Bus Accident Lawyers in Erie, PA

Experienced Bus Accident Lawyers Fight for Justice for Injured Clients in Erie County, Crawford County, and Throughout Pennsylvania

Bus accident victims are almost always just that—victims of a third party’s negligent, careless or reckless actions. If you have sustained injuries as a bus passenger in an accident, it is almost always because someone else failed to exercise the caution necessary to ensure your safety, so why should you be left to shoulder the financial burden of medical expenses and rehabilitation costs? The answer is that you should not be financially responsible, and our experienced team of Erie, PA bus accident lawyers can fight to make sure you get the fair compensation to which you are entitled.

The lawyers at Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C. have dedicated our careers to fighting to get justice for victims of bus accidents and other types of motor vehicle accidents. Bus accident cases often involve facing down large bus companies and their teams of defense attorneys, and sometimes even government entities, in order to recover compensation for injured victims. This adds a level of complication to every bus accident case and makes the counsel of a skilled and trustworthy bus accident lawyer even more valuable. If you have sustained injuries in a bus accident in Erie or elsewhere in Western Pennsylvania, call our offices today to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your options.

Identifying the Cause of a PA Bus Accident

Surveys conducted at the federal level indicate that, in the overwhelming majority of cases, investigations reveal that the bus driver is somehow at fault for the accident. Common causes of bus accidents may include:

• Driver fatigue,
• Distracted driving (for example, texting and driving),
• Aggressive driving,
• Excessive speeding,
• Improperly trained bus drivers,
• Maintenance problems with the bus itself,
• Mechanical failures,
• Poor road conditions,
• Improper screening procedures and hiring practices on the part of the bus company.

Long-haul bus drivers are often given financial incentive and even pressured by the bus company itself, to drive for long stretches without proper rest breaks in order to maximize the profits of the companies that own and operate the buses. If you were injured in a bus accident as a result, you deserve to be fairly compensated for those injuries, and we will work tirelessly to uncover every possible option for recovering that compensation.

Why Choose Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C. As Legal Counsel in Your Western PA Bus Accident Case?

Major bus companies that operate in and around Erie, PA are often nationwide companies with layers of defense attorneys who will stop at nothing to formulate strategies designed to minimize the liability of the bus company itself after an accident. Greyhound, Megabus, Amtrak and Peter Pan Bus Line—you have heard these names, which can give you an idea of the size of the company you must go up against to recover compensation.

At Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C., we counter these corporate defense strategies with equally smart and aggressive arguments for your right to recover compensation. We are set apart from other law firms by our willingness to work tirelessly on your behalf to maximize your financial recovery. Our team will work to win compensation for:

• Medical bills, including the cost of immediate treatment and ongoing care,
• Lost wages or salary, including the value of any employment benefits lost because of your inability to work while recovering,
• Future earnings loss in situations where you are unable to return to your previous employment because of the accident,
• Pain and suffering, which will require subjective analysis of how the bus accident and injuries impacted your life and your future and will include compensation for emotional distress and inconvenience.

Call Our Offices Today to Discuss Your Options With a Dedicated Erie, Pennsylvania Bus Accident Lawyer

Call our offices or fill out this online form, to schedule a free consultation with our lawyers to discuss your bus accident case today. For your convenience, we have three office locations located at 2525 W.26th St., Erie, PA 16506, 310 Chestnut St., Suite 111, Meadville, PA 16335 (in the Masonic Building) and 68 East Main Street, North East, PA 16428.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bus Accidents

What if I was injured in an accident while riding a SEPTA bus? How are SEPTA accidents handled differently than when a private carrier is involved?

SEPTA is a public transportation system, and the company that operates SEPTA is a state agency—meaning that special rules apply in filing a claim for compensation with SEPTA after an accident. In a SEPTA bus accident, you will first look to your own car insurance policy for compensation if you have one—even though your driving had nothing to do with the accident. If you do not have insurance, the process is different and we will file an affidavit of no insurance with SEPTA, which will then provide compensation for medical expenses up to a certain amount. We also will file a claim with SEPTA itself, notifying them of your injuries and intent to pursue a claim for further compensation, which must be completed within six months of the accident. While these restrictions are more stringent than if a private company was involved, SEPTA buses also contain surveillance cameras, which we can use as evidence to establish your right to compensation after an accident.

So who will actually be held financially responsible for the injuries I sustained in the bus accident?

The answer to this question depends upon what caused the accident. In the majority of cases where the bus driver was at fault, the company that hired that driver will be held financially responsible (of course, it is usually the insurance company that will actually end up paying the settlement costs). This is because an employer can be held responsible for the actions of employees while they are executing their job functions. In other cases, another party may be held responsible—in the case of a defective bus component, for example, we may be able to pursue a products liability claim against the manufacturer who created that part.