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Chicago Megabus Crash Lawyer
Megabus operates heavily out of Chicago’s Union Station on Canal Street and is a common choice for affordable intercity travel. However, frequent travel and long routes mean a higher risk of driver fatigue and mechanical failure.
Over a two-year period, 16 major Megabus crashes were recorded, many with multiple injuries. If you have been involved in one of these accidents, you deserve to work alongside an experienced Megabus crash lawyer who understands how to get the results you need.
If you or a loved one was injured on a Megabus in Chicago or anywhere in Cook County, a Chicago bus accident lawyer can help you hold the responsible parties accountable.
Recent Illinois Bus Accident Cases We’ve Handled
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers has secured significant settlements for victims injured in Illinois bus crashes and incidents. Notable outcomes include:
- $2,730,000 settlement for a bicyclist hit by a bus making a left turn.
- $450,000 settlement for a passenger severely injured after being thrown from his seat during a tour bus collision.
- $370,000 settlement for a passenger who suffered a serious foot injury while exiting a public transportation bus.
- $250,000 settlement for a child harmed in a school bus accident when one of their school bus drivers accelerated prematurely.
An experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer will always fight aggressively to ensure injured victims receive the compensation they need to fully recover and move forward after a Megabus crash.
Common Causes of Megabus Accidents
Megabus accidents can happen for a variety of reasons, including the following:
- Missed or mishandled maintenance
- Driver negligence or fatigue
- Distracted driving
- Distracting passengers
- Poor road conditions
Depending on the cause of the accident, Megabus accident victims may be able to take legal action against the Megabus driver or the company. To know for sure if you have a viable case, discuss it with an attorney who works with injured bus accident victims.
Where Do Most Megabus Accidents Happen?
Megabus accidents in Chicago often occur along busy roads and near congested neighborhoods. In February 2010, a Megabus struck and killed a pedestrian at Adams and Des Plaines in the West Loop—one of the city’s busiest intersections near Union Station.
Another serious incident involved a Megabus traveling toward Chicago, which crashed near the Illinois-Wisconsin border on Route 41, injuring nearly 40 passengers. Other Megabus incidents have happened near Litchfield, Illinois. One tragically killed a passenger and dozens were injured when the bus blew a tire and crashed into a concrete pillar.
High-risk areas in Chicago for Megabus crashes include heavily trafficked neighborhoods and routes, such as Canal Street near Union Station, Lakeshore Drive, I-90/I-94 (Kennedy and Dan Ryan Expressways), and streets near transit hubs in River North, the Loop, and South Loop—locations frequently crowded with vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, increasing accident risk significantly.
Your Legal Options Following a Bus Crash
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help with a variety of different Megabus accident cases, including the following:
- Megabus passengers involved in an accident
- Drivers of other motor vehicles involved in a Megabus accident
- Pedestrians and cyclists hit by a Megabus
Why You Need a Chicago Bus Accident Lawyer for Your Case
While you can technically file a personal injury case on your own, having a bus accident attorney on your side can make your case stronger and potentially lead to a more substantial settlement.
Determining Eligibility for a Megabus Accident Lawsuit
If you are involved in a Megabus accident, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the bus company or other responsible parties for compensation. To win a case, your bus accident lawyer needs to prove that four concepts apply to your case:
- The responsible party had a duty of care
- They violated that duty of care
- You suffered damages as a result of their violation
- Their negligence caused your damages
Private bus companies and bus drivers have a duty to ensure that passengers are safe. If the bus company or driver violates that duty of care through negligent acts, such as driving recklessly, injured victims of bus accidents may be able to file a case to seek compensation.
Your Chicago bus accident lawyer must show that you suffered damages and serious injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries or broken bones. Then, the case can be ruled on to determine how much you receive when you recover compensation.
Victims of bus crashes often file lawsuits because of the expenses related to their accident and recovery. A Megabus crash can leave you with severe injuries, medical expenses, and other problems that can be expensive to resolve.
In some cases, catastrophic injuries can lead to death for those who were injured in the crash—in these instances, their families are the ones to file lawsuits, specifically wrongful death lawsuits.
Liability for Megabus Accident Cases
Chicago bus accidents are complex events, especially if they cause serious injuries and involve multiple parties. Depending on what or who caused the accident, your case can be filed against different people or organizations. Some of the groups that can be liable for a Megabus accident include the following:
- Bus drivers
- School bus drivers
- Megabus
- Chicago Transit Authority
- Other bus passengers
Who the target of your lawsuit is will be determined by the specifics of the case. There are instances where the bus driver acts inappropriately and causes an accident. Alternatively, if that driver was forced into a bad situation—such as being assigned to a bus that has not been properly maintained—the bus companies could be held liable.
If the accident involved Chicago Transit Authority buses, the city can be held liable if the transit authority created a situation that led to the accident. It all depends on how the accident happened.
Damages a Megabus Crash Lawyer Can Help You Recover
Bus accidents result in damages that you can file claims for in your lawsuit. No matter what the claim is, all claims fall into one of three categories:
- Economic: Damages with a fixed cost to them, such as medical bills for passengers that suffer injuries or phone repair costs.
- Non-economic: Damages that do not have a fixed cost, such as pain and suffering, disfigurement, or emotional distress. The amount of compensation is determined by the judge overseeing your case if it goes to trial.
- Punitive: Damages imposed by the judge to punish the liable party for bad actions. Punitive damages are limited to cases where the responsible party has a history of being negligent or knowingly violating regulations that caused the accident.
The circumstances determine what claims are included in your case, but your lawyer will work hard to make sure that each claim is filed, getting you as much compensation as possible.
Wrongful Death
Fatal Megabus crashes lead to wrongful death claims, where the surviving family of the deceased victim files a case for compensation based on financial and emotional damages. The family could work with a Chicago wrongful death claim attorney to recover the cost of final expenses for the victim. Bus accident cases involving wrongful death claims can include the following:
- Funeral or burial expenses
- Emotional trauma
- Medical bills
- Damaged property claims
- Mental health treatment for family members
- Loss of income
The Time Limit to Recover Compensation Through a Bus Accident Lawsuit in Chicago, IL
You have a limited amount of time to file your case under Illinois state law (735 ILCS 5/13-202), so you should consult a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
This is called the statute of limitations, and Illinois only gives you two years from the date of the accident to file your case with the court. If you miss the deadline, you lose the ability to file a case at all.
Why Hire a Chicago Bus Accident Attorney
Bus accidents can lead to complex legal battles involving multiple parties, insurance negotiations, and extensive evidence gathering. Hiring an experienced Chicago Megabus accident lawyer from Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers ensures you have strong, knowledgeable representation dedicated to protecting your rights and maximizing your recovery.
Our attorneys have extensive experience handling cases involving major carriers such as Megabus, Greyhound bus accidents, and school bus accidents. We meticulously collect critical evidence, including police reports, medical records, eyewitness testimony, and expert analyses, to build the strongest possible case.
Illinois ranks fifth nationwide in bus accident frequency, highlighting the importance of aggressive legal action following a crash. Our dedicated legal team negotiates aggressively with insurance companies to secure maximum compensation. We confidently represent your interests in court if a fair settlement isn’t reached.
Contact an Experienced Megabus Accident Law Firm Today
Contact the bus crash lawyers at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers for a free consultation by calling us at (888) 424-5757 or through our form. We will listen to what happened to you and file a bus accident case through the civil court system if needed.
A member of our law firm is available 24/7 to respond to your call. We have helped recover millions for our clients. We work on a contingency fee basis, so we only get paid when you do.
Our downtown office, near the Richard J. Daley Center, Dirkson United States Courthouse, and the Chicago Workers’ Compensation Commission, offers convenient access from Aurora, Joliet, and Waukegan via I-90, I-94, and I-290.
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers
225 W Wacker Dr #1660
Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (847) 835-8895
Toll Free: (888) 424-5757
We also serve clients from Champaign, Evanston, Peoria, Springfield and throughout Illinois.
All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.