Fort Lauderdale Bus Accident Lawyer
If you were injured in a bus accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and other damages. Contact a Fort Lauderdale bus accident lawyer from Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP for a free consultation to learn about bringing a claim against a private bus company or a government entity.
Buses are typically a safe mode of transportation. However, accidents do happen. When they do, it can be a traumatic and life-altering experience. Injuries from bus accidents in Fort Lauderdale can lead to significant medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. When you are in a bus accident, the bus company will usually claim they are not at fault, and their insurance company will probably offer you a quick settlement that does not fully cover your damages. Collecting compensation for bus accident injuries is hard enough, and it is even harder if your accident involves a city-operated bus because there are special rules that apply, such as shorter filing deadlines.
You do not have to face attorneys, insurance companies, or government representatives alone. The skilled Fort Lauderdale bus accident legal team at Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP can determine who was at fault for your accident, calculate your damages, and advocate for your best interests during settlement negotiations or litigation. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more about your legal options.
Quick Links
- Why choose Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP as your Fort Lauderdale bus accident lawyer?
- Your Fort Lauderdale Bus Accident Lawyer Can Help You Determine Who Was at Fault
- What types of compensation can Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP help you receive?
- What is the deadline for filing a Fort Lauderdale bus accident case?
- How much does it cost to hire a Fort Lauderdale bus accident lawyer?
- What can Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP do for you?
- Fort Lauderdale Bus Accident FAQs
- Fort Lauderdale Bus Accident Attorneys at Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP Are Ready To Fight for You
- Our Personal Injury Lawyers in Fort Lauderdale
Why choose Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP as your Fort Lauderdale bus accident lawyer?
The attorneys at Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP have decades of combined experience and have handled thousands of motor vehicle accident cases. We have secured over $100 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients, so you can trust that we know what it takes to succeed.
Our team members have been recognized as Super Lawyers and ranked among the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by The National Trial Lawyers. They regularly appear on news networks to provide legal analysis and speak at respected legal summits and conferences.
Your Fort Lauderdale Bus Accident Lawyer Can Help You Determine Who Was at Fault
Determining who was at fault for your bus accident is critical to recovering damages. You must prove a part is at fault to recover compensation from them. Several parties could be liable for your damages, including the bus driver, another driver, the bus company, or the company that manufactured a defective bus part that caused the accident.
Determining fault requires resources, time, and knowing what pieces of evidence matter the most in your case. An experienced attorney will know how to investigate your accident and gather evidence to determine who might be at fault for your damages.
What Types of Compensation can Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP Help You Receive?
Under Florida law, you can seek three types of damages when you bring a bus accident claim: economic, non-economic, and punitive damages. The amounts and types of damages you can receive depend on the unique facts of your case, including whether you were in an accident involving a private or city-owned bus.
Economic Damages
Economic damages compensate you for monetary losses caused by your accident. These damages can cover money you spent and money you lost. Your Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorney will fight tirelessly to help you recover economic damages such as:
- Past and future lost wages
- Loss of work-related benefits
- Hospital bills
- Rehabilitation costs
- Home health care costs
- Medications
- Repair costs for damaged property
Your attorney will look at evidence such as doctor bills, repair invoices, and pay stubs to calculate your economic damages.
Non-economic Damages
South Florida bus accident victims often deal with long-term consequences from their injuries that diminish their quality of life. Non-economic damages compensate you for these emotional and physical losses. Our lawyers will fight for non-economic damages such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of bodily functions
- Mental anguish
- Loss of capacity to enjoy life
- Loss of consortium
If your accident involved a government-owned bus, your total damages will be limited to $200,00 if you are the only claimant and $300,000 if there are other plaintiffs.
Punitive Damages
To receive punitive damages in Florida, you must show the other party’s conduct was grossly negligent or deliberate. Punitive damages are capped at either three times the sum of your economic and non-economic damages, or $500,000, whichever is higher. If you can show the at-fault party’s actions were intentional or motivated by financial gain, you can collect up to four times your other damages. However, you cannot collect punitive damages from the city or state in bus accident cases. [ § 768.28(5)(a), Fla. Stat. (2022)]
What is the Deadline for Filing a Fort Lauderdale Bus Accident Case?
Under Florida law, you have a certain amount of time to file a legal claim. This time limit is called the statute of limitations. The amount of time you have depends on the type of claim you are bringing. You have four years from the date of your bus accident to file a claim if your accident involved a private carrier. But you have only three years to file if your accident involved a bus operated by a government entity. [ § 768.28(6)(a), Fla. Stat. (2022) ]
If you are bringing a wrongful death claim because you lost a loved one in a bus accident, your Fort Lauderdale wrongful death lawyer has two years to file your case. [ § 95.11 (7)(4)(d), Fla. Stat. (2022)]
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Fort Lauderdale Bus Accident Lawyer?
Personal injury cases, such as bus accident claims, are almost always good candidates for a contingency fee. When a lawyer takes a case on a contingency basis, the client does not pay costs up front or by the hour. The lawyer will only earn their fee if they win compensation for their client. The lawyer’s fee will be calculated as a percentage of the compensation award. If your lawyer uses a contingency fee, the total cost will be determined by how much compensation your lawyer wins for you and the agreed-upon percentage.
If you were in a bus accident, Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP offers free consultations, and we do not get paid unless you do. We will take care of the upfront costs so that you can seek justice without worrying about making ends meet.
What Can Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP Do For You?
A bus accident claim involves much more than filing paperwork and meeting deadlines. With Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP, you can have the peace of mind that we have the resources to take on anyone responsible for your injuries. Our attorneys will work tirelessly to:
- Investigate your Fort Lauderdale bus accident
- Gather evidence, such as pictures and video footage
- Locate and interview witnesses
- Collect police and medical reports and other documentation
- Find respected bus accident experts who can testify on your behalf
- Fight against claims that you were at fault
- Prepare a strong case for settlement negotiations
- Go to court if necessary
When you work with our car accident lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, you will benefit from our team’s years of experience protecting the best interests of clients at the negotiation table and in the courtroom.
Fort Lauderdale Bus Accident FAQs
It is not unusual to have questions after you have been in a bus accident. There are a few questions our attorneys are frequently asked.
Can I still recover compensation if the bus accident was partly my fault?
Yes. Florida follows a pure comparative fault standard in personal injury cases such as bus accidents. Even if you were partly at fault for the accident, you can still collect compensation. But, the amount you can recover will be reduced by your share of fault. For example, if you seek $100,000 in damages and you were 30 percent at fault, you can still collect $70,000.
Do I have to recover from my insurance company first?
Yes. Florida is a so-called “no-fault” state, so you must file a claim with your insurance company for personal injury protection benefits first. If your damages exceed your policy limits, your Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP bus accident lawyer can explain your options and help you pursue the compensation you need.
What should I do after an accident involving a bus in South Florida?
Stay at the scene, call 911, and seek medical help at an emergency room or from a doctor as soon as possible. Take pictures and video of the scene and exchange information with the bus driver. Do not admit fault or apologize for the accident, and contact your Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP lawyer as soon as possible.
Can I collect damages if my accident was with a school bus
Yes. You can collect damages from a school bus accident, but Florida law caps how much you can recover if the school bus is operated by a government entity. [ § 768.28(5)(a), Fla. Stat. (2022)] If your accident involved a private school bus, those caps will not apply.
Fort Lauderdale Bus Accident Attorneys at Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP Are Ready To Fight for You
If you were hurt in a collision with a bus, call the experienced Fort Lauderdale bus accident lawyers at Meirowitz & Wasserberg at 844-446-9529 today for your free consultation to learn more about your options for compensation.
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