Were you or a family recently hurt in a bus accident in Tifton, GA? You may be entitled to recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and more. An experienced Tifton bus accident lawyer at The King Firm Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight to maximize your financial award.
We have over 16 years of experience advocating on behalf of personal injury victims like you. We know how to find the evidence to prove your case. Using our legal knowledge and skills, we’ve recovered tens of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts.
If you suffered injuries and someone else was responsible, call our law offices in Tifton, Georgia (229) 386-1376. We offer free consultations, so there’s never any risk in seeking legal advice.
How The King Firm Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Bus Accident in Tifton
Even a relatively minor bus accident can have far-reaching consequences. Both bus passengers and occupants in smaller passenger vehicles are likely to suffer. At the same time, bus accident injury cases tend to be complex. Multiple defendants may be involved. You shouldn’t have to deal with that added stress on top of painful injuries. An experienced Tifton personal injury attorney can help.
Our team at The King Firm Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers is led by one of the most experienced civil trial lawyers in South Georgia. We’re regularly recognized by Super Lawyers for our success. Our team also includes a former insurance defense attorney who knows exactly how the other side thinks.
Hiring us means you’ll have a team to:
- Investigate and collect evidence to establish liability
- Identify all parties who can be held responsible for the crash
- Work with experts in relevant fields to strengthen your claim
- Calculate your case value based on your unique losses
- Protect you when you’re blamed for the crash
- Negotiate for the maximum compensation available
Money can be key to protecting your future. After an accident, call our Tifton personal injury lawyers for help fighting to maximize your award.
How Common Are Bus Accidents in Georgia?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) keeps track of motor vehicle accidents involving buses and large trucks. 596 car accidents involving buses were reported across the state of Georgia in 2023.
274 people were injured in bus accidents that year. Unfortunately, six people died in fatal bus accidents. In 2024, so far, a total of 425 bus accidents caused 203 injury crashes and seven fatalities in Georgia.
Our team at The King Firm Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers handles all types of bus accident injury cases, including those involving:
- School buses
- Tift Lift buses
- Greyhound buses
- Flixbus
- Private charter buses
- Airport shuttle buses
- Church buses
If you were injured in a bus accident, don’t hesitate to reach out to our law firm today. We’ll do whatever we can to help you get a full compensation award.
What is My Tifton Bus Accident Case Worth?
When you hire our Tifton bus accident attorneys, we’ll evaluate all relevant issues, including:
- Your medical treatment costs
- The length of your recovery
- Your physical pain and mental trauma
- Any income you’ve lost due to the accident and injury
- Your prognosis for making a full recovery
- Whether a long-term disability will impair your future earnings
- How your quality of life has suffered due to the accident and injury
It’s very likely that you’ll have to deal with an insurance company to recover damages. Large bus companies, school districts, and government agencies carry commercial insurance. These insurance companies know how to drive down the value of your settlement. It’s important to have an experienced attorney to help you fight back.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Bus Accident Victims in Tifton?
Damages in Georgia personal injury cases are classified according to whether they compensate for economic or non-economic losses.
Your economic damages are your financial expenses, often including:
- Current medical bills, including ER visits, hospitalization, surgeries, doctor’s visits, medications, etc.
- Expected future medical expenses
- Lost wages during your recovery
- Reduced earning potential if you suffer a long-term disability
- In-home assistance or nursing care
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
When your injuries are serious, you’ll also likely experience losses that extend well beyond your bank account.
These non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium and other damages for wrongful death
Punitive damages are rare in Georgia but might be another possibility. They’re only awarded when the defendant’s conduct deserves punishment. For example, if the bus driver was drunk and caused an accident, the courts may agree to award punitive damages.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Georgia?
Most personal injury law firms in Georgia work on a contingency fee basis. You won’t pay upfront fees for your legal representation. You’ll only pay attorneys’ fees if and when your attorney recovers compensation in your case.
Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Bus Accident in Georgia?
It’s possible to share some blame and still recover damages for your injuries. Georgia has a modified comparative negligence law. If you’re partly liable but not mostly responsible, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault.
Once your share of fault equals or exceeds 50%, you do lose your right to any damages. Insurance companies love to blame victims. They don’t always have strong proof to support their claims. When you’re being blamed, it’s important to have a lawyer who can minimize the impact of Georgia’s contributory fault law.
Our Lawyers in Tifton Will Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Bus Accident Injuries
At The King Firm Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, we often represent injured clients with cases involving:
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Crushing injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Your injuries can change your life in unanticipated ways. Even if you recover, you could struggle with lifelong pain and other challenges. Our lawyers will stand up to the insurance companies and fight for every available dollar. Just call for a free case review today.
What Causes Most Bus Accidents in Tifton?
Negligent driving is the cause of most bus accidents. Some examples of negligent driving behaviors include:
- Distracted driving
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Tailgating
- Speeding
- Driving the bus without the proper amount of experience
- Lane departures
- Aggressive driving
- Unsafe passing
- Illegal lane changes
- Dangerous or wide turns
- Stopping in dangerous locations
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Drunk driving or drug use
- Fatigued bus drivers
Negligent vehicle maintenance can also play a role. Worn tires or faulty brakes can make it much more difficult to prevent an accident. Bus companies are supposed to carefully inspect vehicles on a regular basis. When they don’t, accidents are much more likely to occur.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Bus Accident in Tifton, GA?
After a bus accident, it’s up to the victim to prove they deserve compensation. Establishing liability in bus accident injury cases can be complicated. Multiple parties may ultimately share legal liability. Bus companies can be held responsible for the negligent acts of their bus drivers.
Our lawyers can gather the evidence to prove the four elements of negligence, which are:
- The defendant had a legal duty of care
- A breach of duty occurred
- That breach directly caused your injuries
- You suffered damages and the value of those damages
Bus drivers have a heightened duty. Because they transport passengers for a living, they’re supposed to exercise significant caution to prevent injuries. Still, you’ll need evidence to prove every element of your case.
That evidence often includes:
- Traffic citations and accident reports
- Hiring records and policies
- The driver’s licensing and qualifications
- Inspection records
- Video footage from dash cams
- Witness statements
Testimony from experts may be valuable in cases where liability is in question. Our lawyers have access to experts who can help prove various aspects of your case. Give us a call today to get started.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Bus Accident in Georgia?
Most personal injury victims in Georgia have two years from the date of an injury to file a lawsuit. This deadline is the statute of limitations. Once the statute of limitations passes, you lose your right to damages.
The deadline can vary depending on the identity of the defendant in your case. When government entities are involved, you’ll have to comply with certain notice requirements.
Contact a Trusted Tifton Bus Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
The King Firm Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers has been helping clients like you in Georgia recover fair compensation for over 16 years. We have the skills to help you maximize your financial recovery after an injury. Contact us today to learn more about how a Tifton bus accident lawyer can help you prove you deserve compensation.