For many Americans, public transportation is an essential part of daily life. Every day, around 7.8 million people commute using some form of public transport. With numbers this high, it’s no surprise that from time to time accidents do happen.
If you’ve been injured as a result of an accident that happened on public transport, you’ll likely be wondering about what kind of recourse you have available to you. Depending on when, where, and how it occurred, it might be a good idea to file personal injury claims.
Read on for more details on the steps you can take if this has happened to you.
Different Kinds of Public Transportation Accident Injuries
When you talk about a bodily injury claim arising from an accident on public transportation your mind might immediately go to something dramatic such as a collision. Though these are all too common occurrences they’re not the only way a person can be injured on public transport.
For example, if a train or bus were to stop suddenly and you injured your neck from the jolt, this counts as a public transport injury. Similarly, if you were to get your leg caught in the doors of a train or between the train and the platform this would also constitute such an injury.
What the Law Says
When you’re dealing with a bodily injury claim, usually it will be up to you to prove that the defendant (in this case the public transportation provider) has shown negligence in some way. There are some states, however, that also have something called the “common carrier law”.
This law mandates that public transportation providers in these states owe their passengers a greater level of care than an average person would. What this law means for the injured party is that it might be easier to prove that the defendant has shown negligence.
How to File Public Transportation Injury Claims
If you’ve been injured on public transportation and you’d like to file a personal injury claim, there are some protocols to follow and steps to take. Different states have different rules, but you’ll have a certain window of time within which you’ll need to file your claim.
This is why it’s a good idea to hire a specialized attorney (if you’re in San Francisco, for example, a BART accident lawyer) as soon as you can.
Once you’ve got a good lawyer, they’ll be able to take you through the next steps that your state and your case require for you to be able to file your claim. It can be helpful to file a police report and take photographs of your injuries if applicable.
Don’t Delay: Make Your Claim as Soon as Possible
If you’ve been injured and you’re looking into making injury claims against a public transportation agency, time is of the essence. Get in touch with a lawyer as soon as possible.
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