Dundalk, Maryland has a strong mass transit system thanks to its location in the Baltimore Metro area. But the area still sees bus accidents every year, many of them catastrophic or fatal. If you were injured in a bus accident, our Dundalk bus accident lawyers at WGK personal injury lawyers can help you pursue legal action.
We have decades of experience handling commercial vehicle accident claims. We’ve recovered millions for our injured clients, and we’re ready to help you seek the compensation award you deserve.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your injury claim with a Dundalk bus accident attorney at (410) 970-3080. We work on contingency, which means we only get paid if we win.
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How WGK Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Bus Accident in Dundalk, Maryland
You need strong legal representation after a bus accident. You may have to go up against a government agency or a wealthy corporation and its insurers. They’ll have lawyers, and so should you.
WGK Personal Injury Lawyers has been representing accident victims in the Baltimore area since 1977. We’ve used our experience to recover millions for injured clients just like you, earning top ratings from those we’ve represented. We’d be proud to stand up for you after your accident.
When you hire our Dundalk personal injury lawyers, we will:
- Investigate the scene of the accident to gather evidence.
- Access and analyze data from the bus’s event data recorder (EDR), which reports speed, braking, and steering before and during the crash.
- Identify and interview eyewitnesses
- Examine the bus company’s maintenance and employment records
- Work with leading experts to strengthen your case
- Negotiate with insurance companies to reach a settlement.
- Handling all paperwork and legal filings
- Represent you in court in pursuit of justice
Schedule a free case consultation with one of our Dundalk personal injury attorneys by reaching out to us online or by calling our office.
What is My Dundalk Bus Accident Case Worth?
The value of your bus accident claim depends on many factors. No other bus accident claim will be an adequate reference for your case’s worth.
Here are the factors that will impact your case’s value:
- Available insurance policies
- Whether you were partly at fault for the accident
- The severity of your injuries
- The extent of your medical bills, lost wages, and diminished earning capacity
- Whether you’ve endured pain and suffering
- Whether the bus was owned by the city or by a private corporation
- The strength of your evidence
The best way to determine the value of your claim is to speak with an experienced bus accident lawyer in Dundalk. Your lawyer can identify your damages and calculate their value. They can even work with experts in finance and medicine to analyze certain losses.
Contact WGK personal injury lawyers for more information on the value of your bus accident case.
What Kind of Damages Are Available to Accident Victims?
Bus accident victims are typically eligible to recover economic and non-economic damages from the driver/operator of the bus. Economic damages represent financial losses; non-economic damages cover personal, non-financial losses.
Examples of economic damages include:
- Past and future medical expenses;
- The income you lost due to your inability to work after the accident;
- Your diminished earning capacity, if you suffered long-term injuries;
- Your out-of-pocket expenses; and
- Physical therapy/rehabilitation
Examples of non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering;
- Emotional distress and mental anguish;
- Loss of enjoyment of life;
- Disfigurement or permanent scarring;
- Loss of independence; and
- Loss of consortium.
You might qualify for punitive damages if the defendant is not a government entity. Courts only award punitive damages in rare cases to punish a defendant for egregious behavior.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Dundalk Bus Accident Lawyer?
Most personal injury lawyers use the contingency fee system. Under this arrangement, your payment of attorney fees is contingent upon the result of your case. If your attorney is successful, they will take a pre-agreed percentage of your settlement or verdict as payment for the representation (usually between 33-40%). If your lawyer fails to recover an award for you, you will not owe them any attorney fees.
WGK Personal Injury Lawyers offers contingency fees in all bus accident cases. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to learn more about our fee structure.
Can I Recover Compensation If I’m Being Blamed For a Bus Accident in Dundalk, Maryland?
Maryland is one of a handful of states that apply a contributory negligence rule for cases involving more than one at-fault party. If you share any fault for the bus accident, the contributory fault rules will bar you from recovering compensation. This is true whether you are 1% or 99% at fault.
Insurance companies and other defendants like to use these rules to get out of paying claims. If they can pin the blame on you, they walk away scot free. A bus accident attorney in Dundalk can protect your rights and prevent the insurance company from unfairly blaming you for the crash. Contact WGK Personal Injury Lawyers if you are being blamed for a bus accident.
We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation For All of Your Bus Accident Injuries
If you suffer injuries in a Dundalk bus accident, you should be able to recover 100% of the compensation you deserve, including money to cover all of your medical injuries.
WGK Personal Injury Lawyers has extensive experience handling accident claims involving all kinds of injuries:
- Amputations,
- Back injuries,
- Broken bones,
- Burns,
- Concussions,
- Dislocations,
- Eye injuries,
- Facial injuries,
- Hearing loss,
- Herniated discs,
- Internal bleeding,
- Knee injuries,
- Lacerations,
- Nerve damage,
- Rib fractures,
- Soft tissue injuries,
- Spinal cord injuries,
- Sprains and strains,
- Traumatic brain injuries, and
- Whiplash.
If you lost a loved one in a bus accident, we can help your family file a wrongful death claim against the responsible party. Let us fight for you after your accident.
What Causes Most Bus Accidents in Dundalk, Maryland?
Like car accidents, bus accidents can have many different causes. Most accidents are due to human error, or “negligence.”
Here are the most common causes of bus accidents in Maryland:
- Inadequate driver training,
- Failure to yield,
- Drunk driving,
- Distracted driving,
- Drowsy driving,
- Pedestrian negligence,
- Poor vehicle maintenance,
- Road conditions,
- Road construction zones,
- Speeding,
- Traffic violations,
- Unruly passengers,
- Inclement weather,
- Mechanical failures and design flaws.
Many accidents have more than one cause. A Dundalk bus accident lawyer can help you identify all the reasons for your crash and prove that you were injured due to the negligence of another party.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Bus Accident in Maryland?
Most bus accidents are based on negligence. To win a negligence claim you must prove that the defendant breached a duty of care they owed you (by running a red light, for example) and that this breach caused your injuries.
Alternatively, a defective product, such as bad brakes, might have caused the accident. If you sue the brake manufacturer under a strict liability theory, you can win your claim without even proving that the defendant was at fault. Instead, you must prove that the brakes were defective and unreasonably dangerous.
The appropriate legal theory isn’t enough–you’re also going to need evidence that supports your claim, perhaps including:
- Accident reports,
- Bus company policies and operational guidelines,,
- CCTV footage,
- Records of past complaints about the driver or bus conditions,
- Dashcam footage,
- Drug and alcohol test results,
- Data from the bus’s onboard recording device (event data recorder),
- Expert testimony,
- GPS data,
- Driver logbook,
- Maintenance records,
- Medical records,
- Passenger testimony,
- Photographs,
- Phone records,
- Road condition reports,
- Social media posts,
- Data from traffic signals near the accident site,
- Vehicle inspection reports,
- Weather reports,
- Witness statements, and
- The bus driver’s driving and employment history.
The full list of evidence you need will only become apparent once the specific facts surrounding your case come to light.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Bus Accident in Maryland?
In Maryland, the general statute of limitations deadline for personal injury claims is three years after the accident. If the victim dies from their injuries, the three-year countdown starts on the date of death.
A number of exceptions apply. If you were injured as a minor (as many bus accident victims are), the statute of limitations clock doesn’t start ticking until you turn 18. If you’re filing a claim against the city, you may be subject to notice requirements and shorter deadlines.
Contact WGK Personal Injury Lawyers for help identifying the time limits in your case.
Contact Our Dundalk, Maryland Bus Accident Lawyers For a Free Consultation
WGK Personal Injury Lawyers is ready to fight for you after your accident. We have experience going up against the government and big corporations — we’re not afraid of the party on the other side of your claim.
Let us use our decades of experience to help you recover the compensation you deserve. Contact us today to schedule a free case review with a Dundalk bus accident lawyer.
