Hudson Valley Bus Accident Attorneys

Between Ulster, Dutchess and Orange Counties, there are city-wide, county-wide, and state-wide bus systems that carry hundreds of thousands of people a year.

They can be a cost-effective way of traveling a long distance without owning a car. However, there’s a great deal of responsibility on the part of the bus driver, other motorists, and the bus companies to not be negligent or careless in the performance of their duties. Buses have injured our clients in a number of ways, both while riding the bus or as another party in a vehicular accident:

• Throwing passengers around while making sharp turns or braking/accelerating
• Closing doors on passengers
• Slip and fall while getting on/off bus
• Failure to yield right of way to pedestrians
• Striking other vehicles, bicyclists, motorcycles or pedestrians

Since many bus companies are owned and operated by government bodies, the timeline to file a claim for compensation is even tighter than it is with commercial operators and insurance companies. At Mainetti & Mainetti, we will thoroughly examine evidence to get a full picture view of what happened in your bus accident and who should be held responsible, and through experience, we will ensure that your case proceeds comfortably within the bounds of any deadline. We work with experienced specialists in the investigation, including accident reconstruction professionals and mechanical engineers.

• What training did the driver have?
• Was the driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
• Was the driver distracted in any way, or knowingly commit violations?
• Were other motorists negligent and partially cause the accident?
• Was the bus company properly maintaining the bus?
• Did the bus company follow government regulations and hiring guidelines?

Our legal team at Mainetti & Mainetti has been involved in countless bus accident cases over the last several decades. We offer personalized attention and expertise to our clients; no two cases are the same. We have successfully guided many clients through the litigation process, obtaining the maximum compensation again and again.

School Bus Accidents

School bus accidents are a sensitive subject because they involve children, who are just trying to go back and forth from home to school. Accidents like slip and falls and bumps and bruises are common, and despite national laws about stopping when school bus lights are flashing, far too many children get struck by negligent drivers as they’re getting off the bus.

Who Pays After a Bus Crash in New York?

It depends on where you were:

• You were a passenger on the bus. New York’s no-fault coverage applies to injuries from the normal operation of the bus — a sudden stop, reckless driving, an impaired driver. If you have your own auto policy, that policy may pay first. If you slipped and fell while the bus was stopped, no-fault generally does not apply and the claim goes directly against the bus company.
• You were driving another vehicle. Your own no-fault coverage pays medical bills up to $50,000 and 80% of lost wages up to $2,000 a month. Beyond that, if the bus driver or company was negligent, you can claim against them and their insurer.
• You were a pedestrian or cyclist. No-fault still covers you, through the bus’s insurer if you have no policy of your own. Damages above the no-fault limits are pursued against whoever was negligent.

If the bus belonged to a public agency — a county transit system, a city bus, a school district — there is an extra deadline: a notice of claim generally has to be filed within 90 days of the injury, long before the ordinary statute of limitations runs. Missing it can end the case before it starts, so call early.