goodman acker. 99% SUCCESS RATE.
Our Bus Accident Lawyer Fights for Compensation
How Our Grand Rapids Bus Accident Attorney Helps You
Why Choose Us
Bus accident cases are complicated, and winning fair compensation requires an attorney with the skills and ability to take prompt action to ensure that the evidence is preserved and to make a compelling case. Here are some reasons why we believe that Goodman Aker is your best choice:
- We are experienced. Our Grand Rapids bus accident attorneys know the system and how to navigate all steps quickly and efficiently. Our attorneys have helped our community members throughout Michigan for a combined 150+ years.
- We get results and win large settlements, such as the 1,900,000.00 won in a Motorcycle Accident in Wayne County.
- We have a 99 percent success rate for our cases. You can read testimonials from clients we have helped.
- The achievements of our team have earned us numerous firm and individual credentials, including:
- Top 100 Trial Lawyers
- Inclusion on the Super Lawyers® list
- AV® Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®
- We are accessible and available 24/7 for client emergencies
- We deal and negotiate with insurance companies, so you will not have to.
- We offer free initial consultations to get you started.
- We work on a contingency basis, so you pay us nothing unless we win, and you get your money.
At Goodman Acker, P.C., we value honesty and integrity and hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards. When you have our legal team on your side, we will:
- Meet with you to discuss the accident, who the at-fault parties may be, and determine what your case may be worth
- Investigate the accident thoroughly to gather and preserve evidence, such as from traffic videos and police and medical records and reports
- Interview witnesses and first responders
- Hire experts to reconstruct the accident and experts to testify as to the costs and extent of your injuries and the effects on your life into the future
- Deal and negotiate with insurance companies and their attorneys for a fair settlement
- Build your case and take it to court if necessary.
If the accident involved a fatality, we can assist with the additional complexities, such as:
- Opening the probate estate.
- Handling funeral and medical expenses.
- Filing for survivors’ loss benefits.
At Goodman Acker, we have advocates who speak your language, and we are available when you need us. We treat our clients like family and fight aggressively for the compensation they deserve. Call us today at (248) 951-9596.
Grand Rapids Bus Accident Statistics
Damages Our Grand Rapids Bus Accident Lawyers May Recover
After a bus accident, our Grand Rapids truck accident attorneys will fight for a monetary award called damages. In Michigan, your award should cover both your economic and noneconomic losses.
Economic damages — are for losses and expenses that have an actual dollar value, such as:
- Medical, rehabilitation, and caregiving costs
- lost wages and earnings, current and into the future
- property damage.
Non-economic damages — are for damages that do not have a specific monetary value, but negatively impact your life, such as:
- pain and suffering
- mental and emotional distress
- disability
- loss of enjoyment of life
- loss of companionship or consortium.
Punitive damages — In some rare cases, punitive damages may also be awarded. These are intended to punish a defendant who acted in an especially reckless or egregious manner and to deter such behaviors in the future.
Amounts of Damage Awards
There is a wide range of amounts of damages you may be awarded in a successful bus accident lawsuit, from the thousands to millions of dollars. The amount you may receive depends on factors that include:
- Severity and permanence of injuries
- Lost earnings and whether you will be able to work in the future
- Whether death was involved
- Availability of insurance coverage and assets of defendants
- The individual jurisdiction, judge, and jury if there is a trial
- The skill and negotiating power of your attorney.
To win your case, our lawyers must prove that another party or parties, the defendants in the case, were negligent or at fault for causing the injuries you received. Proving negligence legally means showing the following elements:
- Duty: The defendant owed you a duty of care not to cause harm
- Breach: The defendant breached this duty by actions or failure to act
- Cause: The defendant’s breach caused your injuries
- Damage: You suffered damages as a result that can be monetarily quantified.
Our bus accident attorneys in Grand Rapids will investigate your case thoroughly and find all potentially liable parties as they all may have assets and insurance that can go toward a settlement.
Grand Rapids Bus Accident Lawyer Answers FAQs
After a traumatic bus accident, it is natural to have questions and concerns. We can best deal with these at your initial consultation, but to get you started, here are some answers to questions our Grand Rapids personal injury attorneys are often asked:
As with other vehicle accidents in Michigan, the other party will have its own insurance company, investigators, and attorneys that will seek to deny or limit liability. Promptly retaining an attorney is essential, as the bus and insurance companies will be investigating as well. A skilled personal injury attorney will conduct a thorough investigation of the accident and inspect the damage to the bus. This often includes accident reconstruction and detailed analysis of bus company and driver records.
As with any accident, victims and their families should provide all the details they can about the accident, as well as any recordings, photos, or documentation they may have. This information will help our bus accident attorney effectively build a case for you.
Victims of bus accidents, like victims of other vehicle accidents in Michigan, are eligible for no-fault insurance compensation for medical costs, lost wages, and further compensation for household and personal assistance. For bus accidents, passengers may receive no-fault compensation if they do not have a car or an auto insurance policy. Others who may collect no-fault benefits include drivers of vehicles involved in crashes with a bus, passengers, bicyclists, motorcycle riders, and pedestrians. Our attorney will determine eligibility for no-fault benefits and determine which insurance company will pay those benefits.
Bus accidents can be caused by several factors, including inattentive driving and poor weather conditions. Buses by nature are more difficult to operate than smaller vehicles. They require skilled drivers, wide turns, and are more challenging to maneuver in traffic.
While some accidents occur due to factors outside a driver’s control, this is not always the case. Drivers may be negligent, or a bus could have a mechanical failure or defect. Many other contributing factors can lead to an accident. Here are potential causes of bus accidents:
- Careless or inattentive driving by the bus driver, including breaking traffic laws or driving recklessly.
- Following too closely, leading to rear-ending another vehicle.
- Improperly making a turn with the bus and veering out of the lane.
- Driver fatigue or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Not driving safely in road conditions like ice or heavy rain.
- Not being properly trained by the bus company or being properly licensed.
- Mechanical failures, including those caused by defective components or improper maintenance of the bus.
Those who are eligible for no-fault benefits can also sue the bus driver and the bus company, depending on the circumstances of the accident. Negligence by the driver or the bus company increases the ability to receive compensation. For example, a driver who knowingly breaks traffic laws or a bus company that fails to maintain a bus or hires an unqualified driver opens themselves to further legal repercussions. There may be other liable parties, such as a driver who made an illegal turn in front of the bus, the manufacturer of defective bus parts, or the bus maintenance company that failed to make proper repairs.
Yes, Michigan has a deadline, a three-year statute of limitations for suing for personal injuries incurred in a bus accident. The prompt filing of a lawsuit is in the best interest of accident victims, to allow our attorneys to start investigations while evidence is fresh and witnesses can be found, and to build your case accordingly.
Goodman Acker P.C. – Grand Rapids Office Location
1500 E Beltline Ave SE #235
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
LEGALLY REVIEWED BY BARRY J. GOODMAN
Barry J. Goodman has devoted his professional life to keeping courthouse doors open for victims seeking justice. Always a tireless advocate for his own clients, Goodman sees his responsibility as a Detroit personal injury attorney in a broader sense as well. [ Attorney Bio ]
ABOUT GOODMAN ACKER
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