Public transportation is a necessity for some, and the preferable option for others. Be it because you are living in a big city and don’t feel like getting stuck in traffic jams, or because you have decided to go green and do your best to protect the environment, or simply because you cannot afford or do not need a car which makes public transit your go to when you need to go somewhere farther away from home.
While motor vehicle collisions involving two or more cars occur far more frequently, public transportation collisions also aren’t out of the ordinary. But what are your rights and options as a passenger of public transportation in the event of a collision? Where are the differences when you aren’t the one behind the wheel? These questions are best answered by your personal lawyer in Red Deer, but here is some general information on the matter as well:
#1 Proving Fault: When you’re sitting on a bus or train, chances are that you are either looking out the side window or down at a book or phone. Because of this, you will likely not have witnessed the events leading up the collision which means that you are unlikely to know who was the one to cause it.
As a result, you will need to ensure that you obtain the information of the operator of the vehicle, the registration number of the vehicle, as well as the license plate number, the name of the insurance company, and the policy number from every other driver who was involved in the collision. Then, when the time comes for you to initiate the steps toward obtaining compensation, you will be prepared.
#2 Collecting evidence: There are two major sources whom you will need to prove fault and thus win your personal injury claim: witnesses and video footage. Bystanders and witnesses will be the ones who have seen the series of events leading up to the collision, while video footage will be the thing to back their testimony and provide objective and undeniable facts.
The vast majority of modern public transportation comes with internal, as well as external cameras which will have documented the collision and surrounding circumstances. You and your lawyer will be able to obtain access to this footage by submitting a Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Request to your municipal government. There are various aspects to consider and enough proof to submit apart from detailed medical reports of the injuries, before the court will accept your claim as being valid. That is one of the reasons that you need an expert lawyer to represent your rights.