Charlotte Megabus Accident

As with 15-passenger vans and other large vehicles, Megabus accidents can cause devastating injuries. In 2019, a Megabus crashed in Illinois, causing the deaths of two people. According to law enforcement, a driver was driving in the wrong direction and collided with another vehicle head-on, causing that vehicle to hit another car and an 18-wheeler. One of the cars that had been hit swerved and came to a stop in the middle of the highway and the Mega Bus collided with it. In addition to the fatalities of two of the drivers of the vehicles involved in the crash, the driver of the Megabus was seriously injured and five of the 54 bus passengers were also injured.

As the cost of traveling by plane increases, many Americans choose alternate means of transportation. Over 350 million people travel across America using inexpensive common carriers, such as Megabus, from New York City to Los Angeles. Discount bus fares are peeling, but they could come with a cost.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently announced that it would consider conducting annual inspections for carriers who operate under the Megabus brand. Known for offering passengers extremely low fares, Mega Bus operators have been criticized for cutting corners to keep their costs down. It is possible that Megabus owners use poorly manufactured automobile parts, fail to perform regular maintenance of their buses, or fail to investigate their drivers adequately before hiring them. All of these types of negligence could result in a dangerous Megabus accident that causes injury or death.

Megabus vehicles are particularly at risk of an accident. The double-decker Megabus has critical systems that could fail and cause bus accidents, including tire blowouts. Megabus might require the bus driver to work extra hours to save money on fees, resulting in an overly tired driver who is more likely to swerve into another lane and cause an accident.

The types of injuries and their severity depend on the circumstances of the Megabus accident. Megabus riders do not wear seat belts in most cases and are often thrown from their seats when an accident occurs. They can break a bone or suffer lacerations when they are thrown from their seats. In other cases, the windows of the Megabus shatter, and the debris causes injuries. Typical injuries caused by Megabus accents include the following:

• Broken or shattered bones because of the sudden impact of the victim's body with objects or from being thrown out of the passenger seat
• Lacerations caused by metal, glass, debris, or from contacting the ground
• Traumatic brain injuries caused by a blow to the spine or head, which can be as minor as a concussion or lead to more severe issues, such as loss of mobility, loss of speech, pain, and difficulty concentrating
• Catastrophic injuries or infections that lead to limb amputations
• Partial or complete paralysis due to a spinal cord injury. In most cases, victims will be paralyzed from the point of the spinal injury downward. Victims and their families face millions of dollars in medical expenses for treatment over a person's lifetime

Megabus passengers have rights, just like any other passengers on the road. Under North Carolina law, victims of another person's negligence have a right to bring a lawsuit against him or her for damages. The first step in recovering damages is to determine who was at fault for the Megabus accident.

Did the mega bus driver’s negligence cause the accident? Or was the accident caused by the Megabus owner’s failure to maintain the Megabus correctly? In either case, you may be entitled to bring a lawsuit against the Megabus company. You will be able to seek compensation for the total cost of your past and future medical bills, your out-of-pocket expenses, your lost wages, and your pain and suffering.

Was the accident caused by a third-party driver who acted negligently or recklessly? In that case, you will have a right to pursue compensation through that driver’s insurance policy or by filing a personal injury lawsuit against that driver. In some cases, multiple parties are at fault for the accident.

We can help you evaluate the facts in your case and develop an effective legal strategy for compensation. Contact our experienced personal injury lawyers today to schedule your free initial consultation and learn more about how we can advocate for you.