Bus Driver Injury at Work – A Guide to Claiming Compensation

Generally, driving a bus is quite a safe line of work with modern buses being much safer vehicles than in the past. However, accidents do happen and bus drivers do get injured. In some cases, that could entitle them to claim compensation for their suffering. As such, this guide on bus driver injury claims explains how to take action to try and secure any compensation you might be entitled to. You’ll also read about how much compensation injured bus drivers could claim, who to claim against and what evidence to use to support your claim.

If you’re an injured bus driver and would like free legal advice about claiming, please get in touch. Our specialists offer a no-obligation telephone consultation where you can discuss your options and check your eligibility to claim. If your claim appears to be feasible, one of our accident-at-work solicitors may offer to represent you. As they provide a No Win, No Fee service, you’ll only need to pay for their work if you are compensated.

To contact us about a bus driver injury claim, you can:

• Call our team of legal advisors on 0333 241 2519.
• Use our online chat service (available 24/7).

If you’ve been injured while driving a bus, promptly seeking legal advice can significantly enhance the chances of receiving compensation for the pain, suffering, and financial losses incurred.

Can I Claim Compensation as a Bus Driver Injured at Work?

In principle, as a bus driver, you may be entitled to make a personal injury claim if:

• The defendant in your case owed you a duty of care at the point of your accident.
• You were involved in an accident as a result of the defendant’s negligence.
• You suffered an injury or injuries as a result of the accident.

Proving a duty of care in a bus driver injury claim should be straightforward and it’s something we’ll check if you call for a free consultation. Therefore, you should concentrate on proving that the defendant caused your injury and how you’ve suffered as a result.

Who Would a Bus Driver Claim Against for Work-Related Injuries?

When a bus driver is injured at work, they could have grounds to claim compensation from any of the following:

• The Bus company: Employers have a duty of care to protect the well-being of their workers according to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and other laws. If a bus driver is injured at work because that duty was not upheld, they may have grounds to sue their employer.
• Other Road Users: All road users are expected to follow the rules of the Highway Code and the Road Traffic Act 1988. If they fail to do so and a bus driver is injured as a result, they could claim against the other driver’s insurance policy.
• The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA): If a bus driver is injured after being assaulted at work, they could be entitled to a compensation payout through the CICA scheme. CICA claims may be possible even if the perpetrator has never been identified.
• The Local Authority: This may be the case if a bus driver is injured in an accident caused by road defects like potholes or slippery roads.

You can check now who you should claim against by calling our legal advisors.

What Types of Negligence Can Cause Injuries to Bus Drivers?

Here are a few scenarios that could enable an injured bus driver to begin a compensation claim:

• Where the driver sustained a head injury at work because the vehicle’s brakes failed due to poor maintenance and collided with a tree.
• If a bus driver sustained a whiplash injury at work after a car pulled out of a junction where there wasn’t enough room and caused a collision.
• Where a bus driver was hurt by a slip and fall in the bus depot because buses were being cleaned but no warning signs were in place.
• If a driver was assaulted by a passenger.
• Where the driver fell down stairs on the bus while cleaning it and suffered a back injury because a handrail gave way.
• Where a bus crashed because of ice on a major road and was injured because the council hadn’t gritted it.

These are just a handful of scenarios that could enable a bus driver injury at work claim. If you’d like us to check if you’re entitled to claim, why not call the number above now?

What Should I Do If I’m a Bus Driver Injured at Work?

If you’re a bus driver who has been injured at work, follow these important steps:

• Visit A&E or your GP to get a thorough assessment of your injuries. Timely medical treatment is essential not only for your recovery but also for documenting your injuries for a compensation claim.
• Notify your employer about the accident as soon as possible. Provide a detailed account of how the injury occurred, including any contributing factors such as road conditions, faulty equipment, or long shifts.
• Ensure the incident is documented in your employer’s accident book. This official record is crucial for legal purposes and can support a bus driver injury claim if necessary.

By following these steps, you not only protect your health but also gather essential evidence for a claim. Additionally, reporting accidents helps employers take steps to prevent future incidents and improve workplace safety for all bus drivers.

What Evidence Can Be Used for Bus Driver Accident Claims?

To help prove how your accident occurred, who caused it and how you’ve been affected, you should present as much evidence to support your case as possible. This might include:

• Details of any other road users involved in the bus accident along with details of their vehicle.
• Medical records to help prove your injuries.
• Details of any passengers or anyone else who was involved in, or witnessed the accident in case witness statements are required.
• A copy of an accident report form to prove the date, time and location of the accident.
• Photographs of the cause of the accident where possible or pictures of any damage to the bus following a road traffic accident.
• CCTV footage from the bus along with dashcam or mobile phone footage.

Providing as much of the evidence listed here as possible should make your claim stronger. Don’t worry if you don’t have much evidence yet though as our solicitors could help to find more if your claim is taken on as part of their service.

How Long Do I Have to Claim Compensation for Bus Driver Injuries?

If you wish to claim compensation following an accident at work, the Limitation Act 1980 states that you have 3 years to do so. For bus driver injuries that are immediately obvious, this will commence on the date of the accident. However, if your symptoms developed later, the time limit for making a claim may start from the date you became aware of your injury. Since circumstances can vary, it is always recommended to seek legal advice from a solicitor.

If a bus driver has been injured after being assaulted at work, they will have 2 years to claim from the date of the incident (which must’ve been reported to the police) according to CICA regulations.

Our advice here is that while there is normally ample time for a bus driver to claim compensation, the claims process should be started promptly. This will make it easier to recall details about the incident and allow plenty of time for evidence to be collected to support your claim.

How Much Compensation for a Bus Driver Injured at Work?

If you make a successful bus driver compensation claim, a settlement will typically cover:

• Any physical and emotional pain caused by your injuries as well as loss of amenity. This is the general damages element of the payout.
• Costs, expenses and financial losses that can be linked to your bus driver injuries. This is the special damages element of the payout.

To establish the extent of your injuries when valuing general damages in a bus driver claim, your solicitor will probably request copies of any relevant medical records as well as an independent medical report.

Special damages in a compensation claim could cover:

• Loss of earnings as a bus driver – while you’re unable to work.
• Medical costs including prescription fees, treatment costs and rehabilitation.
• The cost of being cared for at home (by professionals or family members).
• Future loss of earnings – where your injuries reduce your long-term earning capacity.
• Travel expenses.
• Any costs linked to home adaptations if you’ve suffered a permanent disability.

You must ensure that any settlement offer you agree to covers all of your suffering. This is something your solicitor will help with if you agree to take on legal representation.

Do You Need a Solicitor for a Bus Driver Accident Claim?

Whether you claim against a bus company or another road user, your claim is likely to be processed by an insurance company. Their job, generally, is to limit how much compensation they pay out so they may try to contest bus driver accident claims to reduce any settlement.

For that reason, you may want to take on a personal injury solicitor who understands the claims process as they could give you a better chance of winning your case. If you work with one of our solicitors, some of the services they may undertake include:

• Finding further evidence to prove what happened.
• Ensuring the claim is filed with the defendant’s insurers correctly and on time.
• Fighting your corner if any part of the claim is contested.
• Trying to ensure any settlement offer properly compensates all of your suffering.
• Sending you regular updates about how the claim is progressing.

Crucially, if you agree to work with one of our solicitors, their No Win, No Fee service means you only have to pay for their work if they win you compensation.

The contract you’ll sign is called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) and it explains that if your case is won, your solicitor will deduct a percentage of your settlement as their success fee. This is no more than 25 per cent of any compensation you are paid.

To see if you could make a No Win, No Fee bus driver injury at work claim, please call now.

Could I Face Disciplinary Action By Starting a Claim?

It is important to clarify that it is illegal for your employer to discipline you for starting a personal injury at work claim against them for a legitimate injury.

As such, your claim should not result in you being demoted, bullied, singled out, fired or treated any differently from other employees. If that were to happen, separate action could be started to claim for constructive or unfair dismissal.

How Long Will the Claims Process Take?

When solicitors make compensation claims for workplace injuries, they follow the rules of the pre-action protocol for personal injuries. While these protocols do set some timeframes for certain tasks, they don’t provide a timescale for how long claims will take as many factors can affect this.

For instance, if a bus driver suffers a concussion in a collision but recovers quickly, they could receive compensation in around 4 to 6 months so long as the defendant doesn’t contest liability.

Conversely, if the bus driver suffers a bad spinal injury that causes permanent symptoms, their claim could take a year or more so that medical specialists can assess the long-term prognosis. In cases like these, interim compensation payments could be requested to help the bus driver financially once liability for the accident has been confirmed.

Contacting Us About a Bus Driver Injury Claim

If you or a loved one has been injured whilst working as a bus driver, we are ready to help. To find out whether you have grounds to start a bus driver claim, you can get in touch by:

• Calling 0333 241 2519 to speak to an advisor.
• Connecting to our live chat service at a convenient time.

Our initial consultation is free and you’re under no obligation to take matters any further. Additionally, our solicitors offer No Win, No Fee bus driver injury claims service for any case they agree to work on.