It is infuriating that people still drive drunk, despite the known dangers and potential to harm others. It is outrageous that a bus driver responsible for the safety of their passengers might drive while under the influence of alcohol.
The experienced bus accident attorneys at our firm represent people harmed due to drunk driving bus accidents in Huntsville. Get in touch with us if you or a loved one suffered harm because of a bus driver operating their vehicle while intoxicated. We could apply our skills and experience to ensure you get justice.
Bus Drivers Must Meet Higher Standards
The legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for most drivers is 0.08 percent. For anyone driving a bus, it is 0.04 percent. Even one drink could put a bus driver over the legal limit.
The law reflects the fact that alcohol affects a person’s ability to drive safely. Anyone responsible for transporting passengers must be fully alert and unimpaired.
Negligence per se is a legal doctrine that presumes a person is negligent when they violate a safety law. Our Huntsville attorneys could strengthen your claim by proving that the bus driver’s BAC exceeded 0.04 percent, their impairment led to the crash, and they were therefore negligent.
Negligence Triggers Damages
When you can prove a bus driver’s negligence, both the driver and their employer are potentially liable to pay compensation. Depending on the circumstances of the accident, other parties such as the bus owner, the manufacturer, or the establishment that served alcohol to the driver could also bear responsibility. If you suffer serious injuries, pursuing claims against multiple parties may help you secure adequate compensation for the harm you endured.
Injured parties could claim immediate expenses and financial losses, along with future costs if ongoing care becomes necessary. Reduced future earnings may also be recoverable when an injury limits the ability to work. In addition, compensation for pain and suffering addresses the negative impact of the injuries on daily life and overall quality of living.
Punitive damages may be awarded as a penalty against the bus driver and their employer. Punitive damages are rare in personal injury cases, but are sometimes granted in drunk driving accidents. Our Huntsville attorneys could review the evidence in your bus crash case to determine whether seeking punitive damages against the impaired driver is appropriate.
Why Is Quick Action Essential?
During your recovery from your injuries, you should focus as much as possible on regaining your physical health and emotional well-being. Delegating the task of negotiating compensation with the transportation company to professionals means you do not have to navigate the claims process alone.
Alabama follows the contributory negligence doctrine, which means that someone who has even a slight degree of responsibility for an accident is ineligible to pursue compensation. Bus companies try to escape liability by shifting some of the blame onto you. You need an experienced advocate in Huntsville to push back, keep all the blame for the accident on the drunk bus driver where it belongs, and preserve your rights.
Time is also a factor. Alabama Civil Practice Code §6-2-38 allows you two years from the accident date to bring a lawsuit seeking damages for your injuries. Engaging legal representation soon after the event allows us to gather the evidence we need to build a robust case. We could then use the threat of a lawsuit as leverage to negotiate a generous settlement that provides fair compensation for your injuries.
Contact a Huntsville Attorney If a Drunk Bus Driver Caused an Accident That Injured You
If an intoxicated driver caused an accident that injured you or a loved one, you deserve justice. Turn to our attorneys for more information about drunk driving bus accidents in Huntsville. We take no fees or costs unless we win compensation for you, so schedule a free consultation with us today.
