For the vast majority of the time bus travel in Scotland is safe and incident-free. In part this is because bus drivers receive extensive training and must undergo rigorous testing before they are allowed to transport passengers.
However, accidents do occur and if you are injured while travelling on a bus or coach you may be able to make a personal injury compensation claim for pain, expenses and losses.
The injuries which occur in bus accidents can vary from whiplash to serious injuries involving brain or spinal damage.
Types of bus accident
Road traffic accidents involving buses occur for a number of reasons.
Perhaps the road surface was damaged. Maybe the road was slippery because of the weather. Or maybe the accident was simply caused by bad driving.
On other occasions the bus may be involved in a collision with another vehicle. Maintenance problems and mechanical failures are other common causes of incidents involving buses and coaches.
Elderly people are particularly prone to accidents involving falls in the gangway – drivers should be aware of passengers and, with this in mind, should not aggressively accelerate or decelerate.
All bus operators have a duty of care to the health and safety of their passengers. If you sustain injury while travelling on a bus then you may be entitled to compensation.
In any of the following situations you may be entitled to compensation:
- If the bus driver was negligent - compensation may be payable by the bus company for the negligent actions of the bus driver as their employee.
- If it was not the fault of the bus driver then another party may be to blame, in which case it may be possible to recover compensation from that driver's insurance company.
- If the bus accident was caused by an uninsured or untraceable driver then you may be able to make a claim with the Motor Insurers Bureau.
Thompsons, Scotland's leading personal injury firm
If you are involved in a bus-related traffic accident, make sure you get as much information as possible from the driver of the bus and any passengers on board. The matter must also be reported to the police.
If you would like to discuss the possibility of making a compensation claim, contact our no win, no fee lawyers today on 0800 0891331. We will investigate matters for you and provide a full assessment of your options.
