I just got a call from a client the other day who was in a bus accident about a week earlier. She said to me, “I was on the phone with the insurance carrier for the bus company and they offered me a couple of bucks. Should I take the offer?” I first asked her, “Well, tell me about the case. What happened?” She told me that she was on a bus, that the bus operator went through a red light, and they were hit by a car heading across the intersection. She told me that she immediately had pain in her shoulder, her knees, her neck and her back, and that she went to the hospital and she’s begun the course of treatment with a medical facility. I told her, “You need to come to the office right away and don’t take that offer.”
What often happens is that the insurance carriers, they want to get the case resolved as cheaply as possible and as fast as possible before the individual seeks the advice of counsel. They want to do it because they know if the individual takes the offer, they’re going to sign documents and they’ll never be able to file a claim down the road regarding the accident. The answer to the question is no. You want to seek the advice of counsel. Let an attorney get involved. Let an attorney communicate with the insurance carrier to make sure that you get the compensation that you’re entitled to.
How Long Will My Bus Accident Case Last?
There’s no real easy answer to that. A lot of it depends on how the accident occurs, who the defendants are, and what kind of an injury you have. Injuries can take quite a while to reach recovery. At that point, we need to know if it’s permanent in nature because that’s very important in determining the value of the case, and that could take a year; it could take longer depending on what type of injury. What we do is we try to push these cases along as quickly as possible so that we can get you the best possible results as early as possible.
How Long Do I Have to File My Claim in New York?
The answer can be complicated. It depends on who the bus company is. Are they a city-run company, like the transit authority, New York City Transit Authority, or are they privately owned?
If it’s the city, you need to file a notice of claim as quickly as possible, but it must be done within a 90-day period. When I say the city, I’m talking about the New York City Transit Authority type of a case. If it’s a privately owned bus company, then you have a longer period. You also have to be aware that there are other guidelines. There are no fault benefits that you might be entitled to, and you want to make sure that you get a no fault application to the proper party. No fault covers you for your economic loss, your medical expenses, and your lost wages.
Do you want to learn more about the timeline for bus accident compensation? Contact the Law Offices of Brian J. Elbaum today for a free case evaluation.
