the accident to file your claim.

Texas

The notice period for suing government agencies in Texas varies city by city. In Houston and San Antonio, you have 90 days from the accident. However, in cities such as Austin, you have 45 days.

What insurance pays for your bus accident?

If the accident was the fault of a passenger vehicle, then the injured party can seek compensation from that driver’s insurance. If there are multiple injured people in the bus accident, you are only able to recover as much as that person’s policy allows.

For instance, if you and three other people have injuries, the at-fault party’s insurance will only be able to pay up to the policy limit. If the policy limit is less than the total cost of the injuries, then you may have to go after your own insurance company to pay for the difference.

However, if the bus driver is the one at fault, then you will have to go after the company. Many bus companies are owned by government entities. These entities are often self-insured. While you may have a year or two to file your lawsuit, you generally have to file your claim less than a year after the accident occurs.

Non-accident-related bus injuries

Not every injury you can get on a bus is the result of a bus crashing. Many injuries can be the result of the bus stopping abruptly or a passenger slipping on a wet bus floor. Many of these cases are more similar to premises liability claims than they are to typical car accident lawsuits.

If this happens, it means the driver was negligent in keeping the bus in safe condition. You can make a personal injury claim for this. Remember, you will have to do so almost immediately after the accident to avoid missing the statute of limitations.

Below we have listed some of the issues that may cause a non-accident injury:

• Wet floors – The floors have not been properly maintained and there are wet spots.
• Cluttered aisle – There is trash on the floor that creates a tripping hazard.
• Abrupt stopping – Buses are known to make sudden stops. Doing so can cause an individual to get severely hurt.
• Broken door – A door failing to close properly can result in the injury of someone near the door.
• Faulty ramp – For individuals who need assistance getting onto the bus, a faulty ramp can result in harm.
• Sudden acceleration – Bus drivers sometimes speed in order to keep on schedule. Sudden speeding can cause people who are changing seats to lunge forward and get hurt.
• Assault – If a bus driver allows an individual who is clearly under the influence of drugs or alcohol to enter the bus, the bus driver may be held liable for any assault that person commits.

Bus accident lawsuit funding FAQs

Below, we have answered some common questions about legal funding for bus accidents.

Do I qualify for a bus accident lawsuit loan?

There are only three requirements you need to meet to qualify for a bus accident cash advance:

1. You are 18 years or older – Uplift is unable to provide legal funding for minors.
2. You have an attorney – To qualify for funding, you must have an attorney.
3. You need cash now – You have exhausted all of your options and need cash now.

If you meet each of the requirements above, then you qualify for legal funding, and you can apply right now!

What is the application process like for bus accident lawsuit loans?

Uplift Legal Funding offers a quick and easy application process. We are on your side, so we make sure to keep you informed every step of the way. There are only three steps:

1. Apply – Use our online application to apply in less than 5 minutes.
2. Your attorney provides documents – We collect case information from your attorney.
3. Review – We review the documentation sent by your attorney to see how much you qualify for.

That’s it! We can often approve funding within 24 hours of receiving your case information from your law office.

Do you charge simple or compounding rates?

At Uplift Legal Funding, we never charge compounding rates. We have our rates for funding repayment on the front of our contract, and they remain the same regardless of how long it takes your case to reach a settlement.

Simple rates mean we charge interest only on the original funding amount. 

Once I’m approved, how do I get the funds?

Once approved, we will send the money in as little as 24 hours. We work with you to make this as fast and easy as possible. No bank account? No problem. There are no upfront fees for the delivery of funds. To learn more, visit our legal funding guide.

The best in legal funding for your bus accident case

While other pre-settlement funding companies may have an existing relationship with your attorney, we are on your side. We started Uplift Legal Funding to change the way plaintiffs get lawsuit funding. We are transparent and helpful. Our friendly case managers will guide you through the whole process and keep you in the know at all times. No rude employees at Uplift—you’ll have to go elsewhere for that.

Give us a call today at (800) 385-3660 or apply online. You’ll almost immediately notice the Uplift Difference.