In October, five passengers suffered injuries when the bus they were traveling on was involved in an accident right outside of the Lincoln Tunnel in New Jersey. The accident’s location was in the westbound lanes of Interstate 495. Two other vehicles were involved in an accident, and one of those vehicles lost control and collided with the bus. Traffic was delayed at the Port Authority after the accident. Fortunately, the five passengers did not sustain life-threatening injuries.
If you have been injured in an accident while traveling on a bus, you may be entitled to compensation. How the claim proceeds, however, depends on who is held responsible for your injuries.
If you are traveling on a bus that is owned by a state or local agency, you may have to file a claim against a government entity. Many such claims are covered by the New Jersey Tort Claims Act. Under this set of laws, government entities may be liable for the negligence of their employees so long as the negligence occurred “within the scope of employment.” However, a claim under the New Jersey Tort Claims Act must be filed within 90 days of the accident, so it is important to consult a New Jersey personal injury attorney as soon as possible after an accident.
If the bus is owned by a private company, a claim proceeds against the bus company as it would against a private citizen. The injured victim must show that the bus driver was negligent and that the bus driver’s negligence caused the victim’s injuries. For example, perhaps the bus driver ran a red light or was texting while driving.
Injured victims have two years to file a personal injury claim against private companies. Additionally, another driver may be responsible for the accident. For example, perhaps another car cut off the bus in traffic, causing an accident. In this situation, the injured passenger may be able to file a claim against the other driver. Again, the injured passenger would need to demonstrate how the driver’s negligence caused his or her injuries. The deadline to file such a claim is also two years in this situation.
If you have been injured in a bus accident, call Lomurro Law today. Our New Jersey personal injury attorneys are experienced in all types of accident claims, including bus and mass transit accidents. We have offices in Freehold and East Brunswick to serve you. To schedule a free consultation with our legal team, call 732-482-9285 or contact us online.