Last Updated 9th October 2024. Welcome to our bus accident claims guide. If you have been injured on a bus and it was a third party’s fault, this guide will help you.
Firstly, we discuss whether there is an average settlement for bus accident claims and how compensation for this type of claim is calculated. We then discuss what duty of care is owed to you while you are on a bus and by whom, with the bus passenger accident claim eligibility criteria.
Furthermore, we tell you what types of evidence can help you claim bus accident compensation and what the time limits are to begin a claim.
Towards the end of this guide, we also discuss how bus accidents could potentially occur and how our panel of solicitors help their claimants on a No Win No Fee basis.
A bus crash claim may seem daunting to begin with, but we are here to assist you. We have many years of experience in bus accident claims, and we are dedicated to securing the maximum payout amounts for all of our clients. So, get in touch for free legal advice and information regarding your circumstances:
- Speak to us over the phone – 0333 000 0729
- Contact us through our website
- Use the pop-up chat window in the corner
Jump to a Section:
- What Is The Average Settlement For Bus Accident Claims In The UK?
- Can I Claim For A Bus Accident?
- Gathering Evidence To Support A Bus Accident Claim
- Bus Accident Claims – Time Limits
- Bus Accident Claims – What Are The Causes Of Injuries?
- No Win No Fee Bus Accident Claims
- Helpful Links
What Is The Average Settlement For Bus Accident Claims In The UK?
Knowing the average settlement for bus accident claims may not be of particular usefulness to you or your compensation claim. This is because every personal injury claim is unique, so knowing an average probably won’t help you determine what personal injury compensation you would get.
One thing that is for sure is that a successful claimant will receive a general damages payment. This is the part of a payout that compensates for physical pain and mental harm.
Those in charge of calculating that payment can use numerous resources to aid them in their efforts. One such resource is the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) document. It puts together compensation brackets for different injuries in order to set out a general guideline for awards. Road traffic accident calculators use JCG figures when giving potential claimants a projection of what a payout could look like.
There are different ways to get an idea of how much compensation for bus accident injuries you could be awarded. A bus accident compensation calculator is one, or you could check out the table below. As all the entries except the top line are from the JCG, it provides a useful guide.
The best way to get a personal assessment is by calling us for a free consultation, so please don’t hesitate to reach out.
| Injury | Severity of injury | Compensation guideline | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple serious injuries plus special damages | Serious | If you have suffered several serious injuries in a bus accident, then your compensation payout may cover all of these plus related special damages, such as the cost of home care. | Up to £500,000+ |
| Back | Severe (a) (i) | The most severe back injury cases leading to damage to the nerve roots and spinal cord. | £111,150 to £196,450 |
| Moderate (b) (i) | Compression or crush fracture affecting the lumbar vertebrae or a prolapsed intervertebral disc that may require surgery. | £33,880 to £47,320 | |
| Neck | Severe (a) (i) | Injuries associated with incomplete paraplegia or permanent spastic quadriparesis | In the region of £181,020 |
| Moderate (b) (i) | Certain chronic conditions or fractures or dislocations that may necessitate spinal fusion. | £30,500 to £46,970 | |
| Arm | Injuries resulting in permanent and substantial disablement (b) | One or both forearms have suffered serious fractures that lead to a permanent residual cosmetic/functional disability. | £47,810 to £73,050 |
| Leg | Severe (b) (iii) | Serious comminuted or compound fractures, or ligament/joint damage that will require prolonged treatment. | £47,840 to £66,920 |
| Whiplash Injury | Whiplash injury involving one or more psychological injury. | Lasts between 18 to 24 months. | £4,345 |
| Whiplash injury on its own | Lasts between 18 to 24 months. | £4,215 |
You may also be eligible to claim compensation for special damages. Special damages is the head of your claim that addresses the financial impacts of your injuries. For example, under special damages, you may be able to claim back:
- Loss of earnings.
- The cost of childcare.
- Any paid domestic help.
- Medical costs.
- The cost of home adjustments, such as a stairlift.
Speak with an advisor for a free personalised valuation of your claim.
Bus Accident Claims – What Is The Whiplash Reform Programme
The Whiplash Reform Programme may affect how certain bus accident claims are made In England And Wales.
Per the reforms, if you were over the age of 18 and were a driver or passenger in a vehicle that was involved in a road traffic accident, and you suffered injuries valued below £5,000, the way you make your claim has changed. This includes claims being made for a whiplash injury.
Additionally, your whiplash injuries will be valued in line with the tariff of injuries set out in the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021.
We have included some of these figures in our list of compensation payouts above. Any additional injuries you have suffered that aren’t covered by this tariff will be valued traditionally.
Contact our advisors today if you are unsure which avenue to take when claiming bus accident compensation.
Can I Claim For A Bus Accident?
We’ve put together this guide to let you know how you could seek compensation following a road traffic accident on a bus. You could have grounds for a valid claim if:
- You were owed a duty of care
- This duty of care was breached (by a bus driver or another road user)
- You sustained harm as a result.
All road users, including bus drivers, owe one another a duty of care to use the roads in a manner that avoids causing harm to themselves and others.
Additionally, they should adhere to the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the regulations and rules found within the Highway Code as part of their duty of care.
When making London bus accident claims, or any accident on a bus claim, you must have evidence to support your case. We’ll discuss this in the next few sections.
If you’re wondering what you could receive in bus accident compensation, you could use a road traffic accident calculator to give you an idea of what compensation you might receive for injuries such as a broken bone or harm to your mental health.
However, they aren’t always accurate. As such, we have explored the different resources a solicitor may be use to accurately calculate the value of your claim and provided guidance on what your settlement could comprise.
After you have finished this guide, you might be interested in speaking to our team about taking the next steps to getting a bus injury payout. Our advisors can offer a free consultation of your claim. Call for more information.
Gathering Evidence To Support A Bus Accident Claim
When making a bus or coach accident claim, you will need to collect evidence that proves a breach in the duty of care caused your injuries.
Additionally, you will need to prove who was liable for the accident; this could be the bus driver who was driving the vehicle you were on or another road user.
Some examples of evidence that could help support your claim include:
- Videos of the accident, such as CCTV footage from the bus or dashcam footage from another vehicle.
- Accident scene photographs.
- The contact information of any witnesses to the accident, including other bus passengers. They can give a statement at a later date.
- A copy of your medical records. This will show the type of injury you suffered and any medical treatment you required.
- A police report if they attended the scene.
If you have any questions about making a bus passenger accident claim, you can contact our advisors using the details at the top of this page. They could also offer you free advice for your potential claim.
Bus Accident Claims – Time Limits
If you would like to make a bus accident claim, you must start within the personal injury claims time limit. The Limitation Act 1980 sets this as typically three years. It usually starts from the date you were injured due to bus driver negligence or negligence by another party.
However, certain cases can lead to suspension of the normal limit. These can include:
- If a person suffers injuries in a bus accident prior to their 18th birthday, they cannot handle their own bus accident claim. A litigation friend could start the claim for them at any point before they turn 18. However, should a road accident claim not be started, the claimant will have three years after their 18th birthday to get the claim underway.
- If a person is without the mental capacity needed to start a bus injury claim, then the limit is suspended indefinitely. Personal injury claims can be started on behalf of someone lacking the mental capacity by a litigation friend. If they are able to regain their mental capacity, and no bus accident claim has been started, they get three years to submit their case.
Just call and ask for personal injury time limit advice if you’d like a free case review.
Bus Accident Claims – What Are The Causes Of Injuries?
There are a number of ways that a bus accident could cause you to suffer a physical or psychological injury. However, as we’ve already mentioned, to make a bus or coach accident claim, you first have to establish that you were owed a duty of care and that a breach of this duty caused your injuries.
Some examples of how third-party negligence could cause a bus accident include:
- If another driver, such as a lorry driver, drove through a red light and crashed into the bus, the impact could cause you to suffer whiplash or a head injury.
- If the bus driver shut the doors of the bus prematurely and traps your arm, this could cause a dislocated shoulder.
- If the driver of the bus is not paying attention and needs to break suddenly, this could cause the bus to overturn, resulting in multiple serious injuries such as breaks, concussions, or lacerations.
Contact our team of advisors today to learn more about bus accident compensation claims and how to seek compensation. Or, read on to find out how a personal injury solicitor from our panel could help you on a No Win No Fee basis.
No Win No Fee Bus Accident Claims
When seeking bus accident compensation, you might benefit from working with a solicitor from our panel.
They can offer their services, such as helping you gather evidence to support your claim and ensuring your case is presented in full within the limitation period, through a kind of No Win No Fee arrangement known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
Under a CFA, you aren’t required to pay any upfront fees or ongoing costs in order for your solicitor to work on your claim. Also, if your claim fails, then you won’t pay anything to your solicitor for their work.
If your claim succeeds, then your solicitor receives a success fee; this is taken from your compensation award as a small, legally-capped percentage.
Our advisors are on hand to help if you have any questions about making a bus passenger accident claim on this basis.
They can offer a free consultation, through which they can identify whether you have a valid bus accident compensation claim, answer your questions, and potentially connect you with a solicitor from our panel. Get in touch today by following the information below.
Contact Our Team
If you have been injured in a bus accident at a bus stop or elsewhere and it was not your fault, get in touch with us today to start the process of making a bus accident compensation claim.
You can reach our polite and professional team by dialling 0333 000 0729. We are more than happy to answer any queries you may have, no matter how big or small.
Or, if you are ready to get started, we will match you to the best No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel of solicitors based on the ins and outs of your case.
Helpful links
For more advice on claiming compensation for accidents involving buses under a No Win No Fee agreement or for making a personal injury claim for different types of accidents, you can check out the resources below:
- Government information and statistics on buses: This link takes you to the UK Government website where you will find information about the local bus sector in Great Britain. This includes statistics on everything from levels of revenue to vehicle miles.
- TFL publishes the latest bus safety statistics: This link takes you to an article on the Transport for London’s (TFL) most recent bus safety statistics.
- Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain: This link takes you to the UK Government’s page on Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain. You will be able to apply for an operator licence, check operator licence applications, find out about running a local bus service, and much more.
- NHS – Whiplash Injuries: Whiplash is one of the most common injuries experienced after a bus accident. This link takes you to the NHS page for whiplash. You will find information on the symptoms of whiplash, when to get medical treatment, causes, treatments, and outlooks.
More Helpful Guides
- Our road traffic accident claims guide.
- Claim for being knocked off your bike by a car which is pulling out of a driveway.
- How to claim if you’re hurt when merging into traffic and being hit.
- If you were injured by a drunk driver, learn how you can claim.
If you would like to speak to an advisor about topics such as bus accident compensation or London bus accident claims, then you are welcome to contact Legal Helpline.
You can reach our advisors on the phone or online by using the contact details found within this guide.
