As modes of public transportation, buses are considered “common carriers” under the law. Common carriers are regulated by a separate set of state and federal laws and usually have to take extra care in protecting their passengers. If you have been involved in a bus accident, you should hire California bus accident attorneys experienced in litigating bus accident injuries. Your lawyer should have a wide breadth of knowledge regarding local, state and national laws regarding common carrier liability.
California law has established that common carriers must use the “utmost care and diligence for passengers’ safe carrier, must provide everything necessary for that purpose and must exercise to that end a reasonable degree of skill,” (Civ. Code § 2100). In California, common carriers must:
- Provide a safe vehicle fit for the duties it is set to perform;
- Give passengers reasonable accommodations, including seating for the disabled and elderly;
- Treat passengers with civility;
- Give passengers a reasonable degree of attention;
- Protect passengers from acts of violence from other passengers;
- Not drive erratically or stop and start suddenly.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a bus accident, contact the experienced attorneys at Bohn & Fletcher, LLP to see if they can help.