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Hillsboro Bus Accident Attorney
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Hillsboro Bus Accident Lawyer
Suffering from bus accident injuries due to someone’s negligence can make you entitled to compensation, and our Hillsboro bus accident attorneys are here 24/7 to provide the support you need.
For 30+ years, we have led the fight back for bus accident victims like you. Goldberg & Loren understand the challenges you face, and we are open now to help you through this difficult time. Let us begin today. Call (503) 831-9930 and book your free consultation with our Hillsboro bus accident lawyers.
There were six reported bus accidents in Hillsboro in 2021. [1] With every single bus accident, there is a risk of injury.
Our Verdicts and Settlements
Settlement
A Hillsboro resident was struck while crossing at the intersection of SE Tualatin Valley Highway and SE 10th Avenue. Our client suffered a traumatic brain injury and multiple bone fractures due to the bus driver’s failure to yield at a crosswalk.
June 2024
Settlement
A school bus driver rear-ended a vehicle stopped at a traffic light on NE Cornell Road. Our client sustained cervical disc herniation requiring surgery and was unable to work for six months.
October 2024
Types of Buses Involved in Hillsboro Bus Accidents
Hillsboro is home to various types of bus services. Some are regular commercial buses, while others are private or for special occasions only, such as charter buses.
The four main types of buses in Hillsboro bus accidents include the following:
- Charter Buses: Charter buses transport groups for tours, events, and private trips. These buses often travel on highways and city streets, encountering risks such as driver fatigue, maintenance issues, or adverse road conditions.
- Commercial Buses: Commercial buses, including those operated by companies for intercity travel or commuter services, can also get into a collision.
- Public Transit Buses: Hillsboro is served by TriMet, the regional public transportation provider. [2] Public transit buses operate throughout the city, connecting residents to key destinations within Hillsboro and the greater Portland metropolitan area.
The area is also served by the North Hillsboro Link, a shuttle service providing employee transportation to the growing North Hillsboro Industrial Area.
- School Buses: Hillsboro School District operates a fleet of school buses that transport students to and from schools across the city. School bus accidents can happen during morning and afternoon routes, often involving children.
In 2021, there were 108 fatalities from school bus-related crashes nationwide alone, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). [3]
Our Hillsboro bus accident attorneys can help you take legal action if you have found yourself in a bus crash.
Common Types of Bus Accidents in Hillsboro
Hillsboro bus collisions can occur in a number of circumstances. Visibility problems can contribute to bus accidents.
The most common types of bus accidents in Hillsboro are as follows:
- Backing Accidents: When buses reverse, particularly in parking lots or confined spaces, there is a risk of backing into pedestrians, vehicles, or stationary objects. Lack of proper monitoring or signaling can contribute to these accidents.
- Multi-Vehicle Pile-Ups: Involving multiple vehicles, these accidents can occur on highways or congested city streets. Factors such as sudden braking, poor visibility, or chain reactions can escalate into multi-vehicle collisions involving buses.
- Pedestrian Accidents: Hillsboro’s urban areas see a significant amount of foot traffic, and pedestrians can be vulnerable to accidents involving buses. These incidents may occur at crosswalks, bus stops, or when pedestrians are crossing the street.
- Rear-End Collisions: These accidents happen when a bus strikes the vehicle in front of it. Rear-end collisions can occur due to sudden stops, distracted driving, or inadequate following distances.
- Single-Vehicle Accidents: Bus drivers may lose control due to factors like weather conditions, mechanical failures, or road hazards, resulting in single-vehicle accidents where the bus collides with a guardrail, pole, or embankment.
- Side-Swipe Accidents: Side-swipe accidents involve contact between the side of a bus and another vehicle, often when changing lanes or merging. These accidents can result from driver negligence, blind spots, or improper signaling.
Getting injured in any of these types of bus accidents makes you entitled to pursue legal action. If you were hurt because of someone’s neglect, our Hillsboro bus accident lawyers will rigorously defend your rights.
Causes of Bus Accidents in Hillsboro
Bus accidents occur due to internal and external influences. That is why investigating the accident can be important, as it can reveal key information. Bus accident investigation also helps us identify the at-fault party and establish liability.
In most cases that our bus accident law firm has handled, we found the following to be the leading causes:
- Distracted Driving: Bus drivers may become distracted by cell phones, radios, passengers, or external factors, diverting their attention from the road.
- Driver Fatigue: Bus drivers often work long hours, leading to fatigue that can impair judgment and reaction times, increasing the risk of accidents.
- Driver Inexperience or Training: Inadequate training or inexperienced drivers may struggle to handle large vehicles, contributing to accidents.
- Failure to Yield: Bus drivers failing to yield the right of way or yield to pedestrians and other vehicles can cause collisions.
- Improper Lane Changes: Incorrectly changing lanes without signaling or checking blind spots can lead to side-swipe accidents.
- Intoxication: Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs impairs judgment and reaction times, increasing the risk of accidents.
- Mechanical Failures: Defective brakes, tire blowouts, or other mechanical issues can cause buses to malfunction and lead to accidents.
- Pedestrian Interactions: Accidents can occur when buses interact with pedestrians at bus stops, crosswalks, or near urban areas.
- Poor Weather Conditions: Rain, fog, ice, and snow can create hazardous driving conditions that increase the likelihood of bus accidents.
- Road Design or Conditions: Poor road design, construction zones, potholes, or debris on the road can contribute to accidents involving buses.
- Speeding: Excessive speed, especially in urban areas or on winding roads, can lead to loss of control and collisions.
Our Hillsboro bus accident attorneys will investigate your claim and establish the cause and responsibility. This will make it easier for us to pursue compensation for your injuries. We offer in-person, online, and hospital visits for your convenience.
Usual Injuries Caused By Bus Accidents in Hillsboro Claims
Bus accidents can result in mild, moderate, or serious injuries, with some ending in fatalities. The type of injuries you sustain indicate the financial losses and impact on your life. This is key in determining the type of compensation you might be entitled to.
This brings us to the most common injuries in bus accidents, which are as follows:
- Amputations
- Back injuries
- Broken bones
- Chest injuries
- Cuts and lacerations
- Head injuries (TBI or concussions)
- Internal injuries
- Loss of limb
- Neck injuries
- Psychological injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Spinal injuries
- Whiplash
If you have sustained injuries like these due to someone’s neglect, our personal injury attorneys will pursue legal action and help you through the claims process.
Table of Contents
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Hillsboro Bus Accident Lawyer
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Our Verdicts and Settlements
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Types of Buses Involved in Hillsboro Bus Accidents
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Common Types of Bus Accidents in Hillsboro
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Causes of Bus Accidents in Hillsboro
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Usual Injuries Caused By Bus Accidents in Hillsboro Claims
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Impact of Bus Accidents on Victims
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Compensation Available for Victims of Bus Accidents in Hillsboro
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How Do I Prove An Injury Claim if I Was a Passenger On the Bus?
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Statute of Limitations for Bus Accident Cases in Oregon
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What Our Clients Are Saying About Us - Client Reviews
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Why Choose Our Hillsboro Bus Accident Attorneys
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Hillsboro Resources for Bus Accidents
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FAQs
Impact of Bus Accidents on Victims
Aside from the unfathomable pain and suffering caused by the physical injuries, bus accident victims can suffer various other types of impacts. These consequences can range from moderate to severe, with some impacting the victims for a lifetime.
These impacts include the following:
- Emotional Trauma
- Financial Strain
- Impact on Families
- Impact on Relationships
- Legal and Insurance Challenges
- Loss of Employment
- Loss of Life
- Long-Term Disabilities
- Physical Injuries
If you have suffered similar consequences of a bus accident, our Hillsboro bus accident attorneys will plan the legal recourse accordingly. Our plan will be to recover the damages and compensation for your suffering.
Compensation Available for Victims of Bus Accidents in Hillsboro
The compensation for a bus accident usually depends on the injuries or impacts mentioned above. This is usually divided into two main types, i.e., economic and non-economic compensation, which covers various damages.
Therefore, you might be entitled to the following compensation types:
- Disability and Impairment: Compensation for permanent disabilities or impairments resulting from the bus accident, including loss of limb, reduced mobility, or diminished quality of life.
- Loss of Consortium: Compensation for the impact of injuries on the victim’s relationships with their spouses, including loss of companionship, affection, and support.
- Lost Wages: Reimbursement for income lost due to inability to work while recovering from injuries sustained in the bus accident. This may include lost wages from missed workdays, as well as future earning capacity if injuries result in long-term disability.
- Medical Expenses: Compensation for current and future medical bills related to injuries sustained in the bus accident, including hospital stays, surgeries, medication, rehabilitation, and therapy.
- Pain and Suffering: Non-economic damages intended to compensate for physical pain, emotional distress, and psychological trauma caused by the bus accident and resulting injuries.
- Property Damage: Reimbursement for repair or replacement of property damaged in the bus accident, such as vehicles or personal belongings.
- Punitive Damages: In cases of egregious negligence or intentional misconduct by the bus driver or bus company, punitive damages may be awarded to punish the defendant and deter similar conduct in the future.
Our Hillsboro bus accident lawyers will prioritize getting maximum compensation for you. Not only the expenses you had to bear due to the injuries but also the compensation for the overall impact of the incident on your life.
How Do I Prove An Injury Claim if I Was a Passenger On the Bus?
Proving the injury claim from a bus accident can be straightforward, but it depends on specific cases. Some can be more complex than others. However, we will have to establish a link between the accident and your injury.
We will do this by demonstrating the following:
- Duty of Care: We will show that the bus operator owed you a duty of care. This usually includes the basics of duty of care, which in this case is to operate the vehicle safely and responsibly.
- Breach of Duty/Negligence: We must establish that the accident was caused by the negligence or wrongful actions of the liable party, such as the bus driver, another driver, or a third party responsible for road maintenance or bus maintenance.
- Causation: We will have to show that the bus accident was the direct cause of the injuries you sustained. Medical records and police reports can help us demonstrate this.
- Damages: During this, we will demonstrate that the damages you sustained, such as economic and non-economical ones, were the direct result of your injuries.
Statute of Limitations for Bus Accident Cases in Oregon
The Statutes of Limitations regulate the time you have to file legal claims. Failing to file a legal action before this limit runs out means you can lose the right to pursue compensation.
In bus accident claims, the most important Statutes of Limitations include the following:
- Personal Injury: If you were injured in a bus accident and wish to file a personal injury lawsuit, you typically have two years from the date of the accident to file your claim. ORS § 30.905
- Wrongful Death: If a bus accident resulted in the death of a loved one and you wish to file a wrongful death lawsuit, you generally have three years from the date of the death to file a claim. ORS 30.020
What Our Clients Are Saying About Us – Client Reviews
Why Choose Our Hillsboro Bus Accident Attorneys
Injuries, psychological impact, and economic struggle—these are some of the direct consequences of a bus accident on your life. Through such difficulties, the stress of a legal process can add to your ailments. However, with our Hillsboro bus accident lawyers, you do not have to worry about that.
With Goldberg & Loren, you can rest assured as you get the following:
- A comprehensive investigation of the accident will be conducted, which includes gathering evidence like witness statements, police reports, and medical records to support and strengthen your case.
- Our attorneys will advocate for your rights in settlement negotiations with insurance companies and the responsible parties. We have helped our clients get over 500 million USD in compensation.
- Over three decades of experience in handling these types of cases, we are knowledgeable about the complexities involved, providing you with a skilled advocate in your corner.
- We will help you through the complex legal system, which may involve dealing with multiple parties, government entities, and various insurance policies.
Call our local Hillsboro bus accident attorneys for a free consultation.
Hillsboro Resources for Bus Accidents
Local Hospitals & Nearest Emergency Rooms:
Injuries from bus accidents require immediate medical attention and proper treatment. Our clients in Hillsboro recommend the following medical facilities for emergency care:
Hillsboro Medical Center Foundation
Address: 372 SE 6th Ave Ste 300, Hillsboro, OR 97123
Phone: (503) 681-1111
Hillsboro Medical Center Community Hospital
Address: 335 SE 8th Avenue, Hillsboro, Oregon 97123
Phone: (503) 681-1600
Emergency at Kaiser Permanente Hillsboro
Address: 2875 NE Stucki Ave, Hillsboro, OR 97124
Phone: (971) 310-1000
OHSU Trauma Center – Nearest Level 1 Trauma Center
Address: OHSU Hospital, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR 97239
Phone: (503) 494-5300
*Note: We do not endorse these hospitals and emergency rooms. These are suggestions made by clients in Hillsboro.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Start by documenting the accident scene by taking photos and videos of the accident scene, injuries, and damage. Collect witness contact information from other passengers or passersby.
Seek immediate medical attention for your injuries and get scanned for any internal injuries or damages. Save these medical reports and document the expenses due to the injury. Save any other evidence, including photos, videos, medical records, reports, etc.
Avoid making any statements about your accident, particularly related to your health. Let your bus accident attorney handle any communication with the liable party or insurance. Also, do not speak to insurance adjusters without your legal representation.
An experienced bus accident attorney can investigate the case thoroughly, file a claim, and negotiate on your behalf. They will also handle all legal communications and guide you through the process. If the case goes to trial, they will also represent you in court.
Sources:
[1] Crash Summary 2021. (n.d.). In Oregon Gov. Retrieved July 3, 2024, from https://www.oregon.gov/odot/Data/Documents/Crash_Summary_2021.pdf
[2] Hillsboro, OR. (n.d.). https://www.hillsboro-oregon.gov/our-city/departments/economic-development/choose-hillsboro/transportation
[3] School Bus Crashes – Injury Facts. (2023, April 25). Injury Facts. https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/road-users/school-bus/
Goldberg & Loren
Phone: (503) 831-9930
Our firm represents clients who have been injured due to bus accidents in Hillsboro. If you believe you have a case, reach out to us—we're ready to assist you!
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