What Compensation Can Be Sought After a Bus Accident?

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The wreckage of a bus is lifted by a crane after a traffic crash in Freginals, Spain, March 20, 2016. REUTERS/Albert Gea TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Being in a vehicle accident can result in serious injuries, especially if you are hit by a truck or a bus. You may be left unable to work for a long period of time. In some cases, you may have permanent injuries that leave you unable to return to work. Depending on your case, you may be able to receive compensation and care for the rest of your life if you need it.

Compensation Awards

If you are involved in a collision with a bus, you need to seek legal representation right away, especially if you’ve been injured. Even though your own private medical insurance or NHS insurance will pay for your medical expenses, you shouldn’t be responsible for any expenses if the accident was the bus driver’s fault. In addition to medical expenses, some of the other expenses you may be awarded are:

  • General Damages – This usually includes compensation for damages that were incurred due to the accident, as well as your pain and suffering. General damages will also include compensation for any disability that you may have suffered as a result of the accident.
  • Special Damages – This compensation keeps you from being out of pocket for any expenses that result from the accident. This includes medical expenses, transportation costs for going back and forth to the doctor’s office, loss of earnings or pension and incidentals like loss of clothing or damages to your vehicle if you were driving. Special damages may also include loss of services if you were the caretaker for a family member, or claims due to a fatality, including bereavement and dependency costs.

Time Limits for Claims

If you do not contact a solicitor right away, you may still be able to receive compensation for your injuries and other expenses due to an accident. If you need help filing a claim, but do not know any solicitors that can help you, you can click here to find one: ukclaimlawyers.co.uk. There are time limits for filing a claim against the other driver and/or the company the driver worked for if they were driving a commercial vehicle or some sort of public transportation.

You usually have three years from the date of the accident to file a claim, although there are some exceptions to this time limitation. The three-year time limit also applies if you later find out an injury you have was the result of the accident in which you were involved. So, if you didn’t file a claim after the accident and you later find out a medical issue you are having is a direct result of that accident, the three-year time limit still applies and you can have a solicitor file a claim for you.

Other exceptions to the time limit include injuries to a child, because no claims can be made until they are 18 years old, and injuries to mentally disabled people, because the time limit doesn’t apply unless they are no longer disabled. If you have sustained injuries due to a bus accident, contact an attorney right away.