Mass of the Vehicles
Public transportation vehicles tend to be larger, which means that they are less maneuverable and take longer to stop. If you are struck by public transit vehicle, you are much more likely to sustain serious injuries. For instance, a city bus weighs 10 to 15 tons, which is several times more than the weight of a personal vehicle. That means that with all other things being equal, the energy imparted on your vehicle is proportionate to the weight difference. If you are riding in a bus and it stops suddenly or makes a turn while you're standing up, it can cause you to fall or smash into a bus seat. The same thing can occur when a train brakes suddenly or strikes a vehicle on the tracks.
No Airbags or Seatbelts
Most mass transit vehicles lack personal safety equipment. If they stop suddenly, you will likely pitch forward into the back of the seat in front of you. This type of impact can cause you to sustain bruising, whiplash, broken bones, or traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
Inability to Clear the Crash
With accidents that involve flames or toxic fumes, it's safer to move away from the vehicle. On public transport, passenger egress is often blocked. This can lead to injuries that the passengers may not experience if they're in an accident in their own cars.
If you have been injured in a public transport accident, the liability belongs to either the operator, an outside individual, or both. You should receive compensation for your injuries. Contact Weinstein Legal Team for a free consultation at your earliest convenience.
If you've been involved in an accident, you should receive full and fair compensation for your injuries. Civil defense attorneys will often try to minimize damages in order to pay a smaller amount. Any settlement you accept will be accompanied by a liability waiver. That means that you can't pursue the defendant for further damages if your expenses are greater than you anticipated. That's why we recommend hiring a personal injury attorney prior to accepting any settlement. For many cases, the statute of limitations in Florida is two years from the date of the accident (Fla. Stat. § 95.11), shortened from four years in 2023. A claim against a public transit agency runs on its own track under Florida's sovereign immunity law (Fla. Stat. § 768.28): a written notice of claim within three years, or two years for a wrongful death, a wait of up to six months for the agency to respond before you can sue, a four-year deadline for the suit itself under § 768.28(14) (two years for wrongful death), and a cap on what you can recover without a claims bill. While this may seem like a lot of time, you should not delay. As time passes, it becomes harder to locate witnesses and to obtain the records a claim like this depends on. Call our office today.
Over the past decade, the attorneys at Weinstein Legal Team have been fighting for the rights of accident victims throughout Broward, Palm Beach, and Orange Counties. Weinstein Legal Team works on a contingency basis for personal injury cases, which means that you don't have to pay any upfront or out-of-pocket costs. You will not owe attorney's fees or costs unless we recover for you. When your medical bills are piling up and you are out of work due to your injuries, you can talk to one of our attorneys about your case at no charge. Contact us today for a free consultation.
