Travelling on public transport should be a safe experience. Whether commuting to work, taking your children to school, or visiting the shops, you should expect to arrive safely and in one piece. While that’s usually the case for most passengers, accidents on public transport do happen. Importantly, if you’ve been injured on public transport because of somebody else’s negligence, you may be eligible to make a public transport accident claim for compensation.

Our solicitors specialise in personal injury claims. Whether you’ve been injured in a bus accident, on a train, tram, or ferry, our service begins with a no-obligation review of your claim over the phone. During your call, free legal advice will be offered on your next steps. If your case appears to have strong grounds, the first thing we could do is refer you to one of our personal injury solicitors. If one of our solicitors takes you on as a client, they’ll work for you on a No Win No Fee basis.

If you’ve been injured in an accident on public transport, you can get in touch with us on 0800 6524 881 to see if you can claim compensation. If you would like further information on how the public transport accident claims process works prior to contacting us, please continue reading the rest of this guide.

Am I Eligible To Make A Public Transport Accident Claim?

As No Win No Fee solicitors won’t get paid unless there’s a decent chance their client receives compensation, an advisor will first need to check that, in their opinion, you’re eligible to make a public transport accident claim. When you call, our claims advisors will ask some questions during your consultation to try and determine whether:

• You were owed a duty of care by the defendant; which
• Was broken by a negligent act that caused an accident on public transport to take place; and
• You were injured as a direct result of that accident.

All service companies have a duty of care towards their customers, this includes public transport companies. They are responsible for the safety of commuters who pay to use their services, and as such there are several laws that apply to public transport operators. Similarly, if your accident was caused by the negligence of another road user, they are likely to have broken the rules of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Common Accidents On Public Transport

The public transport system in the UK generally has very high health and safety standards, however, accidents still happen. Some of the more common causes of accidents on public transport are –

Bus Accidents

Rash or careless driving (not necessarily by the bus driver) is one of the most common causes of injuries while travelling by bus. An accident caused by rash driving does not necessarily involve a collision with another vehicle. Braking too hard all of a sudden, driving too fast around sharp corners, opening the door before the bus comes to a complete stop, not stopping long enough for bus passengers to get on or get off – all of these could also result in a passenger getting injured while travelling by bus.

Other potential causes include bus defects such as damaged seats or broken handrails, careless pedestrians and careless road users to name a few.

If you believe you have been injured because of negligence while travelling by bus, you may find it beneficial to refer to our guide to bus accident compensation claims.

Train Accidents

Slips, trips and falls are among the most common causes of injuries while travelling by train. This is often caused by liquid spillages, objects lying around carelessly and litter not being cleared on time, both on the train floor and the platform.

Train passengers could also get injured if they get caught in a door that closes prematurely or one that malfunctions and slams shut trapping them in between.

Broken handrails and jagged edges of damaged seats can result in a wide range of injuries, from mild to serious. Baggage falling from overhead racks is a common cause of head injuries on trains.

Ferry Accidents

Common injuries while travelling by any type of water transportation such as ferries include cuts and bruises from being hit by an unsecured object or from a broken surface and sprains from falling on a slippery surface.

Examples Of Accidents On Public Transport Compensation Could Be Claimed For

• If you fall whilst climbing the stairs of a bus because the driver pulled away too soon.
• If you’re injured using an escalator at a tube station.
• Where an accident occurred because the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Where you injure yourself on damaged tables or seats at a train station.
• If a limb is injured because it was trapped in a faulty automatic door.
• Where you sustain burns or scalds from a hot drink because of a careless passenger.
• If you fall during a road traffic accident caused by a driver’s negligence (including your driver).
• Where you suffer delayed whiplash because the vehicle’s driver was not paying attention and hit another vehicle.

Our team could support your public transport accident claim regardless of how the accident happened. For free advice on your options, please call today.

Common Injuries From Public Transport Accidents

As mentioned above, you could claim for any form of injury that you’ve sustained on public transport from an accident caused by another party’s negligence. We won’t provide a full list here but you can refer to the settlement amounts below to see what each injury might be worth. Some common injuries that might be claimed for include:

It is worth pointing out that although this guide is concentrating on public transport passengers who’ve been injured, you could also be eligible to claim if you or your vehicle was hit by a bus. For example, a pedestrian could claim if the wing mirror of a bus hit them while waiting at a bus stop.

For free advice on how to make public transport accident claims, please call today.

How Much Compensation For An Accident On Public Transport Could I Claim?

The amount of compensation for a public transport accident you could potentially claim will be mainly based on the injuries you’ve sustained, how severe they are, how long they take to heal, if at all, and loss of amenity. Also included, where applicable, will be compensation for the financial impact the injuries have had. To summarise, you could claim for:

• General damages. Here, your claim will be based on what level of pain and suffering you had to endure, and any loss of amenity.
• Special damages. This is where you’re able to claim back any costs caused by the accident. Some examples include private medical care, the cost of replacing damaged items and lost earnings.

Your injuries will be assessed by a medical expert during the public transport accident claims process. Their report will help to determine what compensation bracket your claim falls into.

Public Transport Injury Settlement Amounts

Here we’ve listed a small sample of settlement amounts a claimant might receive (for general damages) when making a public transport accident claim for their injuries.

• £43,060 – £219,070 compensation for moderate brain injury.
• £2,210 – £12,770 compensation for minor head/brain injury.
• £4,350 to £8,640 for spleen damage.
• £20,800 to £26,290 for loss of spleen.
• £24,990 up to £38,490 compensation for a dislocated neck.
• Around £148,330 for paralysis.

These figures are based on those that solicitors use to estimate compensation payments, as advised in the Judicial College Guidelines. As each claim is unique, and special damages haven’t been included, please note that any settlement paid could be higher or lower.

Evidence To Support A Public Transport Accident Claim

Any personal injury claim will require evidence to show how you were injured on public transport, and who was to blame. This isn’t as tricky as you might think although it can take a little time. That said, the time you take to collect evidence can be the difference between losing or winning your case. If you are injured on public transport, you could:

• Record details about the accident. It’s a good idea to write down the date, time and location of the accident. Also, write down what service you were on, driver details if possible, and the number plates of any vehicles that were involved.
• Ask for witness details. If any other passengers were involved or saw the accident happen, ask for their contact details.
• Report the accident. Bus companies, train operators, and other public transport providers must keep a record of all accidents. Your copy could be used to help prove that you were involved.
• Seek medical attention. Although you might receive first aid at the accident scene, proper medical treatment should be sought. After a trip to A&E or your GP’s surgery, you could request a copy of your medical notes to show how serious your injuries were.
• CCTV footage. Most modern forms of public transport use security cameras these days. If your accident was captured by one, you’re well within your rights to request a copy.

When you’re ready to start a public transport accident claim, why not call our team so that an advisor can review your evidence with you?

Time Limits For Making A Claim

If you do decide to take legal action, you must act within the allowed time limits. In most cases, a public transport accident claim will have a 3-year limitation period. This will usually begin from the date of the accident.

Our advice is to begin your claim swiftly. One of the main reasons for this is that should you require rehabilitation, your solicitor could ask for an interim payment to pay for private medical treatment. Also, starting the claims process quickly means you’ll receive your compensation sooner if your case is won.

Importantly, if your child is injured on public transport, you won’t need to worry about time limits. Claims are possible at any time before they become 18 years old. If you do not take action yourself, they can make their own claim but will have to do so before their 21^st birthday.

To clarify how long you have to claim, please use our live chat to speak with a claims advisor, or call us today.

Why Make A Public Transport Accident Claim Using A Personal Injury Solicitor?

We are of the opinion that compensation is more likely to be paid at the correct level if you have a personal injury solicitor on your side. If your public transport accident claim is taken on, a solicitor from our team will:

• Consider how you’ve been affected by reviewing what happened to you.
• Gather supporting evidence.
• Book a local medical assessment.
• Send the claim to the defendant.
• Importantly, they’ll shield you from the defendant’s insurers and answer all queries on your behalf.
• Attempt to achieve the highest settlement amount for your injuries.

During your claim, you’ll be kept up to date with regular updates from your solicitor. If any queries arise, they’ll also be on hand to answer them for you.

Starting The Public Transport Accident Claims Process

We are ready to help if you’re ready to start the public transport accident claims process. If that’s the case, please call our team on 0800 6524 881 today. If your case is taken on, one of our personal injury solicitors could begin working on it right away.

Thank you for reading this guide to making a public transport accident claim, and if there is anything else you’d like to know, please get in touch.