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Charleston Bus Accident Lawyer

I watched Mark handle a case for my friend who lost her sister in a tragic truck accident. Mark was very thorough and worked very diligently to win the case and got her a sizable settlement. I would recommend him very highly to anybody who is looking for a definite professional!

DENISE CYPRIAN - CHARLESTON, SC

Free Case Evaluation*

Filling out the form below and scheduling a free case evaluation* is an important step towards obtaining justice in your injury case.

A single bus accident can cause injury or death to dozens of adults or children. Without safety features like airbags or seat belts, bus passengers are vulnerable to being thrown from their seats and suffering serious injuries or death. Bus accidents in Charleston can result from bus driver distraction, bus driver error, bus operator negligent maintenance, another driver on the road, bad weather conditions, or equipment failure. We rely on bus operators to take reasonable actions to keep us and our loved ones safe. This includes:

Hiring safe and properly-licensed drivers who practice defensive driving and obey traffic laws
Properly training their drivers and testing their skills
Drug testing their drivers
Maintaining buses so that there are no issues with brakes, tires, lights, doors, windows or other components
Promptly fixing known issues with buses.

Bus Accidents from Defective Bus Parts

Bus accidents can also result from defective or dangerous parts used in the manufacturing process that may cause a component to fail before it is expected to. If a defective part is responsible for an accident, the court may determine the manufacturer of the part was liable. After a crash, the bus itself can be very important evidence. A bus can be hauled away from an accident scene in the hours following a collision, making it difficult to preserve evidence. Once the bus is repaired or destroyed, this evidence may be gone forever. If you’re involved in a bus accident, do not delay in contacting a lawyer about your case. Attorney Mark Bringardner can help you ensure evidence is preserved and there is an opportunity for the bus to be inspected by a qualified expert.

Bus Accident Injuries

Bus accidents can range from mild to catastrophic, depending on the accident and force of impact. Minor soft-tissue injuries are minor cuts, bruises and bumps, sprains and strains, and whiplash. These may result from a bus being rear-ended and passengers being thrown forward. Serious injuries may occur if a person is struck or run over by a bus, or thrown from a bus (ejected), catastrophic injuries like skull fractures, traumatic amputations, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and blunt force injuries can result. These can cause permanent disability or even be fatal.

Charleston Regional Transit Authority Bus Systems

A number of Regional Transit Authorities operate in South Carolina, and administer, manage and operate fixed-route bus services.

Lower Savannah Regional Transit Management Agency – Best Friend Express
Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority – The Comet
Charleston Area Regional Transit Authority (CARTA)
City of Spartanburg – Spartanburg Area Regional Transit Agency (SPARTA)
Waccamaw Regional Transit Authority – Coast RTA
Lowcountry – Palmetto Breeze
Pee Dee Regional Transit Authority (PDRTA)
Santee Wateree Regional Transportation Authority (SWRTA)

The South Carolina Office of Public Transit receives funding from the Federal Transit Administration as well as State Mass Transit Funds which are sourced from gasoline sales. Because transit authorities are government agencies, lawsuits Funds from these sources are then distributed to transit providers, like the regional transit authorities listed above.

Common Bus Accident Injuries

Bus accidents can cause catastrophic injuries and permanently change your ability to enjoy life and earn a living. Compensation from a bus accident lawsuit in Charleston can allow you to avoid financial devastation and get the medical care you need. Types of compensation you may recover include:

Monetary reimbursement for medical expenses as a result of a bus accident, including ambulance transport, emergency room and hospitalization bills, prescription medications, and physical therapy.
Compensation for future expected medical expenses which will be necessary as a result of the bus accident
Compensation for earnings you lost as a result of being unable to work due to your injuries. If you suffer permanent disability and either must retire, or work in a lower-paying capacity, you may recover damages for the difference between what you would have earned vs what you likely will now.
Reimbursement for any lost personal property in the accident, such as an iPad or cell phone
Non-economic damages compensation for pain and suffering.

Without a skilled attorney advocating for your rights, it will be extremely difficult to recover maximum compensation for your injuries. If you are a victim of a bus accident, or a loved one died in a bus accident, do not fall victim to insurance companies’ delay, deny, and defend practices.

Talk to a Charleston Bus Accident Lawyer Today About Your Cases

It is never too soon after an accident to contact an attorney and begin protecting your rights. Do not accept any offer from an insurance company without speaking to a lawyer first. Mark Bringardner of Bringardner Injury Law Firm is serious about helping bus accident victims recover the money they deserve so that they can return to the highest quality of life. You may be entitled to far more compensation that is initially offered in a settlement (even if the insurance company says it is their best offer). Call us today to set up your free case evaluation* for your car accident, bus accident, personal injury, or wrongful death claim in Charleston.

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Mark Bringardner

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The Auto Accident Claims Process

You are Injured in An Accident

What should I do after an accident?

Immediately after an accident, if you are injured, you should call 911 and seek immediate medical attention. This may seem obvious if you have pain at the scene of the collision, but often times injury victims may not feel pain until the adrenaline wears off, hours or even days after an accident. Any delay in seeking medical attention and the appropriate diagnostic testing could lead to problems down the road. Next, before contacting any insurance company, it can be smart to consult an experienced South Carolina accident attorney to protect your rights.

You will likely want to make sure that your medical records, bills, lost income, and other issues are being handled and documented properly.

Does health insurance pay for your medical bills? Does the other person’s insurance company pay? What is Medpay? How do you submit a claim for lost income? Should you go to your primary care doctor or a specialist? What if you don’t have a doctor? Who fixes your vehicle? Where do you take your vehicle? These are questions an experienced South Carolina personal injury attorney can assist you with. It may also be a good idea to have your attorney conduct an investigation on your behalf as soon as possible so important evidence does not get lost.

How do I hire Bringardner Injury Lawyers?

First, you should call our office and speak with us directly about your case. Or, you can fill out our online form and we will call you as soon as possible to go over your claim and answer all of your questions. We are happy to meet with you in-person, through a virtual conference, or over the phone.

If you decide to hire us, we will send you the necessary paperwork so we can immediately begin working on your case.

So I’ve Hired A Lawyer. Now What?

When you hire us, we immediately go to work on your case. We will deal with the insurance company, the investigation, gathering of your medical bills, and building your case.

After getting your vehicle repaired or replaced, you only have one job to do after hiring us. Get better. We want you to focus on your recovery and follow all your doctors’ orders. Doing this will hopefully put you on the path toward a full recovery.

Building Your Case

Immediately after you hire us, we will begin building your case. First, we will send a letter to the insurance company stating that you have retained representation, and that they are not allowed to contact you directly. They must go through us.

The Investigation

We quickly start investigating your accident by obtaining witness statements, obtaining evidence, gathering your medical records, calculating your wage losses and future medical bills, and any other damages you may have suffered as a result of your accident. Your only job is to go to the medical appointments and try to get better.

Settlement Negotiations

What’s a Settlement?

A settlement is typically a sum of money paid by an insurance company. The vast majority of cases settle before going to court. However, we prepare all of our cases for a trial if that becomes necessary. We will fight to the fullest extent of the law to try and get you full and fair compensation.

How Long Will It Take?

Typically clients want to know two things: How much is my case worth and how long will it take? No lawyer knows the answers to those questions when you first hire them. The fact of the matter is that there are hundreds of factors that will determine the answers.

Early in the case, you may not know the extent of any permanent injuries for which you may need compensation, and you may not know the total amount of your medical bills until a later date. Once your condition stabilizes and our investigation into the case is completed, your South Carolina accident attorney will be able to give you a more informed legal opinion. At that time a “demand” is typically sent to the insurance company to begin the potential settlement process.

Once a demand is sent to the insurance company, the insurance company usually responds after completing an evaluation of your case. At that point, your accident attorney will discuss the insurance company’s response with you. If you are not satisfied with the insurance company’s settlement offer or response, and no settlement is reached, then the next step is for your accident attorney to file a lawsuit.

Filing a Lawsuit

Most of the time, auto accident cases are resolved in a settlement, but in some instances, they require a lawsuit to get resolved. In this instance, the first step is for your auto accident attorney to write a legal document called a complaint. The complaint is filed at the courthouse, and then the defendant (more likely his insurance company) will have an attorney file a formal response with the Court. Filing a lawsuit does not mean that you are going to trial. Again, the vast majority of lawsuits also settle before trial. People often think they are “going to court” if the file a lawsuit. In layman’s terms, the filing of a lawsuit simply takes the case out of the informal setting between your lawyer and the insurance company and formally puts it in into the court system so that a judge can assist with any legal disputes that arise.

Discovery

The discovery phase begins after a lawsuit is filed. This phase of the case allows both sides to ask questions and obtain additional documents that may not have been available without a subpoena. The purpose is to “discover” the other side’s evidence, and learn more about the opposing party’s case. This is done by many methods, including submitting requests for documents, and submitting interrogatories (questions in writing that the opposing party must answer) or depositions (in-person or videoconference interviews conducted by the attorneys.)

We will be by your side, every step of the way, to fight for a favorable outcome in your case.

Alternative Resolution Methods

At any point during the case, you can decide to settle your case. There are several ways to settle a case.

Negotiation

Sometimes cases settle on “the court house steps”. That means that the case settles right before trial. Often times, the threat of a jury trial is the only thing that encourages the insurance company to increase their settlement offer. That is because during your case, the settlement money is under their control. Once a trial begins, the insurance company loses some of that control and it is placed in the hands of the judge and/or jury – who may order a lot more money to be paid to you than what the insurance company wants to offer. Sometimes the most reasonable and fair settlement offers do not get made until right before a trial is scheduled to begin. Some cases even settle during or even after trial. While this is less common, it occurs from time to time.

Mediation

Mediation is a process where both parties meet in front of an agreed-upon mediator. Mediators are trained professionals who are skilled at moderating fair negotiations. The goal of mediation is a resolution, but if no resolution is reached, the case will continue on.

During the course of the case, both parties may also engage in direct negotiations.

Trial

We prepare every case as if we are going to trial. We believe the best way to avoid trial and obtain the best settlement possible is to show the insurance company that we will accept nothing other than a fair settlement, and take it to a trial if it is necessary.

What Happens At Trial?

At trial, we will present your case in front of a jury or judge to let them decide the fair value of your case.

Resolution

At the end of trial, we typically receive a verdict, which can result in a judgement. Trial can take anywhere from a day to a week (or more) depending on the complexity of the case.

Reviews

“Mark won my case and got me a big settlement. Before I hired Mark, I didn’t know where to get my car fixed, which doctor I should go to, or what to do about missing time from work. Mark took care of everything and answered all of my questions. Mark and his team were there every step of the way and took the burden off of me and my family. He was always available to talk to me whenever I had a question. I would highly recommend him to anyone who needs an attorney.”

Erin – Charleston, SC

“It was a very positive experience being represented by Mark Bringardner. He always kept me apprised of the latest developments on my case and of the various options open for resolution. When asked, Mark offered his recommendations of the most advantageous outcome, though ultimately he let me make the final decision.
Through Mark’s negotiating expertise, the best possible (and better than expected) settlement was achieved.
For the above reasons, I would highly recommend Mark’s services.”