MBTA Bus Accident Lawsuits

Riding a bus in Boston and its surrounding communities, for thousands of working and traveling commuters, is a daily necessity. Anywhere a train stop doesn’t touch, chances are that an MBTA bus does. Should you become involved in an incident on one of their buses that results in an injury, the law firm of Altman & Altman LLP may be able to help you secure a financial settlement or emerge victorious in a lawsuit.

According to the MBTA’s 2010 widespread study of their services, the MBTA operates around 1,000 surface buses daily, employing around 1,600 bus operators and serving about 370,000 customers on a typical weekday. These vehicles complete about 7,600 round trips and travel over 80,000 scheduled miles each day (which is enough to circle the globe about three times).

Needless to say, the MBTA’s bus service is a vital cog in the entire Greater Boston Area’s transit system. However, as with any large system, these astronomically large numbers of interactions and driven hours will result in more than a fair share of accidents over the course of a year.

There have already been a number of high-profile accidents in 2017, involving one bus driver who was allegedly operating a cell phone while driving passengers at an excessive rate of speed. This bus wound up hanging over a bridge overpass that spanned I-90, which could have resulted in a much larger amount of devastation.

Other accidents simply involve drivers who are at fault hitting other drivers and endangering the lives of their passengers. Bus occupants do not have the option of securing themselves with seatbelts or other safety implements, so they are at an increased risk for being severely injured as a result of a bus crash. Just recently 18 people were injured – five seriously – when they were injured in an MBTA bus crash.

Injuries that occur on an MBTA bus don’t have to stem from a negligent bus driver crashing and causing harm. If a driver slams unnecessarily on their brakes, causing you to slam your head into a pole, or if they take a turn at an irresponsibly fast pace, causing you to trip and fall and develop an injury, the MBTA and the operator may be liable for such an injury.

Other actions that may enable you to collect damages for pain and suffering or the cost of ensuing medical expenses may be if a door malfunction occurs, and as a result traps a part of your body in the door, causing injury. If a driver purposely closes a door while you are entering or exiting the bus, this too could potentially be evidence for a successful suit.

Altman & Altman LLP has been operating in Cambridge and the Greater Boston Area for over 40 years. We have handled hundreds of MBTA-related cases, developing a proud reputation as a dependable and effective law firm in the area when handling such cases. We understand Boston. We understand the MBTA, and we understand the people who are injured as a result of their negligence.

Being injured on an MBTA bus can become a frightening experience, as you may feel pressure not to pursue action due to the size of the MBTA, and they may try to intimidate you away from making a claim through the use of their own legal services. The attorneys are Altman & Altman LLP are well-versed in dealing with such tactics, and we will ensure that you have the best help on your side to ensure a high level of success and satisfaction in litigating your case.

A serious injury can set you back in time and money, rendering you unable to work and footing the bill for costly medical expenses. If you were not at fault for your injury, and have reason to believe the MBTA was responsible, call us today for a free consultation today at 617.492.3000 or toll-free at 800.481.6199. We are available 24/7 to go over the details of your case.