Special Liability Rules Make It Easier to Prevail against Negligent Busing Companies
Because bus companies function as a “common carrier,” they owe an extremely high duty of care to their patrons. A common carrier is a company that offers transportation to the general public at a fixed preset rate. Common carriers, such as bus lines, owe their patrons the highest duty of care and must exercise extreme vigilance to safeguard the safety of their passengers. The rationale for imposing this heightened standard of care on a common carrier is that passengers are not in a position to take steps to protect themselves from an accident when riding a bus. This means that even a slight degree of fault by the bus driver or busing company may be sufficient to successfully make a claim against a bus company for injuries suffered in a Mississippi busing accident.
A busing company or public entity that operates a bus line must exercise extreme vigilance when hiring bus drivers, maintaining buses in safe operating condition and providing proper supervision and training to those who operate their buses. This duty may not be delegated away from the private busing company or public entity. There are many ways bus companies or bus drivers may be negligent (i.e. unreasonably dangerous) and cause a serious busing accident including:
- Violation of basic traffic safety laws
- Operating a bus while impaired by drugs or alcohol
- Lack of governmental monitoring of rogue bus companies that may disregard safety violations or change forms of ownership to continue operating
- Speeding or driving too fast for weather and road conditions
- Failure of busing companies to provide adequate supervision of their drivers
- Drivers that have not being sufficiently trained in the unique safety issues of maneuvering a massive bus
- Buses that are defectively designed or manufactured or lack safety equipment that could be installed with nominal cost
If you are involved in a busing accident in Mississippi, a broad range of parties that may bear partial or total responsibility for your injuries or loss of a loved one. These parties may include:
- Public governmental entities operating bus lines
- Private tour bus, long distance or commuter bus companies
- Negligent bus drivers
- Maintenance companies that fail to perform adequate inspections and repairs
- Third party drivers whose negligence causes a collision involving a bus
If you or someone you love has been injured in a Mississippi bus accident or a loved one has died, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and loss. At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi. Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.