Public Transit Accidents: Do Benefits Outweigh the Risks?
Many Moncton residents rely on the public transport network in their daily lives. As an eco-friendly, affordable, and efficient means of transportation, public transport is vital for people in New Brunswick communities.
Despite being sustainable, reliable, and convenient, the public transport system is not immune to challenges. One of the biggest concerns in public transport is the risk of accidents. Public transport accidents typically have more severe and far-reaching consequences. In these critical moments, two things are essential: receiving proper medical care and having effective legal representation.
This blog post will explore the Moncton public transit network and the key factors contributing to accidents, shed light on ways to improve the system, highlight the importance of hiring an experienced public transit accident lawyer in Moncton, NB, Canada, and provide you with guidance on finding the right one. Stay tuned!
Understanding the Public Transit System in Moncton, NB
The public transit system in Moncton, NB, is an extensive network of buses, providing its residents with a convenient, affordable, and reliable means of transportation. The bus transportation network serves the communities of Moncton, Dieppe, and Riverview. With 20 bus routes and 658 bus stops, the Codiac Transpo (operated by Codiac Transpo Inc.) provides an important service of its resident.
Key Factors Contributing to Public transit Accidents
Pinpointing the exact causes of each public transit accident is a complicated, demanding task for investigators and traffic specialists. However, it is possible to extrapolate the key factors contributing to these accidents. It all comes down to driver errors, weather conditions, infrastructure, and maintenance issues.
Driver Error: Human errors are a decisive factor that leads to public transit accidents. As in other forms of transportation, bus and train drivers can suffer from lack of sleep, fatigue, and distraction that can cause accidents with severe consequences. Because public transportation drivers are professionals, driving under the influence is not a common contributing factor in public transit accidents. Professional drivers must follow strict rules of conduct that prevent them from consuming drugs and alcohol and mandate appropriate rest before driving buses and trains. But despite abstaining from alcohol intake, public transport drives often disregard other recommendations and sit behind the steering wheels without enough sleep and rest. That results in excessive fatigue, leading to errors in judgment, slow or inadequate reactions, and (typically) fatal consequences.
Weather Conditions: New Brunswick has unpredictable weather patterns. Snowfalls and icy roads are a regular occurrence during winter months. Driving under such conditions is challenging, even for professional drivers. Maneuvering heavy buses on icy roads requires years of experience and extra vigilance. But despite that, accidents still occur, often including multiple other vehicles and resulting in grave consequences.
Maintenance and Mechanical Issues: Public transport companies are responsible for regular vehicle maintenance. Nevertheless, mechanical failures happen constantly. Their impact depends on the nature of the issue at hand. Sometimes, minor and easily solvable problems occur despite regular maintenance. In other instances, serious wreckages – endangering passengers, pedestrians, and overall traffic – happen because of transportation companies’ negligence.
Improving the System: Safety Measures and Enhancements
The provincial government and the public transport companies must prioritize traffic safety through their policies and campaigns.
Some measures that can promote and improve passenger, pedestrian, and general public safety include driver training programs, maintenance protocols, infrastructure upgrades, safety awareness campaigns, and technological advancements.
Why Do You Need a Public Transit Accidents Lawyer?
The question of liability in public transit accidents is one of their most complex and challenging aspects, in addition to grave health and material consequences. Public transit is a sphere of mixed jurisdiction between government agencies and private transportation companies. While the government sets rules, the public and private sectors provide transit services. Navigating the complex landscape of public transit accident responsibility is daunting – one you should only take with professional legal representation. Here is how an experienced lawyer can help if you get involved in a transit accident.
Liability Assessment: As mentioned, determining liability in public transit accidents is a complex issue that often gets resolved after an exhausting court process. The reason is that the government is responsible for road maintenance and traffic infrastructure, and private transit companies ensure their vehicles are regularly maintained, drivers undergo regular training and checkups, etc. A well-versed public transit lawyer can assess the situation and make the right moves from the beginning, saving you from years of litigation and significant costs.
Ensuring You Receive the Right Compensation: Sustaining injuries in a public transit accident entitles you to financial compensation. But whether the amount of money you receive covers the extent of the damage you suffered depends on the lawyer you hire to handle your case. An experienced lawyer can help you maximize the compensation and get what you deserve. That includes medical bills, future medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Dealing with Insurance Companies: As with any accident resulting in personal injuries, insurance companies will try to minimize their payouts. Their main motive is profit, and they will do anything to maximize it. The only way to do that is by reducing the payment they owe you. Insurance carriers typically reject or devalue your claim and delay the payout. A good lawyer is well-versed in their strategy and knows how to negotiate on your behalf to prevent an insurance carrier from taking away from you the compensation you deserve.
Knowledge of Local Laws: Building an effective legal strategy is only possible with comprehensive knowledge of local laws and regulations. A skilled Moncton public transit lawyer understands the local rules, insurance policies, and court practices. That proves decisive in crafting the appropriate response to compensation claim denial or the strategy in a contested court hearing.
Litigation Skills: If an insurance company rejects your compensation claim, the next step involves going to court. There, you will want a skilled litigator who can effectively challenge the other party’s position, showing the judge that you deserve the compensation you initially claimed.
Finding the Right Public Transit Accidents Attorney in Moncton, NB
Now that you know what the right public transit accident attorney can do for you, here are quick tips on how to find one:
Research Online: Look online for lawyers in Moncton specializing in personal injury and public transit accidents. Check their websites because they contain valuable information about their subject matter expertise and practical experience.
Ask for Recommendations: Although web presentations offer clients reviews, sometimes their authenticity is questionable. Nothing compares to first-hand testimonies. Ask your friends, family, and other attorneys about the potential candidate. They will provide you with honest and often experience-based opinions.
Consult with Multiple Lawyers: Make a short list of the best candidates and schedule consultations with each. Prepare questions for the interview and ask them about their experience dealing with public transit accidents. See if you are comfortable working with them because personal connection is equally important.
Discuss Fees: Understanding fee structure is vital for a successful lawyer-client relationship. Ask how they charge their services – hourly, flat fee, or on a contingency basis.
Key Takeaways
The public transit system is essential to the everyday lives of Moncton, New Brunswick communities;
Although the sustainable, affordable, and convenient way of transportation, it does not come without risk of accidents;
Public transit accidents typically result from driver errors, poor road infrastructure and maintenance, and bad weather conditions;
Ensuring legal representation is vital after sustaining injuries in public transit accidents;
A well-versed public transit accident lawyer can help you assess liability, maximize compensation, deal with insurance companies, and provide effective representation in court;
When choosing the public transit accident lawyer, ensure to conduct online research, ask for recommendations, interview potential candidates, and discuss their fee structure.
Conclusion
Public transit accidents can be financially and emotionally overwhelming, but having the appropriate legal representation can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case.
If you experience such a situation in Moncton, NB, Canada, look no further than Jack Haller.
His expertise and guidance will help you successfully navigate the legal landscape of public transit accidents. Whether you deal with claim denial or your case ends up in court – Mr. Haller will invest utmost efforts in providing you with the best possible legal representation and getting you the justice you deserve.
Haller Law is a family law boutique firm that is owned and operated by Jack Haller, a lawyer with over 17 years experience. Jack and his staff can provide legal services in English, French, or Spanish at their downtown office located at 720 Main Street in Moncton, New Brunswick (rear of the building next to the Delta Beausejour Hotel).
