ABA Family Legal Guide

Personal Injury

Negligence

Automobile Collisions

I sustained an injury when the bus I ride to work was involved in an accident. Is the bus company at fault?

Most likely. Common carriers--bus lines, airlines, and railroads (even elevators and escalators in some states)--owe their passengers "the highest degree of care" and are held to have a special responsibility to their passengers. Common carriers must exercise extra caution in protecting their riders and do everything they can to keep them safe.

Whether you win your case will depend on the circumstances of the accident. Did the driver pull out in front of a car and have to slam on the brakes? What were the road conditions? A jury will have to consider those factual circumstances to determine if your driver acted negligently. But as an employee of a common carrier, the driver must provide you with a high degree of care. (If the bus were hit by another car, the other driver also may be liable for your injuries.)