San Bernardino Bus Accident Lawyer
San Bernardino Bus Accident Attorney
Thousands of people use bus services in the San Bernardino area every day, from adults taking public transportation to children riding school buses to their classes. Although less common than standard car accidents, bus accidents do occur, and they often result in severe injuries to multiple victims at once. If you recently sustained injuries in any kind of bus accident, it is vital to know the value of legal counsel that you trust and what you can expect from the proceedings ahead of you as you seek compensation for your losses.
Experienced Legal Counsel for Bus Accident Victims in San Bernardino, CA
The attorneys at Easton & Easton have decades of experience resolving all types of personal injury claims in San Bernardino, including those pertaining to bus accidents. These cases often entail severe injuries and can lead to very complex and contentious legal proceedings, and our firm has the skill and experience necessary to help you approach your bus accident case with confidence and peace of mind.
When you choose our firm to represent your case, you can rely on us to help you gather any evidence needed to prove liability for your damages and establish the extent of the losses you can claim. The average personal injury plaintiff will be unable to succeed with their case unassisted, and even if they managed to prove fault for their losses, they would be unlikely to recover as much compensation as a seasoned attorney could have secured on their behalf. When you have our firm representing you, you can rest assured that we will do everything we can to expedite your proceedings and help you recover as much compensation as state law allows for your damages.
Proving Liability for Your Bus Accident in San Bernardino
The state’s fault rule applies to all motor vehicle accidents in the state, meaning you must prove fault for your bus accident before you will be able to recover any compensation for your damages. Under state law, the party responsible for causing an accident is responsible for all resulting damages, and every driver must have auto insurance that meets basic coverage requirements for bodily injury and property damage liability. Insurance could come into play after your bus accident, depending on how the accident happened and who is responsible, but it is unlikely for insurance alone to cover the full scope of all your claimable damages.
It’s possible for one or more parties to bear liability for the bus accident you experienced. For example, liability could fall to the bus driver if they were negligent in their handling of the bus or if they engaged in any willful misconduct, such as driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol. It is also possible for their employer to bear fault under the rule of vicarious liability. An employer can share liability for the actions of their employee if they did not adhere to applicable industry regulations or if they violated common carrier laws. A common carrier is any organization that offers transportation as a paid service to the public, and there are special rules that all common carriers must follow.
When you must file a civil suit in response to a school bus accident, it is possible for multiple parties to share fault for the incident, including the school district, the bus service, and the bus driver. It is also possible for another motorist to have caused your bus accident, in which case that at-fault driver would face liability for the damages suffered by all the victims of the accident. Once you determine who caused your accident and have proved exactly how they have caused it, you can proceed with claiming compensation for the resulting damages.
Claimable Damages in Your Bus Accident Case in San Bernardino
The primary goal of any personal injury claim in San Bernardino is to prove fault for your damages and collect compensation for those damages. The average plaintiff is entitled to claim more than they may initially expect, and a good San Bernardino bus accident attorney can be an invaluable asset for the help they can provide in maximizing your recovery. Under California’s personal injury laws, you could potentially recover compensation for:
- Medical treatment costs. The defendant who physically injured you is liable for all of the medical care you need to reach maximum improvement from your injuries. This includes immediate as well as long-term medical expenses.
- Lost income. If you have been injured badly enough that you are unable to work while you recover from your injuries, the defendant is responsible for the money you cannot earn during this time. Additionally, if you suffered any permanently disabling injuries that impact your ability to work and earn income, you can hold the defendant accountable for the income you won’t be able to earn because of their actions.
- Property damage. When your personal property has been damaged or destroyed in an accident, the party responsible for causing the accident is liable for all associated repair and replacement costs.
- Pain and suffering. In addition to your economic damages, you can claim compensation for the physical pain and psychological distress you experienced from the bus accident. State law does not limit this aspect of your recovery, so you have the right to claim as much as you believe to be appropriate to reflect the severity of the harm done to you.
An experienced San Bernardino bus accident attorney can be invaluable for the help they can provide in proving liability for your damages and proving the full scope of those damages. When you choose Easton & Easton to handle your case, we will do everything we can to maximize your recovery in the most efficient manner possible.
FAQs for Bus Accident Lawyers
Q: Who Is Liable for a Bus Accident in San Bernardino?
A: You must prove liability for your bus accident before you can recover compensation for the damages you sustained in the accident. It’s possible for fault for a bus accident to fall to the bus driver, their employer, or a third party. It is also possible for a combination of multiple parties to bear liability for the accident. If you are filing suit in response to a school bus accident, the school district and/or bus company may bear fault for the incident. A San Bernardino bus accident attorney can help you determine fault for your accident and hold the appropriate party or parties accountable for the damages they caused.
Q: What Are Commonly Reported Injuries From Bus Accidents?
A: Bus accidents often result in serious injuries to multiple victims at once. Many of these injuries may also occur from standard motor vehicle accidents, such as broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and damage to internal organs. If you believe you have only sustained minor injuries, it is still important that you see a doctor as soon as possible after your bus accident so they can check for any injuries that aren’t immediately noticeable. This will prevent any such injuries from worsening.
Q: What Happens if a Plaintiff Is Partially at Fault?
A: California enforces the pure comparative fault rule in any personal injury claim in which multiple parties share liability for the damages cited in the claim. Each liable party has a fault percentage assigned to them that indicates the share of the victim’s damages for which they are responsible. If a plaintiff is assigned a fault percentage, they will lose this percentage of their case award as a penalty. For example, 25% fault would mean losing 25% of the total compensation won from the defendant.
Q: How Long Will It Take to Resolve a Bus Accident Case?
A: The time your case could take to reach a conclusion will largely depend on whether you are able to settle the case or if you will need to litigate. A settlement should only take a few weeks to complete as long as both parties are willing to compromise on a mutually acceptable set of terms for resolving the case. Litigation, on the other hand, can take more than a year to resolve, depending on the complexity of the case and the scope of the damages sought by the plaintiff.
Q: How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Sacramento Bus Accident Attorney?
A: The team at Easton & Easton can represent your personal injury case without adding to your financial concerns in this difficult situation. We take personal injury clients on contingency, meaning our client only pays our firm a fee if and when we win their case, and their fee is a percentage of the total compensation won from the defendant. If our firm is unable to obtain a case award for you, there is no fee at all.
The attorneys at Easton & Easton have the professional experience required to handle the most challenging accident cases in San Bernardino. Whether you must file a claim against a private individual driver, a bus company, or a school district, we are confident in our ability to provide comprehensive legal support through all aspects of your recovery efforts. The sooner you reach out to an attorney that you trust, the more likely you are to maximize your recovery, so contact Easton & Easton today to schedule your consultation with a San Bernardino bus accident attorney.
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The superior client service Easton & Easton provides has earned the firm an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen anew each year since 2014 by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers as one of the "Best Law Firms" for the Southern California Metro Area.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen by the LA Times Reader's Choice Poll as "The Best Personal Injury Law Firm in Orange County" for 2018.
Doug and Brian Easton have been selected as Top 100 Trial Lawyers for California each year since 2014 — honors given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have earned selection through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list.
Brian and Matt Easton were recently honored for their efforts in securing a $1,850,000 verdict for a client in 2016, which was selected as one of the Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in California by TopVerdict.com.
Doug and Brian have each been selected by Super Lawyers, an honor given to less than 5% of attorneys. Matt Easton has been selected among Super Lawyers' Up-and-Coming Top 25 in Orange County and Top 100 in Southern Califonia, an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys under 40 years old.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen as one of the "10 Best Personal Injury Law Firms” in all of Southern California" each year Since 2015 based on client satisfaction — one of the highest honors we could ever hope to achieve.
Easton & Easton received the “People Love Us On Yelp” award in 2016 due to the exceptional client satisfaction reviews given by our clients over the years.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been featured as Premier 100 Trial Attorneys for California since 2015 — honors given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Brian and Matt Easton have each earned lifetime appointment to the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum — The Top Trial Lawyers in AmericaTM through the results achieved for their clients. This is an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys in the United States.
Doug Easton has held the “AV Preeminent” Rating for over 30 years and Matt Easton received this prestigious distinction in 2015. The "AV Preeminent" rating is the highest possible rating for both legal ability and ethical standards, and is based on the legal profession’s oldest peer review rating system, dating back to 1887.
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been chosen as one of the "10 Best" Personal Injury Attorneys in Southern California each year since 2015 based on client satisfaction, an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys - and Easton & Easton houses three of them.
Brian Easton was selected to the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2015. ABOTA is one of the most premier associations of trial attorneys and judges, requiring a certain number of jury trials as lead counsel and approval by a majority vote of the ABOTA board.
Matt Easton has been selected each year since 2014 as one of the Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40 for California by The National Trial Lawyers — an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have earned selection through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list.
Both Doug and Matt Easton have been selected as Top Personal Injury Attorneys by Avvo with scores of 10 out of 10 based on their skill, experience, results, peer evaluations, and client reviews.
Matt Easton has been selected as one of the Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys Under 40 in California for 2015 by the National Association of Personal Injury Attorneys — an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys under the age of 40.
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been selected by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel among the Nation's Top One Percent of Attorneys each year since 2017.
“We look for the human story behind every injury or wrongful death. We prepare our cases for trial; reaching out to the jury with the most compelling evidence possible for the best verdict possible. Insurance companies know this and come to the table prepared to negotiate in good faith. Call us to see how we can turn your story into fair compensation.”
Partner W. Douglas Easton
What Our Clients Say
Coming out of my first auto accident as an adult, a very difficult and scary time to navigate and understand, I was so incredibly thankful to have been put in contact with Easton & Easton. I honestly was lost with how to handle paperwork, doctors, medical costs and what next steps were, and from the moment I spoke with Travis Easton and my case manager Katie, my mind was put at ease. They have made the entire process stress free for me as I recovered, and I am so grateful for them and their genuine care for my case. Communication from the start has been fantastic, especially making clear what my expectations for the entire process would look like, and I truly believe they have my best interest at heart. 100% I would recommend their firm for anyone that is needing representation! Read more…
My experience with Easton & Easton has been amazing! Gabriel Mendoza and my case manager Katie have been so helpful and taken so much stress off my plate. They’ve been super informative and honest and given me very clear expectations. They’ve taken such a terrible experience (my accident) and eased my mind about the outcome. I can’t thank them enough!! Read more…
Ive used them twice and never been disappointed. Read more…
The Easton & Easton Law Firm is amazing! The entire team is very helpful and caring. They were always there to answer all my questions. They directed me through the entire process and stayed with me every step of the way. This team is outstanding and were wonderful to work with. Because of the tremendous effort they put on my case they were able to win my difficult personal injury case. I couldn’t have asked for a better law firm to handle my case. They are the Best! Thank you for your patience, professionalism, & guidance! I definitely recommend this firm to handle your case. They go out of their way to fight for your rights. THANK YOU… Read more…
I could not be more pleased with the services provided by the Law Offices of W. Douglas Easton. The senior partner Mr. Easton took the time to meet with me and my wife while I was still in the hospital, where he gave my family hope that there was light at the end of a very long, and very dark tunnel. Matt Easton then worked my case, and because of his dedication, experience and expertise I received a settlement that was larger than I EVER thought possible. It was truly astounding! Matt and the entire team at Easton & Easton looked out for me throughout my recovery, and in the end they gave me my life back. Five stars is not enough. Thanks Matt! Thanks Easton & Easton! Read more…
Brian and everyone at Easton and Easton are simply the BEST at what they do. Brian is thorough, easy to talk to, and truly cares about his clients. If you want a family of attorneys with perseverance and determination to fight for you, give Easton and Easton a call. I am glad I did. Read more…
What an amazing law firm, talk about going above and beyond to make such a painful experience go so well. I have referred a co-worker and a family member to them as well and everyone had such a great experience as I had. Read more…
I can’t say enough amazing things about my experience with Travis Easton at Easton & Easton. Travis and his entire team (Katie, Amy, Dee, Michelle, & Araceli) are phenomenal. It provided me a lot of comfort to know I was being so well taken care of. I was especially impressed that every document for the case was perfectly written and specific to me. Nothing was generic, which shows the level of care and attention they put into each individual case. I had such a great experience and would highly recommend Travis Easton and his firm to anyone going through a personal injury. Travis took a bad situation and made the best of it for me. Thank you again, I’m forever grateful!!
-Allee
Retaining Easton and Easton was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! From the initial consultation to our final meeting, they were nothing short of exceptional. I was forced to retain their services after firing my previous attorney for not handling the case properly. I dealt with Gabriel and Brian (partner) exclusively throughout the case. They did as promised and were great communicators throughout the entire process. I will recommend them to anyone I know going through a personal injury case. They were ultimately able to untangle the mess caused by my previous lawyer and get a result that I was extremely happy with. Their staff is exceptional as well and provided top notch customer service. Amera was also extremely helpful and easy to deal with as well.
I was in a pretty bad car accident and decided to have Easton & Easton represent me, Travis Easton to be specific. Travis Easton and his paralegal made the whole process effortless. They were so understanding and helpful! The entire thing was a gigantic mess, yet Travis managed to make it run like clockwork. I would HIGHLY recommend Easton & Easton! If you are ever in need of a personal defense attorney Easton & Easton is the firm to represent you!
They are the best law firm in Orange County period. Choosing them to represent me was the best decision of my life.
My life changed in a matter of seconds after a catastrophic spinal cord injury that left me disabled. Brian Easton and his team worked on my case non stop for 3 years and provided me the justice I deserved. I couldn’t have been more content.
I was treated with utmost respect and I felt like I was being represented by a close family member. The responses to my questions were quick and clear. What E & E has done for me is phenomenal.
My sincere thanks to Brian, Matt, Travis, Doug, Gabriel and Amera. They are what they are because of their dedication to provide high quality and professional service to their clients.
Brian Easton and his team, Gabe Mendoza and Amera Hajali, helped me during a very difficult time in my life. I had a significant injury from a car accident, and wound up seeking out Easton & Easton when I was having difficulties getting help from my doctors. The Easton team took a lot of stress off of me while acting as my advocates to help me get the care I needed, and saw my case all the way through to a healthy settlement.
They are the BEST!
I have nothing but good things to say about Easton and Easton. Brian handled my case professionally and communicated with me effectively throughout the process. He made sure that the process was effortless and as hands free as possible. This was super important for my busy schedule. I highly recommend Easton and Easton if you are ever found in a situation that you need an attorney.
I would highly recommend Easton & Easton.
I was rear ended on my home and pushed into a semi-truck. I was not sure how to go about even using an attorney.
Brian, Gab and Amera were so good about helping me thru the process and representing me.
I was able to concentrate on getting myself better knowing they had my back, taking care of the details and keeping me informed along the way
The best Law firm by far. I would highly recommend Easton & Easton, LLP and ask for Gabriel Mendoza and staff. He and his colleagues did and exceptional service. Thank you for everything. Job well done!
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