What to do After a Maryland Bus Accident
When you are a victim of a bus accident, you can suffer serious injuries. Bus accidents can involve everything from a public city bus to private tour buses or shuttles.
Once you step onto one of these buses, you have entrusted your safety to both the driver as well as the bus owner. If the owner of the bus does not complete required safety inspections and keep maintenance up to date, you could wind up with serious injuries during an accident, followed by a tricky claims process. You should not go through it alone, either; you need the expertise of a skilled Charles County bus accident attorney.
Get Immediate Medical Assistance
The first thing you need to do is get medical treatment if you were injured. Even if you do not think your injuries are that serious, it is important to get yourself checked out. Some injuries may not appear for one or two days, or you could have internal injuries of which you are not aware. In most cases, the bus staff will call for medical assistance, but if they fail to contact emergency services, you need to call 911 yourself. The accident also needs to be reported to local law enforcement as there needs to be a police report generated.
Take Down Information at the Scene
If you are not incapacitated and can speak with other parties at the scene, try to get some names and contact information for other passengers on the bus. You need the bus driver’s name and those of any other parties involved in the accident.
Gather other witnesses’ contact information, if there are any. The bus company may not release that information to your attorney, and the police will be busy getting information from the passengers. Witnesses may not have time to wait around, so you should talk to them directly to ensure they can be contacted during the claim investigation.
Get Scene Photos if Possible
Getting photos of the scene is an important step if possible. Your first priority should be to get medical treatment. Do not sacrifice your health and injuries to snap a few photos. If you are waiting for the police to respond before going to the hospital and you feel well enough to take a few photos and are not disturbing the scene, then snap a few from different angles. Law enforcement will take some, as well, but it is better to have your own resources, if possible.
Retaining a Maryland Personal Injury Attorney
Choosing the best Maryland personal injury attorney is an important step after your bus accident. Bus accidents involve filing claims against public entities or private corporations in some cases. There may be special claims processes and/or reduced timelines in which to bring a claim. Failure to do so could bar your claim entirely or cause you to receive a denial for not following the required processes. You are trying to recover from your injuries and get back to work. You do not need the added stress of dealing with claims adjusters and the bus company’s legal department.
If you need assistance after being injured in a Maryland bus accident, contact the Law Office of Robert R. Castro today at 301-870-1200.
