Hyattsville Metro Accident Attorney
If you’ve ridden the Metro and suffered a serious physical injury in Hyattsville, you should contact your Hyattsville Metro Accident Lawyer. Our local personal injury lawyers have experience representing commuters and bus riders like you — we know how to properly evaluate a case to determine whether you will receive compensation for your injuries.
Many of us who live and work in the Washington DC metropolitan area regularly ride the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority “Metro” bus. If we’re not daily bus commuters, we still ride Metro while running errands, especially on the weekend. Since the Metro serves our nation’s capital and surrounding areas, it’s one of the busiest bus systems in the nation.
In fact, it’s the “sixth busiest bus agency in the United States,” running a fleet of 1,500 buses on 325 routes. Furthermore, 400,000 trips are completed using the Metro each weekday as it serves 115,000 bus stops. When you factor in human error, it’s no surprise that a number of Metro accidents are reported regularly.
Contact a Hyattsville metro accident attorney with our firm today to learn more about how we can fight to help you achieve compensation for your injuries.
Common Causes of Metro Bus Accidents
- Failure to properly train and screen all bus drivers. On occasion, the Metro may not always secure the best training possible for every driver, or thoroughly research a bus employee’s past driving history when hiring. Furthermore, the Metro has a duty to make sure that it’s drivers are fit to drive in a reasonable and safe manner.
- Improper maintenance of Metro buses. When brakes fail and turn signals don’t work properly, accidents are much more likely to happen. The Metro owes a duty of care to all of its riders to regularly keep its fleet of buses running in top shape. It must also alert its drivers to immediately report critically needed repairs;
- Continued use of poorly designed or maintained bus parts. The Metro bus line must also purchase repair parts from highly reputable companies and make sure they are properly installed as needed;
- Keeping outdated buses with too much wear and tear on the road. Regardless of certain budgetary concerns, riders deserve to have buses that are no longer working properly to be retired from service;
- All forms of driver error. These can include speeding or allowing passengers to crowd onto a bus beyond its legal capacity. Human error can also include forgetting that a bus may actually be traveling in a “blind spot” of a much bigger truck or rig or failing to yield right of way, increasing the chances of a serious collision. The Metro has a duty to prevent all of its drivers from driving too many shifts in a row so that driver fatigue sets in. It must also provide proper guidelines to its drivers with regard to outside “moonlighting” work that can increase the chance of driver fatigue.
While these are just some of the more common problems that can cause negligent accidents, it should be clear why the Metro must only hire the best drivers available, making sure they keep their skills and training current. A Hyattsville Metro accident attorney can investigate the Metro company’s hiring and training practices to locate any negligence that may have led to the accident that caused your injuries.
Filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Although we obviously hope your injuries – or those of your loved ones – are not catastrophic, please be aware that our firm stands ready to file a wrongful death and survival lawsuits after someone passes away as a result of a Metro bus accident. As always, we will seek the maximum dollar amount available in such cases because you’re likely to need as much financial help as possible while rebuilding your life after losing a loved one.
How a Hyattsville Accident Lawyer Can Help
Once you contact us, one of our Hyattsville metro accident lawyers will meet with you to learn more about the facts of your case.. Initially, we will conduct an exhaustive investigation into how the accident occurred, locating all pertinent evidence and witnesses on your behalf. Whenever possible, we will obtain copies of Metro bus and commercial video surveillance tapes which may have captured your accident on tape.
Although we always try to settle cases for the maximum dollar amount, we are prepared to aggressively pursue your case in court if the insurance company refuses to settle it.
