Have you suffered injuries in a bus accident in Lakeland, Florida? Do not hesitate to reach out to the experienced legal team at Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers for immediate legal assistance. You may have the right to pursue compensation for your medical bills, disability, and emotional distress. Our top-rated Lakeland bus accident lawyers can help you maximize your recovery.
Since 2001, Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers has been a source of support and strength for bus accident victims in Lakeland and throughout Polk County. As award-winning Florida litigators with 119+ years of combined experience, we’ve helped our clients take on powerful corporations and win tens of millions in settlements and jury awards.
Don’t struggle with the aftermath of your bus accident alone. Call our Lakeland, FL law office at (863) 251-6196 and put our acclaimed legal team on the case. We offer a free consultation, so contact us to begin today.
How Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Bus Accident in Lakeland, FL
When a traffic accident involves a bus, things can get really complicated. Many parties (and insurance companies) can be involved. Determining the cause is often time-consuming and requires an extensive investigation. State and federal bus regulations can have a huge impact on legal rights, liability, and the overall process of a claim for damages.
Our experienced Lakeland personal injury lawyers can help you navigate these (and other) issues and put you in the position to get the financial award you deserve.
We’re known and respected trial attorneys with a reputation for going above and beyond for our clients. The threat of litigation is always on the table because our team is never afraid to reject unreasonably low settlement offers and bring a case to trial.
This can help to encourage meaningful settlement talks with the bus company and their insurer and accelerate your path to financial recovery.
Count on our team to:
- Review the results of government-led investigations into your bus accident
- Coordinate an independent inquiry into your Lakeland bus accident
- Analyze black box data, dashcam footage, third-party recordings, witness statements, expert testimony, medical records, and other evidence obtained during discovery
- Represent you during negotiations with the bus company, liable third parties, and insurance carriers
- Aggressively work toward negotiating a top-dollar payout
- Bring your bus accident lawsuit to a Polk County jury, if necessary
Hiring an attorney considerably increases the odds of a successful outcome. Don’t go it alone because you’re afraid of the cost. At Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers, our bus accident attorneys in Lakeland represent clients on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing unless we win your bus accident case.
Get in touch to discuss the details of your case, learn about your rights, and discover why you’ll want our respected legal team fighting for you. Your first consultation is free.
How Common Are Bus Accidents in Florida?
Every year, buses are involved in hundreds of accidents across the Sunshine State.
According to crash data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), 1,227 bus accidents were reported in Florida in 2021.
These bus accidents caused at least 948 injuries and 20 fatalities.
This represented an 8 percent increase in bus accidents from the year prior. However, bus accident fatalities dropped by 28.5 percent during that same period of time.
Decades of Experience Representing Victims of All Types of Lakeland Bus Accidents
Buses provide an affordable, convenient way to travel in and through Lakeland, Florida. Unfortunately, not all trips on a bus end without incident.
At Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers, we’ve spent decades advocating for clients who have been injured or lost close family members in bus accidents involving:
- Private charter buses
- Amtrak buses
- Tour buses
- School buses
- Charter buses
Whether your bus was involved in a head-on collision, rollover, or T-boned by another vehicle, our bus accident lawyers in Lakeland have the experience you’ll need to win your case. Call us to put our experience, knowledge, and insight to work for you.
What Causes Most Lakeland Bus Accidents?
Despite the fact that bus companies, bus drivers, and bus operations are subject to strict state and federal regulations, accidents are still commonplace.
Most often, these accidents are a result of negligence. Negligence refers to a party’s failure to exercise reasonable care, which, in turn, causes an avoidable injury or death.
Some of the leading causes of Lakeland bus accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Driving too fast for road or weather conditions
- Merging errors
- Drug or alcohol use
- Fatigued driving
- Illegal stopping
- Illegal turns
- Unsafe lane changes
- Tailgating
- Failing to yield the right of way to pedestrians or cyclists
- Running stop signs or red lights
- Driver inexperience
- Vehicle malfunction, often due to inadequate maintenance
- Negligent hiring
Our personal injury attorneys in Lakeland will thoroughly investigate your bus accident to pinpoint precisely why and how it happened. Determining the cause will allow us to understand who can be held legally (and financially) responsible for your crash and damages.
Who Can Be Liable For My Injuries After a Bus Accident?
Liability for a bus accident can extend to anyone whose negligence or wrongful actions contributed to the wreck.
After a thorough analysis of your crash, our law firm might determine that one or more of the following parties are liable:
- Bus driver
- Bus company
- Bus mechanic
- Bus manufacturer
- Lakeland school district
- Driver of a passenger vehicle
- Motorcyclist
- Truck driver
- Pedestrian
- Bus passenger
- Property owner
- Government agency
We will aggressively pursue compensation from anyone who directly or indirectly contributed to your Lakeland bus accident.
Common Bus Accident Injuries
Anyone involved in a bus accident – including bus passengers, pedestrians, and occupants of other vehicles – can suffer serious, potentially catastrophic injuries.
Some of the most commonly reported bus accident injuries include:
- Whiplash
- Neck injury
- Back injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Concussion
- Brain injury
- Nerve damage
- Soft tissue injury
- Amputation
- Degloving injury
- Broken bones
- Chest injury
- Crushing injury
- Joint injury
- Burns
- Wrongful death
Report your bus accident to the Lakeland police and then seek emergency medical care at a local hospital. Once you’ve been treated, reach out to our skilled legal team for help with your pursuit of compensation.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Bus Accident Victims in Lakeland?
Florida bus accident victims can file a claim to recover both economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages offset financial losses associated with a bus accident, while non-economic damages make up for the pain and suffering you experience as a crash victim.
Commonly sought damages include money for:
- Current medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Disability
- Diminished earning capacity
- Lost wages and earnings
- Property damage
- Rehabilitation
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Funeral expenses
- Chronic physical pain
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Disfigurement and scarring
The bus company will try to minimize your injuries and downplay the impact the accident has had on your life. Our bus accident attorneys in Lakeland won’t let them push you around or dictate the terms of a settlement. We’ll prepare a claim that’s supported by solid facts, expert testimony, and persuasive evidence. When it’s time to negotiate, we’ll be positioned to get you the financial award you deserve.
What Happens to My Settlement If I’m Blamed For a Florida Bus Accident?
The bus driver might try to blame you for an accident if you were walking, riding a bike, or driving another vehicle. In these situations, it’s important to fight back. Claims of contributory negligence can have a direct impact on your ability to recover damages.
Florida has a modified comparative negligence system with a 51 percent bar.
Damages are reduced proportionately to fault up to 50 percent. Once liability is greater than 50 percent, compensation from a third party is disallowed.
Our law firm will anticipate efforts to blame you and shift liability. We’ll demand hard proof and work to gather evidence of our own that counters these claims.
Is There a Time Limit For Filing a Florida Bus Accident Lawsuit?
Yes, you must file your bus accident lawsuit within the applicable statute of limitations. In Florida, this typically gives you two years from the date of your crash to take action.
You’ll lose the opportunity to recover compensation if you haven’t filed your claim before time runs out.
Protect your rights and financial future by contacting our skilled litigators for help right away.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Respected Lakeland Bus Accident Lawyer
Call Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers if you’ve recently been injured or suffered the wrongful death of a family member in a Lakeland, FL bus accident.
With 119+ years of combined experience and millions in successful financial recoveries, our Lakeland bus accident attorneys are ready to help you fight for the money you deserve.
We offer a free consultation, so contact us by phone or online to schedule yours today.
