Riverside Bus Accident Lawyer

After proving fault for your bus accident and identifying the party or parties liable for your damages, the next phase of your case is proving the full extent of those damages. Most civil claims filed in Riverside seek compensation for multiple types of economic losses, such as:

• Medical expenses. When you have suffered physical injuries because of the defendant’s actions, they are responsible for compensating you for all medical expenses you incurred from the incident. This includes both immediate and future medical treatment costs, so if you suffer any severe injuries, they are responsible for future medical expenses until you reach maximum medical improvement.
• Property damage. If the incident resulted in the loss of any of your personal property, the defendant is liable for all associated repair and replacement costs.
• Lost income. When you are unable to work and earn income because of your bus accident injuries, the defendant is liable for the income you cannot earn during your recovery. It is also possible to recover compensation for lost future income if you are permanently disabled by the accident and will not be able to return to work in the future.

You might be able to calculate your immediate economic damages on your own, but if you want to accurately assess the future economic damages you are entitled to claim, it is vital to consult an experienced Riverside bus accident attorney as soon as possible.

Your legal team can not only be invaluable for ensuring you accurately assess the full extent of your immediate and future economic damages but also for determining an appropriate amount of pain and suffering compensation to seek from the defendant.

When the average person hears the term “pain and suffering” and realizes that physical pain and emotional distress are compensable losses in a personal injury claim, they are likely to wonder how to translate these intangible damages to monetary value. Under California’s personal injury laws, there is no limit to how much a plaintiff can seek in pain and suffering when they are pursuing compensation from another private party. If the defendant in your bus accident case is a government entity, pain and suffering compensation is limited.

Your Riverside bus accident attorney can determine a suitable amount of pain and suffering compensation to seek in your claim based on the severity of your damages and how long it will likely take for you to fully recover. They may seek a large lump sum by multiplying the total of your economic damages by a factor that represents the severity of your condition, or they may aim for an amount based on how long it will take you to recover.

When you choose Easton & Easton to represent your bus accident case in Riverside, we can immediately begin helping you gather the evidence needed to prove fault for the incident and establish the full extent of the damages you incurred. Most of the civil claims for damages filed are not resolved in litigation. The parties involved in a civil suit can save time and money when they opt for a private settlement instead. During the settlement process, the parties involved in the case meet privately to discuss mutually agreeable terms to resolve the case. As long as both the plaintiff and the defendant are willing to compromise, they could settle the case in a few weeks.

Litigation may be necessary, however, if the defendant refuses settlement or if the parties cannot reach a mutually acceptable resolution through private settlement. In this situation, the judge overseeing the case has the final say regarding liability for the plaintiff’s damages and how much compensation they can recover from the defendant.

The attorneys at Easton & Easton approach every personal injury case we accept with the objective of helping our clients recover as fully as possible and as quickly as possible. When you hire our firm for your bus accident case in Riverside, we can immediately get to work gathering the evidence you need to prove fault and establish the full extent of your damages. We’ll seek to settle the claim with the defendant if possible but are fully prepared to represent you in the courtroom if necessary.

Q: How Do I Prove Fault for a Bus Accident in Riverside?

A: Proving liability for your recent bus accident is a critical first step toward recovery from your damages. It’s possible for liability to fall to several parties, such as the bus driver, their employer, a school district, or even the state. Your Riverside bus accident attorney can carefully review the details of how the accident happened and help identify all parties that are at fault for your damages. Eyewitness testimony, traffic camera footage, and vehicle computer data are often crucial forms of evidence in these cases.

Q: How Much Compensation Can I Claim for a Bus Accident in Riverside?

A: You have the right to seek full compensation for all damages you suffered in your recent bus accident, such as your medical expenses, future medical treatment costs, lost income, and compensation for your pain and suffering. While you may be able to assess some of your immediately recognizable economic damages on your own, a good attorney can help accurately calculate the full long-term economic impact of the accident and determine a suitable amount of pain and suffering compensation to seek from the defendant.

Q: What Happens if a Plaintiff Shares Fault for Their Damages?

A: It is possible for the plaintiff in a bus accident case to share liability for the accident and still have grounds to claim compensation for their damages. California upholds a pure comparative negligence standard, meaning every liable party in a civil suit will have a fault percentage assigned to them. A plaintiff’s fault percentage is then deducted from their final case award. For example, bearing 10% fault in a personal injury case means losing 10% of the total compensation secured from the defendant.

Q: Will I Win a Larger Settlement if I Hire a Riverside Bus Accident Attorney?

A: Hiring the right legal representative to handle your case can significantly improve your chances of winning the case, and you will also be more likely to maximize your total case award. Your attorney can handle the procedural requirements of the claim, ensuring you meet all filing deadlines and other obligations with the court. They can also help identify avenues of compensation you may have overlooked on your own and maximize the amount of pain and suffering compensation you win from the case.

Q: How Much Will It Cost to Hire a Riverside Bus Accident Attorney?

A: It is understandable to have concerns about your legal fees when you are already struggling with the economic impact of a bus accident in Riverside, but this is no cause for alarm if you choose Easton & Easton to represent your case. Our team takes personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning our client only pays a fee after we win their case, and the fee is a percentage of the total amount we recover on their behalf. There is no fee for the client if we are unable to secure compensation, so there is no economic risk to choosing our firm to represent your case.

Any bus accident has the potential to inflict life-changing injuries on multiple victims, and these cases can easily generate very complex legal issues for those involved. If you are unsure how to proceed with seeking compensation for your damages after a bus accident in Riverside, the team at Easton & Easton is ready to assist you. Contact us today and schedule your consultation with a Riverside bus accident attorney to start working toward your recovery.