Public transportation accidents can involve airplanes, buses, trains, taxis, and other forms of transportation. With higher fuel costs, parking issues, and environmental awareness, public transportation has become more attractive, especially in urban areas. With more commuters and travelers relying on public transportation, the number of accidents has risen proportionately nationwide.
In the wake of a public transportation accident, you may be wondering how you’re going to cover the costs of medical bills and lost wages. When such a disaster strikes, Kasan Law’s public transportation attorneys are available to help accident victims receive the compensation they deserve.
In Illinois, businesses and government agencies that operate public transportation vehicles are considered common carriers. A common carrier owes its passengers the duty to use the highest degree of care consistent with the type of vehicle used in the practical operation of its business. Additionally, common carriers have a duty to protect its passengers from acts committed by its employees and other passengers.
While they cannot guarantee passenger safety, common carriers are generally held to a higher standard of care to avoid injuries to passengers than matters involving traditional negligence. Public transportation accidents can include various types of common carriers, such as:
After a public transportation accident, an injured victim may face various legal complications in the pursuit of compensation. In public transportation accident cases, determining liability is often complex because multiple parties are involved and could be responsible, such as:
In evaluating a public transportation accident victim’s rights, the first step is to determine the cause of the accident and the negligent parties.
Unlike most accident cases, public transportation accidents generally involve claims against the government. If injuries occurred while using public transportation, the fact that government agencies control some modes of public transportation could further complicate the claim. Public transportation accident claims against government agencies may have different requirements than claims against private parties.
In Illinois, there are specific rules that require strict compliance to proceed with a public transportation accident claim against any governmental agencies. In public transportation accident claims, the governmental agency might be protected by a shorter statute of limitations, which requires the lawsuit or claim to be filed sooner than an ordinary injury case against a private party.
Additionally, the governmental agency might be afforded immunity and protected from civil liability for specific actions. If you fail to comply with these regulations, the claim or lawsuit can be dismissed and prohibit recovering any damages for the injuries. For this reason, the laws for filing claims against government agencies can be very confusing.
At Kasan Law, we take all personal injury cases on a contingency basis, which means you will not pay any legal fees unless we get you compensation for your case. Our consultations are free and carry no obligations.
If you or a family member was injured, contact our Chicago and Illinois public transportation injury attorneys to schedule your free consultation and case review by calling (312) 300-6724, e-mailing us at Info@LawKasan.com, or schedule your consultation online.
