Because I was injured when a bus struck me while speeding round a bend, can I claim compensation for pedestrian injured by bus in accident?
Although the circumstances that you have described seem to meet the main criteria for claiming compensation for pedestrian injured by bus in accident; it must be said that in order for a claim to be successful, it has to be proven that the accident and subsequent injuries were caused by the negligence of a third party – in this case the bus driver – and that the injuries you sustained required medical attention. However, as the bus had been speeding at the time of impact, the accident will almost certainly be considered to be the fault of the driver.
Your first priority after being injured by the speeding bus should have been your health. If an ambulance did not attend the scene of the accident you should have reported to the Accident and Emergency department of the nearest hospital, or at least made an emergency appointment to see your family GP – even if the bus accident injuries you sustained did not seem particularly serious at the time of the accident. Not only will a medical examination benefit your health and peace of mind, the medical practitioner treating you will include your injuries in your medical history which could later be used as evidence to support your pedestrian bus crash claim.
Also of vital importance, you should have reported the accident to the Gardai. If the accident was serious, the Gardai would have attended the scene, taken statements from all parties involved including witnesses and made a sketch of the accident scene. If their presence was not warranted, you should still visit the local Garda station to have your version of events recorded in their Accident Report Book. A copy of this report should be presented to an experienced solicitor, along with a copy of your medical notes who can use them to assess your claim in a free initial consultation – which most solicitors offer – to determine the viability of your compensation for pedestrian injured by bus in accident claim.
There is the possibility that you may be approached with an early offer of compensation for your bus accident injuries by the negligent party’s insurance company before you have the opportunity to fully contemplate pursuing a pedestrian bus crash claim. Such an offer should be referred to a solicitor as soon as possible after it is received, to establish that it is a reasonable amount that is worth accepting. It must be said that unsolicited compensation offers from insurers do not always adequately represent the injuries sustained or the impact they have had on the victim’s quality of life, and should you accept their offer and subsequently discover that it is not a sufficient amount, you cannot return to ask for more.
By engaging a solicitor, you increase the opportunity of receiving the maximum amount of compensation for pedestrian injured by bus in accident you are genuinely entitled to. Your solicitor can assist with compiling the application for assessment to the Injuries Board Ireland and while it is being assessed can enter direct negotiations with the negligent party’s legal representatives in an effort to settle your claim in the quickest time available.