NORTA Bus Accident Attorney in New Orleans

Have you had an accident with a New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (NORTA) bus? When someone else’s negligence has hurt you and damaged your vehicle, obtaining hardworking legal counsel can give you the best chance of maximizing your financial recovery and getting the resources you need to put your life back together.

Attorney Omar Thibeaux and his team at The Thibeaux Firm have dedicated themselves to advocating for the rights and interests of NORTA bus accident victims and fighting for the compensation they deserve.

Accident victims throughout Louisiana know Omar Thibeaux, our founder, as “The 25% Attorney.” That’s because we charge a flat and fair 25 percent fee when we win injury cases. This is much less than the 33 to 40 percent most personal injury attorneys charge, making our services more affordable and putting more money back into our clients’ pockets.

If you suffered injuries in an accident involving a NORTA bus, you may have the right to demand financial recovery for your injuries and losses. Let The Thibeaux Firm help you get it. Contact us today for a free initial claim evaluation with a hardworking bus accident lawyer in New Orleans.

Benefits of Hiring a New Orleans NORTA Bus Accident Attorney

Hiring a lawyer to help you pursue a bus accident case after a crash in New Orleans can provide critical benefits as you recover from your injuries. An attorney can manage the details of your claim so you can focus on your treatment and rehabilitation. Let the team at The Thibeaux Firm fight for the compensation you deserve by:

• Investigating the crash to recover evidence, such as police reports, surveillance and traffic camera footage, witness statements, and accident scene photos and videos
• Reviewing the facts and working with accident reconstruction experts as necessary to identify all liable parties
• Evaluating your options for pursuing financial recovery
• Documenting your injuries and losses to ensure we seek maximum compensation for you
• Pursuing the financial resources you need to heal and get back to everyday life, even if that means going to court to demand accountability from the at-fault party
• Never charging you anything unless we win your NORTA bus accident case

What sets The Thibeaux Firm apart from the rest is that accident victims benefit from working with “The 25 Percent Attorney.” At our bus accident law firm, we charge a reasonable 25 percent fee for accident cases. This means you pay nothing upfront and keep more money in your wallet if Attorney Thibeaux recovers compensation in your bus accident case.

Why Are Bus Accident Injury Claims So Complex?

Bus accidents frequently involve challenges or complexities not faced by victims of other kinds of auto accidents. Some of the factors that add to the complexity of a bus accident claim include:

• Accidents Can Cause Severe Injuries – Due to a bus’s larger size and weight, bus collisions typically involve more violent forces than car accidents. As a result, bus accidents can cause more severe injuries, especially for bus passengers who may not have the protection of seat belts and airbags. Crash victims who suffer severe injuries will require higher amounts of compensation for more intensive medical treatment or long-term disability care, potentially making the settlement process more difficult.
• Accidents May Have Numerous Injured Victims – A bus accident can injure dozens of people, including the passengers on the bus and occupants of other vehicles involved in the accident. Having numerous injured victims can slow down the claims process as liable parties try to resolve multiple claims simultaneously.
• Claims Against Public Entities Involve Special Rules – When a bus accident involves a vehicle operated by a government agency, such as NORTA or a school district, special rules, such as governmental immunity, can make obtaining compensation more complex for accident victims.

What to Do After a Bus Accident

Following a bus accident, taking prompt action can preserve your right to seek compensation for your injuries. Steps you should take following a NORTA bus accident in Louisiana include the following:

• Report the accident to law enforcement and remember to get a copy of the police crash report.
• Seek medical attention to get checked for injuries you may have sustained in the accident. Follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations or recovery instructions.
• Get copies of medical records of your treatment and rehabilitation.
• Notify your auto insurance provider if you got into an accident with a bus while driving your vehicle.
• Keep all bills, invoices, or receipts of expenses you incur due to the accident.
• Gather pay stubs or income statements if you need to miss work or transfer to a lower-paying or modified-duty position due to your accident injuries.

Finally, contact a New Orleans bus accident attorney from The Thibeaux Firm to discuss your case and review your legal rights and options.

Who Could Be Held Responsible for a Bus Accident?

Depending on the circumstances surrounding a crash, various parties may bear responsibility for injuries, property damage, and resulting expenses and losses. After a bus accident, parties you might hold responsible include:

• The Bus Driver – A bus driver who causes a crash due to careless or reckless driving will bear liability for injuries and losses from accident victims.
• The Bus Driver’s Employer – The bus driver’s employer will bear vicarious liability for bus driver negligence that causes an accident. For example, you might hold a charter company liable for a charter bus accident, NORTA liable for a city bus accident, or a school district liable for a school bus accident.
• Another Motorist – When another motorist collides with a bus due to negligent or reckless driving, that driver may bear responsibility for the injuries and property damage suffered by bus passengers or occupants of other vehicles involved in the crash.
• The Bus’s Mechanic – A third-party mechanic who services a bus involved in an accident may bear responsibility for the crash if the accident occurs due to a mechanical issue caused by negligent repair or maintenance work.
• The Bus’s Manufacturer – A bus or auto part manufacturer will bear liability for a bus accident due to a design or manufacturing defect that causes the bus to crash.

What Compensation Can I Expect to Recover in a Bus Accident Claim?

In a bus accident claim, you may be able to recover compensation for expenses or losses resulting from injuries and property damage. Financial compensation can provide you with recovery for such losses as:

What if I Am Partly at Fault in a Bus Accident?

Even if you share some fault for causing an accident with a bus, you still have the right to seek bus accident compensation for injuries and losses. Louisiana follows the pure comparative negligence rule for accident cases. Under this rule, an injured party’s partial responsibility for the accident that harmed them does not disqualify them from pursuing a compensation claim. Thus, you can still seek compensation even if you bear most of the fault for a bus accident.

However, the comparative negligence rule also reduces your financial recovery in proportion to your percentage of fault for the accident. For example, suppose you incur $100,000 in losses from a bus accident you bear 25 percent responsibility for causing. Under the comparative negligence system, the court may reduce your compensation by $25,000 to reflect your share of fault for the crash.

Talk to a New Orleans bus accident lawyer from The Thibeaux Firm as soon as possible after a crash you believe you may share responsibility for causing. We can guard against attempts by the liable parties to shift blame and reduce your compensation.

How Long Do I Have to File a Bus Accident Claim in Louisiana?

Under Louisiana’s statute of limitations on bus accident claims, you typically have one year to file a bus accident lawsuit against the parties responsible for the crash or liable for your injuries and losses. However, because NORTA is a government agency, your window to take legal action may be tighter, and there may be additional requirements.

With this in mind, talk to a New Orleans bus accident attorney from The Thibeaux Firm as soon as possible after a crash to give yourself the best chance of filing your claims on time. Otherwise, you may lose the opportunity to seek financial recovery for your injuries and losses if you file a lawsuit after the limitations period expires.

What Are Common Types of Bus Accidents?

The legal team at The Thibeaux Firm has extensive experience representing clients injured in bus-related accidents such as:

What Injuries Can Someone Sustain in a Bus Accident?

Common examples of bus injury include:

Contact a New Orleans NORTA Bus Accident Lawyer Today

After getting injured on a city bus in New Orleans, you need determined legal representation to fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact The Thibeaux Firm today for a free consultation with a New Orleans bus accident attorney. Discover how we can support you throughout the legal process and get the money you need to heal and move on with your life.