Commercial Vehicle and Public Transportation Accident Claims
Accidents involving public transportation have many characteristics in common with other motor vehicle accidents, but they also have their own unique issues. If your accident involves public transportation such as a bus, subway, GO train or streetcar, or a commercial vehicle such as a truck, delivery van or construction vehicle, your case may be complicated by many factors. In the case of large accidents involving trains or buses, your accident could also be part of a mass tort or class action.
Commercial Vehicles and Mass Transit
Rochon Genova’s commercial vehicle accident lawyers are familiar with the many complications that can accompany a mass transit case, such as:
- Severity of injuries: Your injuries may be severe if your car is hit by a bus or other large vehicle. Truck, train and subway accidents often result in catastrophic injuries and fatalities. On the other hand, an accident on a bus may be more likely to result in injuries such as soft tissue and ligament damage, fractures and concussions;
- Type of injuries: Your injuries may result from a slip-and-fall, and there may be issues of occupier’s liability if you are injured in a public transit station;
- Causes: Causes of accidents can vary widely — for example, a bus or truck driver may be driving while intoxicated or overly tired, a truck may be improperly loaded or maintained, or a train station may be improperly maintained or lack security;
- Liability: Many individuals and groups may share liability for your accident. An individual driver, loader or maintenance worker may be at fault, but so may a bus or truck company if it does not have procedures to ensure that drivers, loaders and maintenance crews are properly trained and supervised. In some cases, the ultimate fault may lie with the vehicle manufacturers; and
- Complexity of laws and regulations: A wide variety of federal and provincial laws and regulations govern the operation of public transportation and commercial vehicles. Your lawyers may have to sort through the interactions between safety standards, insurance, training and maintenance regulations, interprovincial laws governing trucks, and possibly even municipal regulations concerning accidents that happen on city premises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can commercial vehicle and public transportation accident claims be complicated?
If your accident involves public transportation such as a bus, subway, GO train or streetcar, or a commercial vehicle such as a truck, delivery van or construction vehicle, your case may be complicated by many factors.
Who may be liable in a commercial vehicle or public transportation accident?
Many individuals and groups may share liability for your accident. An individual driver, loader or maintenance worker may be at fault, but so may a bus or truck company if it does not have procedures to ensure that drivers, loaders and maintenance crews are properly trained and supervised. In some cases, the ultimate fault may lie with the vehicle manufacturers.
Contact Rochon Genova
Call Rochon Genova at 416-363-1867 or send us an email to set up a free consultation.
