Bus Accidents We Get You Back on Your Feet

Indiana Bus Accident Attorney

Contributory Negligence Cases Against School Buses or City Buses

Sometimes the school bus driver can cause accidents.

And it depends whether the school bus is a government-owned vehicle or not. (Yes, many schools now give out contracts to private companies to transport your children to school).

If it is a government owned school bus or city bus, yes, you can recover, but it is much, much more difficult.

Remember, government makes the laws.

So, when government is involved in a lawsuit you can be certain that the laws will favor the government owned vehicles, schools, or lands which cause accidents.

And if you don't give notice of your intention to sue early (sometimes as little as 180 days), your case can be barred forever.

This is called the Indiana Tort Claims Act. If a private citizen files a lawsuit against the State of Indiana or one of its political subdivisions, such as a town, township, county or school corporation then the old law of contributory negligence, applies (not Modified Comparative Fault as explained above in other cases involving private citizen versus private citizen or corporation).

When You Sue the Government, 1% Fault on Your Part Means You Lose

Contributory negligence is a harsh doctrine. Under it, a jury is instructed that they are only to award a verdict in favor of a plaintiff if they find that the plaintiff was not at fault at all in causing the accident or incident.

If the jury finds that a plaintiff is only slightly at fault, say 1%, then the plaintiff is not entitled to recover anything.

It's an all or nothing allocation of fault and it often leads to unfair results where the defendant is almost totally at fault, but not completely 100% at fault.

We believe, however, that juries are smart. They realize that in these contributory negligence cases, that justice for the plaintiff should be done. That's why it is so important to hire a firm like Shaw Law who has experience in handling contributory negligence claims and lawsuits from start to finish.

Bus drivers are typically required to take and pass the Commercial Driver's test and be familiar with the CDL Manual in order to get a CDL License.

As professional drivers, they are required to have safety of the general public as their Number #1 goal -- not making money.

Oftentimes, even bus drivers are paid by the speed of their delivery -- your children. So, speed is an issue.

We had one such case against a private school bus company that struck a bicyclist in Indianapolis. We discovered in looking at the contracts between the school bus company and the IPS school system, that penalties for late drivers were being imposed upon the company.

Naturally, this led to school bus drivers speeding and taking chances with our children. That case resulted in a $5,000,000 verdict against the private school bus company. See here.

You can hire us to start working on your case in less than 10 minutes. Sign up from the comfort of your own home.

Contact our Indiana bus accident attorney today if you or someone you know has been involved in an accident involving a bus or school bus.

DEFENDING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1989

Read Our 5-Star Reviews
  • A Lawyer you can count on.

    “Shaw Law works tirelessly for you! I received much more than I expected for my injuries in a fall. Jeff is not only very knowledgeable he is a great communicator and keeps you informed and up to date. ...”

    - Kim
  • Not just the lawyers you need, but the lawyers you WANT.

    “The attorneys at Shaw Law are absolutely exceptional. From the consultation: which was much more information and help than any of the other (9) Law offices I consulted with, to the one-on-one ...”

    - Tristen K
  • Jeff Shaw was Very Professional

    “I would highly recommend using Jeff Shaw as your attorney. He is very professional and nice and cares about getting you the best results. He was very helpful in my case. He worked 24/7 to take care of ...”

    - Shelby Kunes
  • Attorney Shaw got me a fair settlement, much more than I thought we were going to get.

    “Shaw Law handled our case in a caring and professional manner. Attorney Shaw let us know what was happening with each step of the process. He was available to talk to us at any time. Including nights ...”

    - Randy & Kathy M
  • I Told Him He Now Felt Like a Member of Our Family More Than Our Attorney.

    “Mr. Shaw told me from the beginning that he would be willing to help me and my husband get justice. Through every step of the way, he explained what was happening and why.”

    - Stephanie B.

VERDICTS & SETTLEMENTS

  • $5,000,000 Verdict in Indianapolis, IN

    Bicyclist Struck by Indianapolis School Bus (independent contractor) Awarded $5M by Indianapolis Jury (Upheld by Verdict, $4.4M Paid)

  • $3,040,000 Verdict in Gary, IN

    Blackjack Dealer Awarded for Slip and Fall on Ice in Trump Casino Parking Lot

  • $1,750,000 Verdict in Hammond, IN

    Child Dies in Fire, Landlord Failed to Provide Adequate Smoke Detectors

  • $1,460,000 Verdict Near the Ozarks of Missouri

    Sheriff's Deputy who Collides With Improperly Transported Manufactured Home Convoy

  • $750,000 $750,000 Verdict in Delphi, IN

    $750,000 Verdict for Lady in Golf Cart Struck by Drunk Driver Awarded by Jury in Carroll County

  • $750,000 Settlement for Paralyzed Man Shot at Indy Gas Station

    Man Shot and Paralyzed at Gas Station by Unknown Assailant from Unruly Crowd That Gathered After Murder of Person the Night Before at Same Site

  • $750,000 Settlement in Indianapolis, IN

    $750,000 Settlement Slip and Fall Indianapolis Woman Falls on Water in Produce Section of Indianapolis Grocery Store Breaking Leg.

  • $605,000 $605,000 Verdict in Valparaiso, IN

    $605,000 Verdict - Child Awarded for Facial Scarring When Landlord Failed to Cover Exposed Hot Water Pipe in Living Room

  • $500,000 $500,000 Settlement in Bluffton, IN

    $500,000 Wrongful Death Settlement in Bluffton, Indiana for Woman Killed When She Crossed Center-Line Into Path of Oncoming Speeding Semi-Truck

  • $500,000 $500,000 Verdict in Kokomo

    $500,000 Verdict for Woman Slip and Fall in Domino's Pizza Restaurant on Water (Reduced to $375,000)

/

Why CALL sHAW lAW?

  • Work Directly With Your Attorney

    When you call SHAW LAW, you get to work directly with Attorney JJ Shaw and Attorney Sky Shaw.

  • We Maximize Your Recovery

    SHAW LAW has obtained MILLIONS of dollars in compensation for our clients—and we work to get you your maximum results.

  • We Get You Back On Your Feet

    When you’ve been injured, it can feel like your world is falling apart around you. SHAW LAW is dedicated to helping you get back on your feet and recover what has been taken from you.

  • Fully Transparent — Guarantee

    We make sure that you and your family are constantly up-to-date with the status of your case. Call, text, email, or DM us at any time—and we will get back to you.

We Get You Back on Your Feet

Free & Confidential Consultations
  • Please enter your first name.
  • Please enter your last name.
  • Please enter your phone number.
    This isn't a valid phone number.
  • Please enter your email address.
    This isn't a valid email address.
  • Please make a selection.
  • Please enter a message.