We count on it so much that it public transport accidents often fly under the radar. But they really shouldn’t, thanks in part to the number of people who use public transport regularly.
Every day, thousands of people in the UK use one form or another of public transport. They trust it for any number of reasons, either to:
- commute to work;
- visit family and friends;
- do the weekly shopping, and/or;
- perhaps just to leave the car behind and go for a drink.
Millions upon Billions of public transport journeys
Last year in the UK, we made 5.2 billion passenger journeys on buses and 240 million journeys on light rail systems. The breakup of national transport networks settles into fragments of private ownership. But the use of the railways has doubled since privatisation. Moreover, most judge it, by and large, to be a safe and effective way of getting around.
Although safety, in general, is a paramount element in supplying transport services, accidents do still happen. Fatalities are thankfully rare, but buses commonly feature in accidents. Although they might not make front-page news, they can still result in back, neck or other serious injuries.
Railway safety also has its share of injuries, albeit mostly minor in nature. For the last five years of Government ready statistics, there have been at least:
- 6,000 annual minor injuries for train passengers.
- Between 287 and 377 annual major injuries for passengers, plus;
- There were 586 major injuries for all kinds of people on the rails in 2018-19 alone.
RTAs versus Public Transport Accidents
In the event of a personal injury resulting from a road traffic accident, liability gets tricky. Which is why it’s always advisable to contact a personal injury lawyer as soon after the incident as possible. The responsibility could lie with:
- the driver;
- the firm providing the service (in essence, the transport company);
- another road user or;
- the council who are responsible for road layouts and traffic lights.
We usually think of public transport accident injuries resulting from collisions, such as bus accidents. But other non-collision type injuries are more common than many would think. Slipping on wet floors of moving buses and trains is worryingly common, too. They can result in:
- bruises;
- fractures;
- head injuries;
- damage to personal belongings and;
- the potential loss of earnings during a period of recovery.
Public transport accident: A Case Study
A case study of a passenger accident claim involves a man suffering an injury in a car crash. The cause of the crash itself, however, was another driver of the car in which he was travelling. Accordingly, the claimant suffers severe whiplash and is unable to work for three months while stuck in recovery.
As it turns out, the other driver has driver’s insurance. So we supply the relevant evidence to make a compensation claim (which includes police and medical reports). Accordingly, the driver’s insurance company acknowledges liability. And, as a result, the client receives almost £7,000 in damages.
Altering your life
These injuries are painful and debilitating to those unfortunate enough to fall victim to them. Medical treatments for public transport injuries may become necessary. Moreover, when you’re involved in an accident, it can significantly alter the course of your life. Be it the fault of a bus driver or whomever, any form of public transport has a duty of care to avoid accidents on public fares.
Say if your personal injury claim becomes a reality. In turn, a bus, train or tram accident can wreak havoc on you professionally. Therefore, you can claim for any and all loss of earnings when you:
- Miss work;
- Must alter your work schedule because of any injuries, or;
- Need to change the work responsibilities you have as a result of the accidents. For instance, you work in a job where you’re on your feet and physically interactive. Subsequently, you need to switch to a desk job because the loss of mobility demands it.
What to do next?
Where you sustain injuries from avoidable circumstances, it’s imperative to seek justice. Moreover, the pursuit of a public transport accident claim can develop our ability as a society to do better.
Because through learning from these events, transport bodies can make necessary changes. In addition, these changes can mitigate the risk of such injuries happening again to someone else.
Your lawyer will build your case using relevant evidence to support your claim. For example:
- Your medical records detailing your injuries and prognosis.
- Reports from the police and other emergency services who respond.
- Statements from any witnesses who see or hear your accident.
- In addition, they might use photos or film footage of the accident site.
The time limit factor of a public transport accident
You can’t afford to dawdle, either, when it comes to public transport accidents and compensation claims. In truth, you have a three-year time limit from the date of the accident to file a claim.
Nevertheless, the sooner you act, the better your claim will turn out. Taking notes and getting your recollections, witnesses and specific relevant details down helps your case, too. With this now on the radar of your solicitor, we can help turn your injurious malady into a financial melody.
Contact us today if you feel that you need compensation for a public transport accident. Whether it causes an injury or does otherwise, we’re here to help. We use firms authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and are registered in England and Wales.