Who is Responsible For Brooklyn Bus Accidents and Injuries?

Posted February 17, 2021

Bus Accidents Occur Frequently in Brooklyn and Surrounding Areas

In August 2020, there was a horrific multi-vehicle crash in Brooklyn. The accident occurred on East 87th Street in Canarsie and left up to 12 people injured.
In September 2020, five people were hospitalized after a mini-bus hit an Aston Martin on Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn.
In December 2020, a 23-year old man riding a bicycle was killed when an MTA bus made contact with his bicycle on Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn.
In January 2021, there was another one. A speeding sedan slammed into an MTA bus in Brownsville, injuring six people, two critically.

One recent and particularly frightening accident involving a bus occurred in the Bronx. On January 15, 2021, a bus veered off a University Avenue overpass plunging the front of the bus straight down onto the Cross Bronx Expressway. The bus fell about 50 feet, split in half, and resulted in injuries to the bus drivers and all seven passengers on board. The New York Times reported that it was “like something out of a movie.”

While the causes of the bus accidents listed above remain a mystery, investigators into this particular Bronx accident reported that data from the bus showed the driver might have taken a turn too quickly, causing him to lose control and plummet onto the Cross Bronx below.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) that oversees New York City’s bus system indicated that speed was likely a factor in the crash. In a news release, the MTA reported the data indicated the driver turned going somewhere between 17 and 26 miles per hour “far faster than the 3 to 5 m.p.h. that would be appropriate under the authority’s rules.”

What Happens After a Bus Accident?

After a bus accident in Brooklyn or elsewhere in New York, the victims with severe injuries or the families of victims who died might begin to consider who is responsible? Why did this bus accident happen? Who is at fault? Does someone have a legal obligation to pay me for my damages?

These are important questions to which you deserve answers. Contacting experienced bus accident lawyers as soon as possible can be crucial to preserving your legal rights. There is a statute of limitations, which limits the time you have to file lawsuits and claims.

If the MTA is a potential party, you don’t have much time. You don’t want to unknowingly forfeit your opportunity to pursue compensation from anyone that might have caused your accident and injuries.

Who Might Be Responsible for Bus Accidents in Brooklyn?

There might be multiple parties responsible for your bus accident, depending on the specific circumstances of your case. Were you one of the passengers on a bus that was speeding? Were you riding a bike when a bus hit you? Were you driving a car through a construction zone when a bus hit you? Were other vehicles involve in the crash? Did someone break the law? Was faulty equipment involved?

A thorough investigation might reveal that one (or more) of these parties was negligent:

The bus driver
The car driver
The manufacturer of the bus or car or bike
The bike rider
Another vehicle
An employer
The maker of the parts of the bus, car, or bike
The MTA

Some people who get injured in bus accidents assume they can’t hold the MTA responsible. But you might be able to – if the MTA was negligent. Public transit companies in New York are held to standards similar to those of ordinary companies and people. If its negligence caused an accident and injuries, the agency might have to pay compensation to the victims.

How Might the MTA be Negligent?

As with ordinary accidents, proving negligence requires evidence that someone violated a duty or obligation.

In other words, you have to show that someone with responsibility did not live up to that responsibility and, in doing so, caused the accident and injuries for which you seek compensation. There are several ways that negligence by the MTA can play a role in a bus accident in Brooklyn. Some of them might include:

Failing to adequately train drivers and other workers
Failing to do adequate background checks on drivers and other workers
Failing to inspect vehicles
Failing to maintain vehicle safety
Failing to adhere to driving safety rules and regulations
Driver negligence or recklessness (speeding, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, texting while driving, driving while distracted or tired, ignoring traffic signals)
Employee negligence

In the cases of the bus accidents above, it is not entirely clear at this time what exactly caused the crashes, if anyone was negligent, and if any victims have filed lawsuits to collect damages.

While investigators indicate speed was a factor in the bus crash in the Bronx, they are still waiting for the results of drug and alcohol testing. The driver of that bus passed a breathalyzer test at the scene but was asked to submit to blood tests as well. The bus was inspected just a few days before the accident and allegedly had no mechanical problems. The bus driver has been removed without pay while the investigation continues.

Suppose the investigation reveals that the bus had mechanical problems that were overlooked because of negligence. In that case, there might be a basis to sue the MTA or whatever company was responsible for conducting an inspection. If the driver was speeding, the MTA might be responsible for his actions, especially if he had a bad driving history.

Call the Law Office of Irene H. Gabo, PC, if You Get Injured in a Brooklyn Bus Accident

If you get injured in a Brooklyn bus accident, call our lawyers at 800-560-0214 for a free consultation.

We can determine if you are entitled to collect compensation, which can include lost income, medical bills, pain and suffering, and more.

Call us our experienced lawyers who handle bus accident claims in Brooklyn at 800-560-0214 today.

Who is Responsible For Brooklyn Bus Accidents and Injuries?