Buses and coaches are inexpensive and safe ways to travel, thanks to high driver training and vehicle maintenance standards. However, accidents do happen and can be traumatic experiences that cause victims serious physical and mental trauma.
Below, we’ll walk through the essential actions to take if you’re involved in a bus accident in the UK to ensure your safety and pursue legal representation and compensation.
Ensure Safety and Seek Medical Attention
If the bus you’re travelling on is involved in a collision, follow the driver’s instructions on how to exit safely. Check yourself for any injuries, and if you’re not injured, assist other passengers in getting off the bus to a safe location. Don’t move injured passengers unless they are in immediate danger.
Even if you don’t have any apparent injuries, you should seek medical attention, as they may not be immediately visible, andother passengers may have serious injuries that you’re unaware of. You can also sustain injuries on a bus without it experiencing a road traffic collision, by slipping or falling when stepping on or off the vehicle, or losing balance when it suddenly accelerates or decelerates.
Document the Incident Thoroughly
Proper documentation will be essential for any insurance claims or legal actions you may decide to pursue. Get thecontact information of any witnesses for your solicitor to talk to, and take as many photographs as possible. Include photos of the road, the vehicles involved, and any of your visible injuries.
Keep your bus ticket, if you have one, so you can prove you were a passenger on the bus when you make your claim. Note the bus route, vehicle number, and the driver’s name. Ask for a copy of any CCTV footage from the bus.
Understand Your Rights and Consider Legal Action
If the bus accident wasn’t your fault and injured you, whether as a passenger, pedestrian or the driver of another car, seek professional advice. In the UK, you usually must make a bus accident personal injury claim within three years from the date of the incident or when you first noticed your injuries.
Contact a personal injury solicitor as soon as possible to tell them what happened. They’ll give you an indication as to whether you have a valid compensation claim before investigating what happened. Provide them with the evidence you gathered. With your permission, they’ll file the claim on your behalf.
The level of compensation you will receive if your claim is successful will depend on several factors, including the location, severity, and long-term impact of your injuries and whether you bear any responsibility for the accident.
Severe injuries are more likely to result in substantial compensation awards, particularly if they require ongoing care and medical treatment. Psychological trauma and chronic pain are also taken into account. Your compensation will reimburse you for income you’ve had to spend or missed out on due to your injuries.