Undefeated Greyhound Bus Accident Lawyers
Greyhound claims safety is their top priority, but their crash history proves otherwise. When passengers board one of their buses, they expect an experienced, trained, well-rested driver behind the wheel. In reality, dangerous and unqualified drivers continue to operate these 50,000 pound buses to catastrophic consequences.
Greyhound’s fleet of 923 buses was involved in 80 crashes over the last 24 months. According to FMCSA Safety Measurement System data, Greyhound’s 1,137 drivers also violated federal Hours of Service safety rules more often than 73% of similar carriers. This puts passengers in direct danger as motorcoach operators drive longer than allowed by federal law to get to their destinations faster.
Having represented more injured Greyhound bus passengers than any other law firm in the U.S., we know just how far Greyhound will go to increase profit at the expense of their passenger’s safety and wellbeing.
If you or a loved one were injured in a Greyhound bus accident, knowing what actions to take can mean the difference between a full recovery or pennies on the dollar, as Greyhound and its insurers work to cover up their negligence and escape responsibility.
Contact our Undefeated Greyhound bus accident attorneys for a free consult at 1-888-603-3636 or by clicking here.
Table of Contents
- Six Steps to Take After a Greyhound Bus Accident
- What Greyhound Bus Accident Victims Say About Working With Us
- Are Greyhound Bus Accidents Really Preventable?
- Common Causes of Greyhound Bus Accidents
- Common Types of Greyhound Bus Accidents
- Common Greyhound Bus Accident Injuries
- Why Should I Contact an Experienced Greyhound Bus Accident Lawyer?
- Common Questions About Greyhound Bus Accidents
Six Steps to Take After a Greyhound Bus Accident
The shock that bus accident victims and their families experience in the hours and days after the wreck often prevent them from taking the actions needed to preserve evidence, protect their rights, and ensure they’re fully compensated by Greyhound and its insurers.
But it’s important to act right away! Greyhound, without a doubt, will already have attorneys on the case. Plus, the more time passes, the easier it is for them to make important evidence disappear.
The following steps can help you protect your rights, ensure a full and fair recovery, and hold Greyhound accountable for allowing untrained, fatigued, or otherwise unqualified drivers behind the wheel.
- Call 911
Report the accident as quickly as possible. Remain calm and make safety your top priority. Once the police arrive, they’ll take witness statements and document other evidence that could help you prove the bus company and its driver are at fault.
- Document as Much as You Can & Gather Information
If you’re physically able and it’s safe to do so, take photos and videos of the crash scene, including damage to the bus and other vehicles.
- Seek Medical Treatment
If you were injured, EMTs will transfer you to the nearest emergency room. Because not all injuries are apparent right away, it’s important to get checked out at the hospital even if you don’t believe you were injured. Seeking medical attention will ensure you don’t have a potentially serious injury and help you document the medical care that you’ve received as a result of the crash.
- NEVER Make Statements or Negotiate with the Bus Company’s Insurers
You will receive a call from the bus company’s “claims rep” or insurance adjuster after the accident, promising to do whatever they can to “make things right.” In reality, the insurance company isn’t working for you and is only interested in minimizing your injuries and paying you as little as possible.
You are not obligated to speak with the insurance company’s adjuster, provide a recorded statement for the insurer, or sign anything. Speaking with or providing a recorded statement to the bus company’s insurer is a costly mistake that will be used against you as you attempt to hold Greyhound responsible for your injuries and losses.
- Follow All Medical Advice and Keep All Doctor’s Appointments
The bus company’s attorneys and its insurance carrier view any failure to follow doctor’s advice or skipped medical appointments as an opportunity to question your injuries and pay you less than your case is worth. Make sure you follow your doctor’s recommendations and go to all scheduled appointments.
- Contact an Experienced Greyhound Bus Accident Attorney
Hiring an experienced Greyhound bus accident lawyer who understands how Greyhound operates after a crash is the only way to make sure you’re able to obtain the maximum compensation possible for all of your injuries and losses.
Having won the largest settlements and verdicts in the company’s history, we’ve understand how Greyhound operates, where to find the evidence needed to prove the company was at fault, and how to ensure that our clients receive the maximum compensation possible for their injuries and losses.
What Greyhound Bus Accident Victims Say About Working With Us
From recovering the largest Greyhound bus settlement in the company’s history to ensuring that our clients receive the absolute best medical care available, our Undefeated Greyhound Bus Lawyers are there for you every step of the way.
Visit our Client Video Page or YouTube Channel to see what other Greyhound bus crash victims say about their experience with Zehl & Associates.
Greyhound Bus Crashes Are Preventable
Not only are most of the Greyhound buses on the road today decades old, many of these vehicles have thin roofs and windows that easily pop out, offer little protection from side impacts, and don’t even have seat belts.
As a result, passengers are much more likely to suffer traumatic and life-threatening injuries in a commercial bus accident. In fact, buses like Greyhounds have accounted for 11% of all deadly bus accidents since 2010, according to data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and that number appears to be rising.
Crashes involving buses tragically killed 221 people and injured 18,000 others in the U.S. in 2021. And between 2020 to 2021, the number of buses involved in these deadly accidents increased from 156 to 204 total.
Aging, malfunctioning vehicles and equipment is unfortunately just one of many entirely preventable causes of today’s Greyhound bus accidents. Our undefeated Greyhound bus accident lawyers recently reported on the harrowing history of Greyhound bus accidents and found a number of unacceptable factors that continue to lead to these crashes.
Here is a closer look at the common causes we often see and the injuries they lead to.
Common Causes of Greyhound Bus Accidents
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a commercial driver’s actions contribute to a significant percentage of the bus and truck crashes that occur in Texas and across the United States, including:
- Fatigue, which leads to more than 100,000 motor vehicle accidents per year, many of them bus accidents. Greyhound knowns full well that bus drivers operating between midnight and 6 a.m. are substantially more likely to cause a fatigue-related crash. They also know that untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnea increases the risk of a crash by over 10 times.
- Distracted Driving, which contributes up to 70% of commercial bus and truck accidents reported in the United States each year, and can include texting, eating or drinking, or even external factors such as billboards.
- Inadequately trained or licensed drivers. Intercity bus companies like Greyhound estimate they are currently short 7,300 drivers, with more than 20% of driver jobs unfilled. Wage rates, licensing delays, and a lack of interest in driving are the major reasons for the shortages.
- Malfunctioning vehicles or equipment, or failure to properly maintain it. Greyhound is also experiencing a shortage of mechanics to work on their aging fleet of buses, meaning tire blow outs and more serious mechanical problems are likely to be encountered with a bus full of passengers.
- Other factors, including:
- Intoxicated driving
- Drivers with poor driving records
- Driver mistakes, bad decisions, or reckless driving
- Improperly loaded cargo
- Adverse Weather Conditions
- Poor Road Conditions
Greyhound continues to allow inexperienced, fatigued, and medically unqualified drivers on the road, even though they are well-are this greatly increases the chances of a dangerous bus accident. They know better!
Common Types of Greyhound Bus Accidents
Whether it’s a collision with another vehicle or a rollover due to driver fatigue, the aftermath of a bus crash is chaotic and overwhelming. Having represented more bus passengers against Greyhound than any other law firm in the United States, we have witnessed the devastation firsthand and understand the effect that these crashes have on our clients and their families.
We also know that the first page of Greyhound’s “Only the Best Rule Book” makes it clear that the responsibility for preventing bus accidents rests with the company’s drivers.
Greyhound bus drivers are expected to avoid all of the following types of bus accidents:
- Front and rear collisions
- Overtaking and passing accidents
- Turning accidents
- Head-on, meeting, and passing accidents
- Pulling into traffic accidents
- Backing accidents
- Intersection accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Accidents resulting from mechanical conditions
- Railroad crossing accidents
- Collisions with stationary objects
- Leaving the roadway and overturning
- Parking buses
- Accidents involving adverse weather conditions
Common Greyhound Bus Injuries
In the wake of a Greyhound bus accident, victims may suffer a range of injuries, each demanding unique attention and consideration.
Common bus accident injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injury, concussion, and other head injuries
- Spinal cord and back injuries, including full or partial paralysis
- Bone fractures and orthopedic injuries
- Neck injuries, including whiplash
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Burns and lacerations that cause scarring and disfigurement
- Permanent disability that prevents the victim from earning a living or resuming normal daily activities
- Psychological trauma including the emotional toll or even PTSD
Contacting an Experienced Greyhound Bus Accident Lawyer
Contacting an experienced Greyhound bus accident lawyer with a proven record of success against the company is the most important thing you can do to ensure you and your family are fully and fairly compensated for all of your injuries and losses.
Our Greyhound Bus Accident Lawyers have represented more injured Greyhound passengers than any other law firm in the United States and have consistently won the largest verdicts and settlements in the company’s history.
We don’t just win — we set records for Greyhound bus crash victims.
Our Undefeated Greyhound Bus Accident Attorneys even obtained the first-ever court-ordered sleep study of a Greyhound Bus Driver, prompting the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to reevaluate the criteria for screening commercial drivers for dangerous medical conditions like Obstructive Sleep Apnear.
Undefeated Greyhound Bus Accident Lawyer: Call 1-888-608-3636 or Click Here for a Free Consult.
If you or a loved one were injured in a Greyhound bus crash, call 1-888-608-3636 or Click Here to send us a confidential email through our “Contact Form.”
We’ll answer your questions, explain your rights, and provide all of the information you need to decide what’s best for you and your family.
The consultation is free, and since we work exclusively for a contingency fee, you won’t pay us anything unless we win your case.
Common Questions About Greyhound Bus Accidents
If the Greyhound driver is at fault, then you can file a claim against both Greyhound and the driver. If another driver is at fault, you can file a claim against the individual who caused the accident.
Yes. As long as the bus company is responsible for the accident, you are entitled to recover your full damages from Greyhound, including past and future medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and other economic and non-economic damages.
The time you have to file a claim is called the statute of limitations. Every state’s statute of limitations is different. To learn more about the statute of limitations in your state, you can read our statute of limitations article.
In Texas, commercially-owned buses — like Greyhound — are considered “common carriers.” They are expected to exercise a higher duty of care to their passengers and other people on the road than typical drivers.
Commercial bus companies are considered negligent when they – or their drivers – fail to avoid crashes and get their passengers to their destinations safely.
If you are injured as a passenger on a Greyhound bus, you have several different types of damages available to you.
First, you can recover your past medical expenses. Second, you can recover your future medical expenses.
You can also recover for pain and suffering, physical impairment, disfigurement, and mental anguish. All of these damages are available to you under Texas law.
Read more in our comprehensive guide to damages.