Bus accident solicitors
Luckily, bus accidents are pretty rare in the UK, thanks to rigorous health and safety regulations and well-trained drivers and crew. They accounted for just 1.9% of all reported road accidents in 2018. However, certain circumstances such as bad weather or poorly-maintained roads, mistakes by other motorists or over-crowded buses can lead to serious accidents. Some incidents may also be caused by reckless driving or loss of concentration by the driver.
Bus accidents can cause serious injury to passengers, pedestrians, cyclists and other road users. They may also have long-lasting impacts on an individual's mental health or in the worst-case scenario, may be fatal. The latest statistics from the Department for Transport show there were nearly 160,400 road accident casualties in 2018.
If you were injured in an accident on the bus and it wasn't your fault, we can help you make a personal injury claim. Get in touch with our expert legal team to find out more about claiming compensation.
Who is entitled to make bus accident claims?
All bus and coach companies have a legal duty of care for their passengers and must have appropriate measures in place to ensure their safety.
This is the case whether they are a public, private or school bus provider. If the company breaches this duty and you or a loved one is injured as a result, you may be eligible to make a bus accident claim.
There are many situations which may result in personal injury to passengers, cyclists, pedestrians and other road users.
These are some of the most common causes of injury in bus accidents:
Passengers
- Hitting an object such as a lamppost, wall or building.
- Colliding with another vehicle.
- Passenger slipping on rubbish or substances on the bus floor.
- Suddenacceleration before the passenger could sit down.
- An emergency stop or harsh braking causing a slip, trip or fall.
- A sudden swerve by the driver to avoid an object or vehicle on the road.
- Falling over the bus is crowded and has standing-room only.
- Poor maintenance of passenger safety items like grab handles or straps.
Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists
- Hit by a bus when crossing the road.
- Struck by a bus when waiting at a bus stop.
- Premature door closure preventing someone from getting on or exiting the bus.
- Knocked off a bicycle or motorbike by a bus turning left whose driver hasn't seen you.
If your injured in a bus accident we understand how this might have impacted on your life. Our friendly and personable team will look at your individual case and ensure you get the legal support you need.
Meet James Ilic - A graduate in law, James has many years' litigation experience across all types of accident injury on the road, at work and in public. He builds the claim cases for our customers where the other side involved disputes liability.
How do I claim after a bus accident?
We understand that you may be going through a difficult time as you recover from your injury. That's why it's our job to make bus accident claims as quick, easy and hassle-free as possible.
All you need to do is give us a call on , request a call back or use our claim online tool to see if you can start your claim online. There's absolutely no pressure to make a bus crash claim.
We're here to help clarify your options compassionately and take care of the legal matters should you decide to go ahead.
Start your claim online
Use our market leading calculator to start your claim online. It can give you an indicative claim valuation, plus confirm if you can manage your case online through our MyAccount customer account area.
Claim onlineCan I make a claim on a no win no fee basis?
Yes you can. We work on a no win no fee basis in the vast majority of the claims we handle for our customers. This means that if we lose your claim, you pay nothing to us or anyone else.
However, if we win your bus accident claim, we'll deduct our fees from the overall amount of compensation you're awarded.
We'll agree our fixed fee structure with you before your claim begins, so you can rest assured there will never be any hidden or surprise costs.
Frequently asked questions...
Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to make a claim on behalf of a loved one. For instance, you can claim on behalf of your child if they were injured and under the age of 18.
You may also be able to claim on behalf of an injured person who's suffered head or brain trauma, or someone who has a pre-existing medical condition which means they are unable to make a decision themselves. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 is in place to protect vulnerable parties and help people establish when a person lacks capacity to make their own decision.
If you are claiming on behalf of a loved one, it is important you have all the details of their accident and medical treatment. A personal injury solicitor will be able to take you through this and explain how the compensation claim process works in these situations.
If your loved one has died due to an accident that wasn't their fault, we understand how difficult it can be to cope. While we can't take back what happened, we can help you to claim compensation which may relieve some of the financial pressure you're facing.
Determining who was at fault will depend on where your accident happened. For example, accidents at work would be the fault of your employer; accidents on the road might be the fault of another driver, and accidents in public spaces would be the responsibility of the local council.
Once you have discussed the details of your case with one of our lawyers, they will be able to help you determine who was at fault for your accident.
Unfortunately, there is no straightforward answer to how much compensation you might receive.
If your claim is successful, your compensation award will depend on the type and severity of your injuries. It will also take into consideration your costs to date and any potential future costs that relate to your accident.
We negotiate your compensation with the party responsible for your accident and until those negotiations start, we don't know what your final figure might be. There's no need for you to worry, though. At National Accident Law, our firm of no win no fee solicitors are skilled and experienced. You can be confident you're in safe hands when it comes to negotiating your compensation amount.
If you'd like further guidance on how much your claim could be worth, check the table below. It gives you guide information on typical amounts paid out for injuries of all types and severities.
| Injury | Guide Amount |
|---|---|
| Head injury | £1,760 - £322,060 |
| Facial injury | £1,360 - £322,060 |
| Mild tinnitus to total deafness | £10,040 - £87,410 |
| Whiplash | £300 - £6,290 (with recovery in 1-2 years) |
| Moderate shoulder injury | £6,290 - £10,180 |
| Back injury causing permanent symptoms | £9,970 - £22,130 |
| Hip or pelvis injury | £3,150 - £104,370 |
| Fractured forearm | £5,280 - £15,300 |
| Wrist injury | £2,810 - £47,720 |
| Hernia | £2,710 - £19,260 |
| Ankle injury | £10,960 - £55,560 |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | £3,150 - £80,250 |
For reference, we use the 15th edition of the Judicial College Guidelines on Personal Injury to assess potential compensation awards. However, we cannot guarantee an award amount.
What is the average bus injury claim amount?
Bus accidents vary widely in circumstance and severity, as do the injuries involved. From slips and trips to vehicle collisions, pedestrian incidents and those with bikes or motorbikes.
As such, you won't know the likely amount you could be awarded in a successful claim until we've valued it accurately and have started negotiating with the other side's insurers.
We'll work with you to understand your unique situation and how the accident has affected you physically, mentally and financially.
This will allow us to reach an accurate bus injury claim amount that will help you on the road to recovery and beyond.
If you've been injured in an accident on a bus that wasn't your fault and would like to discuss making a claim, get in touch with us today on , request a call back or complete our claim online tool to see if you can start your claim online today.