Accidents involving buses, ferries and street cars generally cause serious injury. If you or a loved has suffered injuries and are looking for a public transit injury lawyer in Halifax, call NOVA Injury Law at 1-800-262-8104 for a free case assessment.

Public transit is an affordable and green way to get around in many cities and towns in Atlantic Canada. Unfortunately, as a personal injury lawyer in Halifax, I’ve seen more and more people getting hurt while riding the city’s busses and ferries. And with municipalities across our region investing in public transit options for their citizens, the possibility of injury while riding on a bus isn’t going away.

So, if someone is unlucky enough to suffer a public transit injury, what does that person need to know about their potential injury claim? First, what type of accident was it? Was mechanical failure to blame? Was it a collision with another motor vehicle? Was it the driver of the bus that caused the accident, or some other vehicle that hit the bus or caused the driver to take evasive action? This article gives an overview of everything you need to know about public transit injury and claims in Halifax.

Types of Public Transit Injury

What I’ve seen in many cases involving personal injury victims injured on buses is that whiplash and head injuries are common. These types of injuries make sense because they don’t have the same kind of protection as if they were in a car. Consider the average transit user: they aren’t wearing a seatbelt, they may be sitting sideways, walking to a seat, or standing because there is nowhere to sit. Some injury victims hit their head on the window, pole, seatback, or another part of the bus. And of course, there is no airbag to cushion the blow.

Some injuries happen before getting on or off the bus. We’ve had people slip and fall at poorly maintained bus stops, and others who have been injured stepping off the bus onto unsafe surfaces.

The type of accident, and the details of what happened, will influence the determination of who was at fault. It’s the job of a personal injury lawyer to ensure injury victims are informed of the legal strengths and weaknesses of their specific situation and to advise them to act according to their own best interests.

In situations where another driver is at fault in a public transportation injury, rather than the bus driver or the municipality, claims proceed like regular motor vehicle accident claims against the at-fault party’s insurance. One important note to remember, Section B benefits, or accident benefits, come from the public transit insurance company if you were a passenger at the time of the incident.

If someone is injured in a slip and fall accident, they are not entitled to the accident benefits from the public transit company’s insurance provider. As a slip and fall is not a collision-type accident, it disqualifies you from receiving these benefits. However, injury victims are still eligible to pursue action against the public transit company or municipality.

No matter the circumstances surrounding your injury, it is crucial to contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to protect your right to compensation. A personal injury lawyer will help you with your injury claim, including bringing a legal action against the party or parties responsible for your injuries.

In Nova Scotia, legislation establishes a 1-year limitation period for many claims. There is also a notice period which makes the effective time to act on your claim even shorter. Don’t mistake the general limitation period for claims in Nova Scotia for two years if your claim is against a municipality.

As you can see, there are some special rules involved when it comes to public transportation claims. This makes working with a great personal injury lawyer that much more important. Of course, the best personal injury lawyer for your claim will be one that is motivated to advance your claim and work hard for you.

Why Contact Public Transit Injury Lawyer at NOVA Law Firm?

At NOVA Injury Law, our team takes pride in knowing we do everything we can for our clients. This process all starts with a no-risk free case review. During the free review process, we guide injury victims through their claims, the legal issues to be aware of, and how our approach to personal injury claims can add value.

NOVA Injury Law offers contingency-fee agreements to personal injury victims. This means that no legal fees are owed until you receive a settlement. This eliminates the financial burden surrounding a potential claim and puts your lawyer in your corner.

At the end of the day, the essential purpose of an injury claim is that the victim receives proper compensation to ensure they can afford to recover from their injuries. We’re here to protect our clients’ right to recover compensation, and that has to be the foundation for everything we do. At NOVA Injury Law, we know that our clients rely on our skills and expertise when they need it most. We take that trust seriously and do everything we can to deliver exceptional results.

If you or someone you know was injured on public transit, call NOVA Injury Law today. We’ll answer your questions and let you know how we can help.