Mission Viejo Bus Accident Lawyer

Time is of the essence in personal injury cases because there is a limited window after an accident or injury to bring a claim in court. As such, it is important to have professional guidance from someone that is familiar with the law, familiar with the facts of the case, and understands the local rules and customs that could impact a case.

If you are the victim of a bus accident in California, contact a Mission Viejo bus accident lawyer as soon as possible after the accident for a case evaluation to protect your legal rights. Call today to learn more and discuss your case with an experienced personal injury attorney.

Statute of Limitations for Bus Accident Victims

In California, an injured victim has two years from the date of an accident to file a lawsuit in court against the person or people responsible for causing the injury. This is applicable in all cases where the other party is a private company or individual, so if the injury was caused by a charter bus driver, the injured party or their Mission Viejo bus accident attorney would have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim in court.

If the injury was caused by a government entity or a person acting on behalf of a government entity, an individual has six months from the date of the accident or injury to file a lawsuit in court. Accordingly, if someone is injured by an Orange County Transportation Authority bus or a public school bus, they only have 180 days to file the claim. Failing to file a timely claim could result in being unable to move forward with the claim, even when it is valid.

The deadline to file a claim in court is referred to as the statute of limitations (SOL). The statute of limitations is not altered by the seriousness of the injury, unexpected bills that occur after the deadline passed, or late legal advice indicating that the claimant has a valid claim. The reasons that a judge would allow a case to go forward if filed after the deadline, are so few that it should never be expected that it will occur in a case.

Attorney Representation for Bus Crashes

After a bus accident, you or a loved one should contact an attorney immediately so that the attorney can focus on your legal matter, while you focus on recovery. A bus accident attorney in Mission Viejo is aware of the legal filing deadlines and will first check to verify that you are not time barred from bringing a claim in court if there is a need to do so at some point during the process.

While you are not prohibited from contacting an attorney later, doing so limits the amount of time that they would have to negotiate before it would be necessary to file a claim in court to preserve your right to do so. Effectively, it could force you to file a claim in court that could have been worked out in your favor without doing so.

Learn How a Mission Viejo Bus Accident Attorney Can Help

A skilled Mission Viejo bus accident lawyer has experience dealing with insurance companies in these types of cases, has experience reviewing bus records, and is unafraid to litigate the matter if necessary. If you have been injured, contact a knowledgeable injury lawyer to get the best possible outcome in your case.