Residents of Southern California have some of the best options when it comes to public transportation. While these transportation options may provide a lot of benefits to our society, there are occasionally some problems that we need to be aware of. Most notable among these problems are the injuries and deaths that are sometimes connected to public transportation. With many of these accidents, the damage is the result of negligence and the victims can seek compensation with the help of a Santa Monica public transportation injury attorney.
What causes public transportation accidents?
This tends to be the big question with most of these cases and the answer is not always very easy to find. Public transportation covers many different types of travel and they all have their own potential risk factors. Negligence on the part of an operator like a bus driver or train engineer could be the cause of an accident and there could also be mechanical issues that lead to accident and injury. In many cases, the accident and injury could be the result of both mechanical failure and operator error. If the injuries were caused during a collision with another vehicle, it also has to be considered that the driver of the other vehicle may hold some level of responsibility for the crash.
A personal injury lawyer needs to have a specific skill set to investigate these claims and demonstrate the cause of the accident. To protect their interests and their rights, claimants should seek the advice of an attorney that has experience with this area of practice.
Wrongful death in public transportation accidents
It is not uncommon for a mass transit accident to result in the death of one or more individuals. When this occurs, the family members of the decedent may have the right to file a wrongful death claim. In these cases, the family can seek damages for the medical expenses that may have accumulated as medical professionals tried to save the life of the individual, funeral expenses and any expected financial income that the deceased individual was expected to earn. Certain non-economic damages like mental anguish and loss of consortium may also apply to a claim for wrongful death in a public transportation accident.
How we can help
The team at the Quirk Law Group understands the many issues that may come into play in a public transportation accident lawsuit and we are ready to help you with your claim. Contact our Santa Monica public transportation injury attorneys for representation and we can get started on your case right away.