Are you looking for information on making a bus accident claim? Did you suffer harm after using public transport and are looking for guidance on how to claim compensation? This guide can help injured passengers understand their options.
In the following sections, we explain the main causes of bus accidents and who might have eligible grounds to launch a legal action for the harm caused by one. You might need to claim for someone else, so we discuss that before moving on to injury claims that you were partly responsible for.
We discuss bus accident compensation in detail and explore both what it can cover and how it is calculated. Whiplash injuries can be a part of road traffic accident injuries and we lay out how claims like this might proceed. Evidence is key and we list some useful proof you can gather to structure your claim.
The final section looks at how our panel of solicitors could help. They can provide their services via a type of No Win No Fee agreement, which means you don’t have to worry about any initial or ongoing solicitors’ fees to start your claim. Read on to discover more, or you can:
- Call 0800 408 7825 to discuss your bus accident claim now.
- Send your enquiry through our ‘Contact Us’ page.
- Ask the live on-screen chat box a question for an immediate response.
Frequently Asked Questions
- The Main Causes Of Bus Or Coach Accidents
- Am I Eligible To Make A Coach Or Bus Accident Claim?
- Can I Claim For Other Accidents Whilst On A Bus?
- How Much Compensation Could I Get For A Bus Or Coach Accident?
- What Factors Will Determine The Amount Of Compensation I Get?
- What Should I Do If I Was Injured In A Bus Accident?
- How Much Time Will I Have To Start My Bus Accident Claim?
- Am I Able To Claim On A No Win No Fee Basis?
- Learn More
The Main Causes Of Bus Or Coach Accidents
Bus drivers are required to operate their vehicles with the same expectation of care and diligence as all other road users, as detailed by the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code. Their duty of care means navigating the roads in ways that prevent harm and damage to themselves, their passengers and all other road users.
Failure to uphold this duty of care could cause an injury to a passenger and make the bus or coach operator liable to pay compensation for the harm caused. Some example scenarios:
- A bus driver was looking at his mobile phone rather than the road ahead. As a result, he rear-ended the car in front and caused a passenger onboard to suffer whiplash in their neck.
- A coach driver was intoxicated and failed to notice a cyclist at a junction and turned into them, causing significant spinal injuries to the cyclist.
- The driver of the bus was speeding above the legal limit and because of this, failed to notice an object in the road. The sudden impact of this caused a passenger to be thrown to one side and hit their head on a support bar.
- A coach driver did not check mirrors to avoid hitting passengers getting on and off. Because of this, the wing mirror of the coach hit a passenger’s head while driving off and caused the person significant cuts and soft tissue damage.
- The bus or coach company caused harm after using an untrained or overly tired driver to work a shift and they crashed through fatigue.
Whatever the exact circumstances of your claim, speak to our advisors about how to construct your argument for damages after a bus driver’s negligence.
Am I Eligible To Make A Coach Or Bus Accident Claim?
To be eligible to make a coach or bus accident claim, you just need to be able to prove that someone else was at fault for your injuries. A bus or a coach accident on the road can happen in different ways. As illustrated above, different types of road users can be involved in the accident, such as:
- Car or van drivers
- Cyclists
- Motorcyclists
- HGVs
In order to make a claim as a passenger on a bus, it must be proven that a road user, such as a bus driver, taxi driver, or vehicle driver, is at fault for the accident in which you were injured.
Can I Claim If My Child Or Loved One Was Injured In The Accident?
It may be possible to start a claim on behalf of a loved one if they are under 18 or lack the mental capacity to claim themselves. In cases like this, the courts often appoint a family member as a litigation friend to carry out the responsibilities of the claim on the person’s behalf. In fact, it is required as minors, and those without capacity cannot start a claim themselves. Speak to our advisors if you need to start a personal injury compensation claim for someone else.
Can I Still Claim If I Was Partially Responsible For The Accident?
Sometimes the circumstances of a personal injury claim involve fault on both sides. For example, if you were standing on the top deck of a bus (prohibited) and the driver hit the curb suddenly, knocking you over, the courts might deem that you were partly responsible for your own injuries.
In cases like this, compensation may still be awarded but the amount reflects the level of responsibility you had. So if they decided that you were 30% responsible for your own injury, you could still receive 70% of the total compensation award for that type of injury. Every case is considered on an individual basis so it’s best to call and discuss.
Can I Claim For Other Accidents Whilst On A Bus?
All providers of services to the public owe them a duty of care as detailed by the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. Under this law, they must implement whatever steps are deemed reasonable to prevent the general public from being harmed while using their services.
Public liability claims against the bus company could also apply if you were injured in ways other than road traffic accidents. For example:
- If you sat on broken glass or discarded drug paraphernalia
- A spillage was left uncleaned on the bus floor, and you slipped over it
- The bus was not maintained properly, and you cut yourself on broken internal fittings like handrails
As stated, the driver and bus company are obliged to provide a reasonable level of safety whilst using their service. So if they failed in a way that resulted in you suffering harm, speak to our advisors about bus accident claims.
How Much Compensation Could I Get For A Bus Or Coach Accident?
A document called the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) is often used to guide compensation calculations. This gives a compensation guideline bracket for a list of injuries based on their severity. They are purely guidelines, as every claim varies. Below is an example table. Please be aware the two last entries are from the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021 tariff, and the first figure isn’t from the JCG.
Compensation Guidelines
| INJURY | SEVERITY | AWARD GUIDELINES |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple types of injury and special damages for lost income, care provision and medical expenses. | Serious | Up to £1 million plus. |
| Head/Brain | (a) Severe (i) | £344,150 up to £493,000 |
| (c) Moderate (iii) | £52,550 up to £110,720 | |
| Knee | (a) Severe (ii) | £63,610 up to £85,100 |
| Back | (a) Severe (iii) | £47,320 up to £85,100 |
| Neck | (b) Moderate (i) | £30,500 up to £46,970 |
| Psychological harm | (b) Moderately Severe | £23,270 up to £66,920 |
| Ankle | (c) Moderate | £16,770 up to £32,450 |
| Whiplash | 18 - 24 month duration with psychological harm | £4,345 |
| Whiplash | 15 - 18 month duration and psychological harm | £3,100 |
The New Whiplash Regulations 2021
From 31st May 2021, the Whiplash Reform Programme altered the way that certain whiplash and soft tissue injury claims valued at under £5,000 are made. Claims of this nature need to be made through an online portal. This does not affect:
- Pedestrians
- Motorcyclists
- Cyclists
- Scooter and e-scooter users
- Anyone under the age of 18.
Please connect with the team if you would like any more information about the whiplash rules that might affect your claim.
What Factors Will Determine The Amount Of Compensation I Get?
If your bus accident claim is successful, the compensation is typically comprised of two categories of loss which are called general and special damages. General damages reflect the physical harm as well as any psychological injuries experienced. Those tasked with the calculation process will take into account:
- How severe the injuries are.
- The duration of injury.
- The prognosis and expected recovery.
- The greater impact on the quality of the person’s life (such as a new, permanent disability being created).
Special damages take into account the financial impacts of your injuries. To include any related losses and expenses, you will need to put forward documented evidence such as:
- Proof of any private medical costs.
- Payslips or statements that show how you suffered any loss of earnings because of the injury.
- Receipts for taxis and other travel to essential appointments.
- Quotes or receipts for the cost of making essential adaptations at home (like wheelchair access or grab bars in the bathroom).
- The cost of additional childcare arrangements.
If you incurred a cost related to the accident and injury, keep all paperwork relating to this. If you choose to work with a solicitor, they can comb through this evidence and use it to calculate a much more thorough amount of potential compensation. See what general and special damages you could be owed and call today.
What Should I Do If I Was Injured In A Bus Accident?
The first action to construct a bus accident claim is to gather evidence that proves your injuries were caused by the negligence of the driver or operator. To do this, you can:
- Request a copy of the CCTV footage retained on all buses and coaches now.
- Get the name of the driver.
- Ask eyewitnesses to the accident for their contact information. Should a solicitor work on your bus accident claim, they can obtain a supporting statement from these witnesses.
- Take photos of your injuries and keep a personal diary of dates and treatments.
- Obtain copies of your medical records that detail the injuries you suffered.
- Get copies of any record made by emergency services who attended the road traffic accident.
Evidence like this can create a solid foundation for proving that the negligence of others caused your injuries. If you’d like to find out how a solicitor on our panel could assist you in compiling evidence, speak to the team.
How Much Time Will I Have To Start My Bus Accident Claim?
The Limitation Act 1980 sets out a time limit of three years in which to start a personal injury claim for compensation. This usually begins from the date of the accident. As mentioned above, minors and those lacking sufficient capacity are dealt with differently:
- The three-year time limit for an injured minor does not start until they turn 18.
- The time limit for those without mental capacity is frozen unless and until they regain the requisite capacity. The three-year deadline then starts from this date of recovery.
If you would like free guidance on personal injury claim time limits, please reach out to our advisory team using the options above. Or ask the live chat below a question for an immediate response.
Am I Able To Claim On A No Win No Fee Basis?
Although you are free to represent yourself in a personal injury compensation claim, you might prefer to access the support of a skilled solicitor. However, you may have worries about the cost of this. At Public Interest Lawyers, we offer a potential solution.
Our panel of solicitors can accept eligible cases and start work under a type of No Win No Fee contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Under this arrangement you can benefit from a host of advantages:
- There are no initial solicitors fees to begin work on the claim.
- No fees apply for work performed as the claim moves ahead.
- No solicitors fees apply for completed services if the claim fails.
- Bus accident claims that succeed mean that a nominal percentage is deducted from the compensation as a ‘success fee’ for the solicitors.
- This success fee is something you and your solicitor can agree upon prior to work commencing.
- Furthermore, the percentage deducted is subject to a legal limit. This ensures that you receive the majority of the compensation awarded to you.
Our panel of solicitors will take care of every step of the personal injury claims process. They can calculate the most accurate and thorough amount of compensation owed to you, help collect evidence like witness statements and meet all court deadlines. So rather than face the stress and complexity of a bus accident claim alone, why not see if we can help?
Contact Us
If you’re interested in seeing whether your personal injury claim could benefit from expert legal counselling:
- Send your enquiry through our ‘Contact Us’ page.
- Call 0800 408 7825 to discuss your bus or coach accident compensation claim.
- Ask the live on-screen chat box a question about your bus accident injury.
Learn More
In addition to this guide, the following articles from our website offer more useful reading:
- This guide looks at claims for injury by a jagged or falling object on public transport.
- Here we discuss train station accidents in detail.
- Also, public transport accident claims are looked at more broadly.
External reading:
- Information on staying safe and secure on public transport in London.
- Also, how to request CCTV footage of yourself.
- Lastly, advice on getting copies of your medical records.
In conclusion, thanks for your interest in our bus accident claim guide. For any further information or free guidance, simply reach out to our advisory team using the contact options above.
