Were you recently injured in a bus accident in Scranton, Pennsylvania? Call McDonald & MacGregor, LLC at (570) 209-7062 to set up a free consultation. You may have the right to demand compensation from the bus driver, the transportation company, or another at-fault party.
Our experienced Scranton bus accident lawyers can help you fight to maximize your monetary award. We’re award-winning Pennsylvania trial lawyers with a multi-million-dollar track record of success and over 93 years of collective litigation experience.
Discover why we’re one of the most trusted names in bus accident litigation in Northeastern Pennsylvania by contacting our Scranton law office today. Your first consultation with our Scranton bus accident attorneys is free.
Why Choose McDonald & MacGregor, LLC to Help Me After a Bus Accident in Scranton, PA
You shouldn’t have to deal with the consequences of a catastrophic bus accident on your own—not when you got hurt because someone else was negligent. Fortunately, you have the right to seek compensation. Make the most of it by trusting McDonald & MacGregor, LLC to take charge of your bus accident lawsuit.
Our Scranton personal injury lawyers are aggressive legal advocates recognized as leaders in civil litigation by:
- Best Lawyers in America
- Super Lawyers
- Martindale-Hubbell
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 100, and
- The Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Former clients consistently recommend us because we genuinely care about the people we represent. We support our clients and fight to ensure they’re made whole when things go wrong.
Get the kind of bus accident case results you deserve by putting our experience, knowledge, and reputation in your corner. Our Scranton personal injury attorneys offer a free consultation, so contact our office today.
What Is My Scranton Bus Accident Case Worth?
The value of a bus accident case varies from one situation to the next. Everyone involved in a bus accident has a different experience, and it will affect each victim’s life differently.
The potential value of your bus accident claim can depend on:
- The types of physical injuries you’ve suffered
- Harder-to-value changes in your life, like disfigurement, loss of limbs, pain and suffering, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Out-of-pocket costs and expenses
- Changes in your ability to work
- A reduction in your earning capacity due to the extent of your physical wounds
- Temporary and/or permanent disability
- Your age at the time of the bus accident
- Shared responsibility for your bus accident injuries
- Available insurance coverage
Don’t underestimate what your bus accident case might be worth or let the insurance company dictate the valuation process. Call McDonald & MacGregor, LLC, and count on our Pennsylvania bus accident attorneys in Scranton to investigate your case, evaluate critical pieces of evidence, and work with experts.
We’ll assess your damages, calculate what your bus accident case is worth, and fight to make sure you get every cent you deserve.
What Kinds of Damages Are Available to Scranton Bus Accident Victims?
Pennsylvania allows bus accident victims to request compensatory damages through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
Compensatory damages can include two different types of awards: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages help to cover bus accident-related costs, including:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing assistance
- Property damage
- Funeral expenses
Non-economic damages are intended to help you cope with the personal trauma you experience as a bus accident victim, which tends to be more challenging to value.
These more intangible losses can include:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Chronic physical pain
- Scarring
- Embarrassment
- Loss of consortium
Expect the bus service and its insurance company to fight your claim for damages at every turn. They might downplay the seriousness of your injuries and argue that you’ve exaggerated the changes in your life.
Our bus accident lawyers in Scranton, PA, won’t stand for these tactics. We’ll work hand-in-hand with experts to value your claim and force the defense to make a fair settlement offer during negotiations. If they refuse, we’ll be more than ready to fight for life-changing results by taking your bus accident lawsuit to trial.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Bus Accident Attorney?
You’ll pay nothing out of pocket to hire McDonald & MacGregor, LLC to handle your Scranton bus accident lawsuit. We work on a contingency fee basis, so we only get paid when we win compensation for you.
When we negotiate a bus accident settlement or win a verdict at trial, our fees are deducted from the financial award. Depending on the case, our fees range between 33 and 40 percent of the financial recovery.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for My Bus Accident in Pennsylvania?
Sharing responsibility for a bus accident in Scranton, PA, can limit your ability to get compensation.
Under the state’s modified comparative negligence rule, you can typically receive limited compensation if your shared fault is 50 percent or less. However, your right to recover compensation may be forfeited once your shared fault reaches 51% or more.
Damages are reduced proportionately to fault. The more you’re to blame for a bus accident in Scranton, the more impact it’ll usually have on your financial recovery.
We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Bus Accident Injuries in Scranton, PA
While buses are designed to protect passengers in the event of an accident, bus passengers are still susceptible to serious physical injuries in a crash. So, too, are occupants of other cars, pedestrians, and others involved in bus accidents.
Common bus accident injuries tend to include:
- Crushing injuries
- Nerve damages
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue injuries
- Leg injuries
- Knee injuries
- Back injuries
- Herniated discs
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck injuries
- Whiplash
- Chest injuries
- Burn injuries
- Amputation injuries
- Concussions
- Brain injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death
Report your bus accident to the Scranton Police Department immediately, then seek medical attention at the emergency room closest to the scene of the crash. These steps can help to ensure your accident and injuries are documented for future litigation.
What Causes Most Bus Accidents in Pennsylvania?
Hundreds of bus accidents are reported in Pennsylvania yearly, many of which stem from critical violations of state and federal safety rules.
Like other large commercial vehicles, buses must comply with strict safety regulations set by the state and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. These regulations, designed to enhance safe bus operations, affect everything from hours of service limitations to driver hiring and training requirements and mandatory vehicle inspections.
Commonly reported causes of bus accidents include:
- Inexperienced and/or unqualified bus drivers
- Unsafe turns
- Wide turns
- Braking errors
- Blind spot errors
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Speeding
- Driver fatigue
- Unsafe passing
- Following too closely
- Stopping improperly and blocking traffic
- Sharp turns at high speeds
- Vehicle defects and malfunctions
Bad road and weather conditions can also increase the chances that a large bus is involved in a traffic accident in Scranton.
Who Could Be Held Liable For My Bus Accident?
When you get hurt in a bus accident through little-to-no fault of your own, you can potentially seek compensation from anyone who contributed to the bus accident. Liability is proportionate to fault. The greater a party’s role in causing a bus accident in Scranton, PA, the more they’ll bear responsibility for your injuries, costs, and distress.
Parties that are often liable for Scranton bus accidents include:
- Bus drivers
- Public transportation services, including the County of Lackawanna Transit System (COLTS)
- The Scranton School District, if a school bus is involved in an accident
- Private bus companies
- Charter bus companies
- Tour bus companies
- Bus mechanics
- Drivers of passenger vehicles, motorcyclists, and other parties on the road
- Bicyclists or pedestrians
- Property owners
- Government agencies that are charged with providing safe roads
- A negligent party’s employer
Our Scranton bus accident attorneys will dig into the facts of your case, review relevant evidence, interview eyewitnesses, and work to uncover why and how your bus accident happened. Once we’ve identified the cause, we’ll be able to determine who’s at fault and, by extension, liable for your injuries.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Bus Accident in Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania, a two-year statute of limitations typically applies to most bus accident lawsuits. If you wait too long, you might lose your right to compensation for your injuries.
There are some exceptions to this deadline, like claims involving injured children or accidents with government-run bus services. It’s best to contact a Scranton personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your bus accident to ensure your rights are preserved.
Contact Our Scranton Bus Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Don’t miss out on the compensation you need and deserve after a bus accident in Scranton, PA. Call McDonald & MacGregor, LLC to fight for the justice you deserve.
Our Scranton bus accident lawyers can invest 93+ years of combined experience and a winning reputation into your legal claim.
We’ve helped clients win millions in damages. Contact our Scranton law office to discover how we can make a difference in your fight for compensation after a bus accident during a free consultation.
