Each year in the state of California, hundreds of people sustain serious injuries while using public transportation, also known as common carriers. Common carriers are companies and transportation systems that carry passengers as a part of a business operation open to the public. The following are common carriers in the San Francisco Bay Area:

• Buses including Muni, SamTrans, Greyhound, AC Transit, Golden Gate Transit and Casino
• Ferries
• Taxis
• Trains including BART and Caltrans
• Sight-seeing trolleys, buses and boats
• Airport shuttles

Under law, common carriers are required to exercise the highest degree of care and vigilance to ensure the safety of passengers and the public. Because common carriers transport passengers, the law requires that they be held to a higher standard of care than other drivers. Common carriers can be held liable for personal injuries caused by even the slightest degree of negligence.

Bus drivers and other public transit operators have a responsibility to operate their vehicles safely. This means they must obey speed limits and other rules of the road, exercise caution regarding other vehicles and pedestrians and be aware of the needs of the passengers inside as well as those who are boarding and leaving the vehicle.

Injuries involving public transportation can occur when a taxi, train or bus is involved in a crash while you’re a passenger. When this happens, you may be able to file a legal claim against the owner and operator of the taxi, train or bus as well as other individuals such as other drivers involved who were negligent wherein they caused or contributed to the accident.

Often times, Muni or other public transportation causes injuries to passengers by:

• Making sudden, abrupt stops
• Closing the doors on passengers
• Colliding with other vehicles or objects on the roadway
• Letting passenger off at locations which are dangerous
• Drivers disregarding traffic signs and laws

While the Bay Area has one of the best transportation systems in the country, sometimes safety is overlooked by those in the mass transit industry. For example, a bus driver who is under pressure to maintain a tight schedule may run a stop sign wherein he/she strikes and seriously injures a pedestrian. The attorneys working at Hogan Injury handle accident claims arising from accidents with buses and other common carrier vehicles. We are compassionate attorneys who truly care about you. We will provide you with the legal assistance you need when going to battle against a government entity. We handle all the legal aspects of your case so you can do what is important which is recover from your injuries so you get better.

Experience Counts

If you have been injured in an accident on BART, Muni or another type of public transportation, you have a limited time in which you are allowed to pursue legal action. The personal injury attorneys at Hogan Injury have experience helping public transportation accident victims obtain the justice and compensation they are due.

Because public transportation systems enjoy immunities from certain types of liability, a number of technical legal hurdles must be overcome when preparing a case. Our attorneys know what is required to win this type of case. We make use of every available legal tool and resource the law allows for bringing justice to our clients who are injured on BART, Muni or other types of public transportation.

Whether you’ve been involved in a cab, bus, train or shuttle accident or were a pedestrian who was struck by a public transportation vehicle, we have the expertise and experience needed to help you win your case.

We understand how a serious injury can change someone’s life. While no amount of money can un-do what has happened, obtaining financial compensation can help you take care of all those unexpected bills and can also help secure your future as well as the future of your family members.

Often times, the worst effects of an injury do not become apparent until some time has passed since the accident. You could find out later that you require long-term medical care and rehabilitation or that you are unable to return to work due to the injuries you suffer from. We make sure that you receive all the compensation you are entitled to under law so that you can meet all the financial challenges that lie ahead.