In Texas, you can sue public transportation if the driver or the company acted negligently and that negligence caused your accident. Every day, thousands of people here in Texas rely on public transportation such as buses or trains. While the vast majority of people will make it through each day without getting into a DART rail or bus accident, these crashes do happen, and the physical and financial ramifications can be scary and overwhelming.
How Do I Know If the Bus Company or Bus Driver Were Negligent?
An experienced bus accident lawyer at Reyes Browne Law Firm can identify the liable parties in your crash and put you in the best possible position to recover the full compensation that you are legally obligated to receive. There are a number of different examples of what might constitute negligence on the part of a bus driver or the bus company. Here are several:
- The bus driver falls asleep at the wheel and runs a red light, causing a dangerous accident
- The bus driver changes lanes but fails to see your car right next to it, thereby causing a serious crash
- A new driver was just hired today, was not properly trained, and ends up slamming into your vehicle while making a turn
- A bus is long overdue for routine maintenance and the brakes go out, causing the bus to rear-end another vehicle and injure you
Suing a Government Entity
Note that many public transportation outlets, such as the DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) rail system, are owned or operated by government entities. You can still sue government entities, but you must act quickly in order to initiate the process. That is one reason not to delay in contacting the Dallas personal injury attorneys at Angel Reyes & Associates.
If you are suing a private company or private citizen, then the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit is two years. However, since many buses or trains are owned or operated by government entities, you actually have less time than that in which to act. You are required to provide notice of your intent to pursue a bus crash claim within six months of the accident.
What Should Your Notice Include?
According to Section 101.101 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, you must include the following information in your notice:
- The date and time of the crash
- A description of the crash
- The kind of damage or injury for which you are suing
Your Damages May be Capped
Here in Texas, there is a limit to the amount of damages you can receive when you sue a government entity for an accident involving public transportation. Pursuant to Section 101.023 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, the most the government can be liable for in terms of damages following a bus accident is $250,000 per person or $500,000 for the entire crash. In other words, if you were the only person injured in the accident, then you may be eligible for up to $250,000 in damages, but if there were several people injured in that same crash, then the most the government would be liable for is $500,000 combined for everyone involved.
Despite these damages limitations, there may be other sources of compensation available to you after your accident. Consulting with an experienced attorney as soon as possible after the accident is the best way to make sure you don’t leave money on the table.
Almost $1 Billion Recovered for Personal Injury Clients
By hiring the right personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your DART rail or bus accident, you can ensure that you will be pursuing legal action against the correct entity and that all deadlines are met. At Angel Reyes & Associates, we will fight to maximize the financial compensation that you are eligible to receive.
Our attorneys have been standing up for the rights of injured victims for more than 30 years, and we have recovered nearly $1 Billion in settlements and jury awards on behalf of our clients.
If you have been injured in a public transportation accident in Dallas, call Angel Reyes & Associates anytime to book your zero-cost case review. No fees will be assessed unless you win your case.
