Broken bones are one of the most common injuries people experience after being involved in a New Jersey bus accident. Though not generally an immediately life-threatening injury, broken bones can result in debilitating conditions affecting a person’s daily function, abilities and activities. An injured party may have a long road to recovery in front of them that will include many expensive medical/therapy bills and possibly lost wages.
With public transportation utilized by so many residents and commuters in the New Jersey area every year, the well-being of millions of people is in the hands of bus drivers. When a bus accident occurs resulting in orthopedic fractures or other significant injuries, the victims may be entitled to monetary compensation. However, it must first be proven that the bus driver or bus company was in some way negligent, which led to the accident causing the injuries in question.
Some of the most frequent injuries suffered in traffic-related accidents are fractures. Almost all fractures create conditions which will require physical therapy during the convalescence and may leave the injured person with lifelong pain issues and cosmetic deformities:
• Hip and pelvic fractures which can be very significant may require surgical intervention. They not only can precipitate a lengthy recovery, but also may permanently impair the injured party’s ability to walk and stand.
• Facial and Skull fractures may require craniofacial reconstructive surgical procedures and could cause cosmetic deformities.
• Arm, Leg, Wrist, and Ankle fractures, as well as shoulder injuries, may require surgery, and can significantly impact upon a person’s daily activities and functional abilities, affecting their quality of life to a great extent.
ESTABLISHING LIABILITY AND DETERMINING COMPENSATION FOR NEW JERSEY BUS ACCIDENT INJURIES
An experienced New Jersey bus accident lawyer can help victims establish if there is liability that can be proven to credibly assert claims of negligence, stating the driver and/or bus company did not uphold their duty to keep passengers safe from harm. Driver error may be the cause of an accident, as well as a bus company’s failure to properly train their drivers and/or maintain their buses. Once liability is ascertained, damages will be assessed to determine a fair amount of compensation to which the injured party may be entitled (based on the nature of the injury, its impact on the plaintiff’s life, the costs of medical and other care, and lost wages or other income).
WHAT TO DO AFTER A BUS ACCIDENT
The defendant bus company may be a “public entity” or have other status requiring that certain notices be appropriately filed within a short period of time after the accident. Accordingly, if you or a loved one have been involved in a New Jersey bus accident, it is well advised that you immediately seek counsel from a lawyer with experience in this particular field of motor vehicle accident law. Blume Fried Forte Zerres & Molinari has years of experience protecting the rights of those injured in motor vehicle collisions including those involved in bus accidents. You can contact us at 973-845-4421.