A limousine bus is designed to carry ten or more people. Also called party buses, these decked-out vehicles are made with fun and adventure in mind, keeping guests entertained during the journey until they reach their tour destination.
Like its counterpart, the stretch limousine, a limo bus comes fitted with an HD TV, LEDs, refrigerators, dance poles, and other features, providing a luxurious and entertaining way to transport passengers.
Although party buses can be fun, they are susceptible to the same hazards as other motor vehicles. They may be much more entertaining than a regular motor coach but do not necessarily offer advanced safety features, meaning guests are at risk of catastrophic injuries or death in case of fatal bus accidents. Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries from sudden acceleration, rough braking, and hard turns can easily occur when inside a limo bus.
Ehline Law and our Los Angeles party bus accident attorneys have more than 15 years of experience working with injured victims, protecting their rights, and holding liable bus companies or liable bus manufacturers responsible for the damages caused by a limousine bus.
About Our Attorney Awards, Reviews, and Accolades
- The Superlawyers Rising Star award was awarded multiple times to Michael Ehline from 2006-2015.
- Newsweek Magazine awarded its “Premier Personal Injury Attorneys” award to Ehline Law Firm’s attorneys in 2015.
- CNN interviewed Michael Ehline about cruise ship law, and he was a guest on NBC discussing limousine law practice areas. Michael was also interviewed by Nancy Grace on CBS, discussing his expertise in California dog bite law.
Our years of experience can help you hold all the negligent parties liable for causing your damages.
If you suffered injuries in a party bus, school bus accident, or one run by another private bus company, contact our Los Angeles party bus accident attorneys to learn more about your rights as an injured victim or bus passenger.
Horrific Party Bus Accidents in Los Angeles
Private bus accidents occur in all climes and places, injuring bus passengers, other drivers, vehicle occupants, and pedestrians in the danger zone. When we think of most bus wrecks, we tend to focus on public buses like a city bus in a car accident. But party bus accidents are more common than you think. With loud music, a chaotic environment, and overly intoxicated guests, anything can go wrong on a party bus resulting in devastating consequences for the victims, even a wrongful death.
For those who survive, medical expenses and health insurance deductibles can be enough to break a family, especially if there is a traumatic brain injury or another catastrophic injury.
Post-traumatic stress disorder with multiple parties means the insurance companies may not have enough to fully cover each victim’s losses, especially wrongful death damages. Even the best national trial lawyers can have a hard time getting Los Angeles area passengers fully compensated when multiple parties sustain severe injuries.
Passenger safety is of utmost importance and required under California law for all common carriers, including taxis, Ubers, and other vehicles charging a fee to transport passengers.
A Limo Bus Accident Lawyer Holds The Negligent Common Carrier Liable?
So it’s just intercity buses of Greyhound lines that require proper training to avoid negligent conduct. Anyone charging a fee, including a Greyhound bus or a private tour bus hired by a church, must take steps to avoid such bus accident injuries. If not, certain presumptions will be held against at-fault parties due to the higher standard in a bus accident case.
In effect, it makes it easier for the people providing legal assistance to recover compensation and make sure the wrongdoers are held accountable. This is what our Los Angeles limo bus accident attorneys do for a living on a contingency fee basis.
The following are some of the horrific party bus accidents that occurred in Los Angeles County:
- In June 2014, a fight broke out in a party bus on the 300 block of N. LA Brea Avenue in Southern California, leading to two passengers suffering personal injuries after being stabbed with broken bottles.
- In September 2014, shooters fired up to 10 rounds at a party bus carrying around 60 passengers near Broadway and 90th Street, causing injuries to at least three passengers.
- In October 2015, a woman on a double-decker party bus got hit by a tree, shattering her orbital bone around her eye and leaving her cross-eyed.
Common Causes of Party Bus Accidents
Party bus accidents can occur due to several reasons, including the following.
Negligent Party Bus Driver
Party bus drivers have the responsibility to follow traffic rules and drive in a reasonably safe manner to avoid any bus accidents from happening. Distracted, drunk, or reckless driving are all examples of negligent party bus drivers.
Drunk Guests
A limo, or party bus is bound to have alcoholic drinks. Federal and state laws prohibit open containers, but these laws do not apply to party buses. Too many drinks can lead to intoxication and increase the risk of assaults breaking out on the limo bus, which can cause injuries to other passengers.
In some party bus accidents that led to the death of teenagers, the chaperons poured drinks to minors on the bus, causing them to act recklessly and resulting in their death.
Lack of Safety Guidelines
The limousine bus company or its drivers must relay all safety guidelines to the guests to protect them from hazards. For example, in a bus accident where a woman got hit by a tree, the bus driver failed to inform the guests of the trees.
In such situations, a limo bus driver must reduce their vehicle’s speed or inform the guests of incoming objects, such as trees, bridges, and other hazards.
The Negligent Party Bus Company
The party bus companies are responsible for providing the necessary training to their bus drivers to transport their customers around safely. Failing to conduct background checks or hire licensed bus drivers can increase the risk of a bus accident, causing devastating injuries to the guests.
Bus companies must also ensure routine maintenance and conduct inspections to identify any problems or hazards and take corrective action. Lack of maintenance and inspection can increase the risk of a limo bus accident.
Lack of Safety
Just like buses, party buses may also not have safety belts. Guests can stand up, walk around the bus, and even dance.
Bumps or cracks in the road or a collision with another vehicle can throw unseated passengers around the bus, resulting in serious injuries.
Faulty Party Buses
There were several party bus accidents where the driver made a turn, causing some passengers to fall from the vehicle due to faulty doors. Defective buses or improperly maintained vehicles is often a recipe for life-altering injuries or deaths.
Summary of Most Common Causes of Limousine Bus Wrecks
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Human errors like distracted driving (bus driver distraction is a leading cause of catastrophic accidents on limo buses
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Mechanical failure due to poor maintenance or a manufacturing defect
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Blowing stop signs and other traffic signs
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Driver fatigue leading to vehicle collisions
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Poor road conditions
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Improper training requirements
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Being rear-ended.
California Law for Party Buses
After a series of devastating bus accidents, Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill into law in 2012 that placed the exact requirements for limousines on party buses.
The bus companies must provide a chaperone above the age of 25 in case of minors to prevent them from drinking. Chaperons are responsible for checking identification cards and refusing minors a drink, and they may face misdemeanor charges if they fail to carry out their duties.
Common Victims of Party Buses
- Limo Bus passengers
- Motorcycle riders
- Bicyclists
- A child operating a big wheel or scooter
- Tourist on a Segway or electric scooter.
Who Is Liable for Los Angeles Party Bus Accidents?
Party buses owe their guests the utmost duty of care to ensure their safety. Whether safety comes in the form of daily inspections, routine maintenance, or background checks of their drivers, party bus companies must diligently carry out their responsibilities toward its guest.
Failing to follow state and federal laws and regulations that apply to common carriers and ensure the reasonable safety of its guests can lead to liability for which the injured victims can pursue a party bus accident claim against the bus company.
In some bus accident cases, the accident may occur due to another negligent driver. In such situations, injured passengers need to bring a limo bus crash claim against the responsible party.
If a guest on a party bus causes harm to another guest, the injured victim has the right to bring a civil action against the liable individual.
It is important for injured passengers to determine the liable party in a Los Angeles bus accident to pursue a bus accident lawsuit. In some cases, it can be challenging to identify the responsible party following the accident, while in others, there may be more than one liable party.
You don’t want to risk jeopardizing your case by filing a Los Angeles bus accident claim against the wrong defendant or leave money damages on the table by leaving out other parties in a multiple-defendant case. Injured passengers must speak to experienced bus accident lawyers to discuss their Los Angeles limousine bus accident cases.
Statute of Limitations for Party Bus Crash Claim
Unlike school buses that fall under school district, party or charter buses are owned and operated by private companies. Under California law, an accident victim has two years following their injuries to bring a civil action against the private company and its insurer to recover medical bills, lost wages, and other damages incurred.
Damages You Can Recover in a Los Angeles Party Bus Accident
When a party bus gets involved in a limo bus accident due to the negligence of others, the bus accident victims can pursue bus accident claims and recover compensatory damages for their loss.
There are two types of damages a bus accident victim can recover by bringing a civil action, and these are:
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Economic damages: After an accident, victims can suffer direct out-of-pocket expenses such as medical bills, lost wages, and property damage for which they can claim compensation.
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Non-economic damages: These are the types of damages that compensate victims for non-monetary losses, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, reduced quality of life, and many others.
Assessing and calculating damages is a critical aspect of a personal injury claim. Victims must work with bus accident victims to help evaluate and calculate compensatory damages to ensure maximum compensation following the accident.
How Can Los Angeles Bus Accident Lawyers Help Injured Passengers?
Although you can pursue a bus accident claim without legal representation, you may risk losing your case or walking away with minimum compensation.
If you’re hesitant about seeking legal representation due to attorney fees, it’s important to note that you’ll still be in a better position financially even after paying attorney fees from the total award than if you were to pursue a claim without the help of an experienced attorney.
The following are some ways Los Angeles limo bus accident lawyers can help you with your case.
Determine the Liable Parties and Other Common Carriers
Before seeking compensation, you must identify the right party or parties to bring a Los Angeles bus accident claim. A reputable law firm has the resources to investigate the accident, determine liable parties, and hold them accountable for your loss.
Assess and Calculate Damages
You may be able to calculate economic damages by adding up all the out-of-pocket expense receipts, but it is often challenging to assess and calculate non-economic damages following a bus accident without the help of relevant experts.
A well-connected limousine bus accident lawyer can bring on medical and other field experts to help assess and calculate non-economic damages to maximize your compensation.
Gather Evidence to Build a Strong Case
When pursuing a bus accident claim against the negligent party, it is crucial to prove the four critical elements of a negligence claim: duty, breach, causation, and damages.
A skilled Los Angeles bus accident attorney can help investigate the limo bus accident and gather evidence such as CCTV footage, witness statements, bus company records, and other relevant evidence to establish the critical elements and build a trial-ready case.
Handle and Negotiate with the Insurance Company
Without legal representation, you may find yourself struggling to deal with the insurance company. The constant stress of handling the insurer following the emotional trauma from the accident can leave you vulnerable, eventually forcing you to accept a lowball settlement offer.
An experienced bus accident lawyer knows how much your case is worth and will not rest until they negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf.
Go to Trial
In some cases, there may be a disagreement between the plaintiff and the defendant’s insurance company. But if you have a bus accident lawyer with a successful trial record, they won’t be afraid to go to trial to get you the compensation you deserve.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Superior Limo Bus Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles County, CA
Whether a school bus accident or a party bus crash, Ehline Law and our personal injury attorneys have the knowledge and extensive experience of handling bus accident claims for bus crashes in Los Angeles.
If you suffered injuries, contact us at (833) LETS-SUE for a free consultation with our Los Angeles bus accident lawyer, as you may be eligible for compensation.
