Have you been involved in a bus accident and suffered injuries, but it wasn’t your fault? Following a road traffic accident, you may be owed compensation because of the physical or psychological injuries you have sustained. If this is the case, you might be interested in learning how much compensation for a bus accident you could claim.
In this guide, we will discuss an in-depth range of details about bus accident claims, from how compensation for personal injury claims could be awarded to what you should do if you’re involved in one. We will also provide examples of the more common types of accidents that can occur on a bus.
Our panel of personal injury solicitors can tell you whether you have an eligible bus accident claim and can help you secure justice and compensation for your injury. You can make the first step by connecting with our expert team of advisors using the contact details below:
- Ring us on 0800 408 7826
- Contact us online
- Talk to us by using our live chat
Jump To A Section
- How Much Compensation For Bus Accident Claims?
- What Is Considered When Calculating Bus Accident Compensation?
- Who Can Make Bus Accident Claims?
- The Most Common Types Of Accidents On A Bus
- What You Should Do If You’re Involved In A Bus Accident
- No Win No Fee Bus Accident Claims
- More Information
How Much Compensation For Bus Accident Claims?
The amount of compensation you could be owed for a bus accident claim varies, as it’s based on the injury or injuries you have suffered as well as how severe those injuries are. For example, the compensation for a finger injury would be significantly different from an award for a serious injury, such as a brain injury.
Below you will find a table containing a wide range of injuries you could suffer in a bus accident, alongside the relevant compensation amounts. Notably, the figures have been selected from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This is a publication designed to guide legal professionals in calculating compensation claims. The publication is made up of a body of different injuries and compensation brackets, which your personal injury solicitor may use to help them calculate your claim.
We’ve also included 2 tariff amounts from the Whiplah Injury Regulations 2021. These regulations generally apply to whiplash injuries suffered in motor vehicle accidents and we’ll explain them in further detail shortly.
However, please take note that the first figure in this table has not been taken from the JCG or the Whiplash Injury Regulations, and the figures below are only meant to be used as guidelines when valuing compensation.
| Injury | Compensation Guidelines | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Severe Injuries with Special Damages | Up to £1 million+ | Multiple Severe Injuries and related costs, such as nursing care, medical expenses and lost wages. |
| Tetraplegia | £396,140 to £493,000 | This bracket will take into account any presence of pain or sensation, presence of a brain injury, the age of the injured party and the extent of any residual movement. |
| Paraplegia | £267,340 to £346,890 | The amount of award will be determined by the presence and extent of pain, level of independence, depression, age and life expectancy and any impact on sexual functions. |
| Brain and Head Moderate (i) | £183,190 to £267,340 | The injured party has suffered a moderate to severe decline in intellectual capacity, changes in personality, effected sight, speech and senses with no prospect of employment. |
| Loss of Sight in One Eye with Reduced Vision in the Remaining Eye (i) | £117,150 to £219,400 | A serious risk of the remaining eye deteriorating; going beyond some risk of sympathetic ophthalmia. |
| Chest (c) | £38,210 to £66,920 | The damage to the chest and lungs has resulted in some continuing disability. |
| Back Moderate (ii) | £15,260 to £33,880 | Frequent injuries to the back such as disturbance of ligaments or muscles resulting in exacerbating a pre-existing back condition by 5 years or more. |
| Neck Moderate (ii) | £16,770 to £30,500 | Serious limitation of movement and ongoing pain caused by a soft tissue or wrenching type injury. |
| Whiplash Tariff | £4,345 | Whiplash and minor psychological symptoms last 18-24 months. |
| Whiplash Tariff | £4,215 | Whiplash symptoms lasting 18-24 months. |
If you want to know the ins and outs of how much compensation you can get for a bus accident injury, connect with one of our expert advisors today.
What Is Considered When Calculating Bus Accident Compensation?
Certain factors are considered when calculating bus accident compensation because claims will vary on a case-by-case basis. Consequently, legal professionals have to take into account certain details in order to determine a fair settlement. The questions that will influence the compensation you receive are as follows:
- What kind of injury did you suffer, and how severe is it?
- What is the expected length of your recovery period?
- Did you experience any financial losses?
If a personal injury solicitor agrees that your bus accident claim is valid, two heads of compensation will be considered. The first is general damages, which are meant to compensate for any pain or suffering you have experienced because of your injury. Again, there are certain factors that a solicitor will look at in relation to general damages, such as:
- How severe is your injury?
- Has it impacted your quality of life?
- Have you experienced psychological damage?
- Have you faced any invasive treatment?
- Have you suffered disfigurement or deformity, such as a facial scar?
- Will you go through any pain or suffering in the future?
Special Damages
The second head of compensation that might be taken into account is special damages, which are only provided when your injury has caused you to lose money. Some examples are:
- Loss of earnings
- Property adaptations
- Medical bills
- Travel expenses
- Loss of future earnings
- Care costs
- Any other out-of-pocket expenses
If you think that your injury has negatively impacted your finances and that you deserve special damages as a form of compensation, you will need to provide evidence of financial loss in the form of documented costs. Such as:
- Invoices from care services
- Records suggesting ongoing medical treatment
- Repair estimates for vehicle damage
Notably, in the event that you suffer a serious injury, you may be eligible for interim payments. This is a type of advance on your compensation which can cover things like mortgage or rent payments if you are unable to work. Simply put, interim payments are designed to prevent eligible claimants from being disadvantaged by enduring financial strain while the claim is ongoing.
We understand that the concept of damages is a lot to take in, so if you have any questions about how much compensation you could get for a bus accident, don’t hesitate to contact our team of experts today.
Whiplash Reform Programme
For certain road traffic accidents involving motor vehicles, such as a bus, the claim may be made through the Whiplash Reform Programme. To claim in this way, you must:
- Have been the driver or passenger of a motor vehicle.
- Be 18 or older.
- Have suffered injuries that are valued at or less than £5,000.
- Suffered these injuries on the roads in England or Wales.
Furthermore, whiplash injuries are valued in accordance with fixed tariffs found within the Whiplash Injury Regulations (see our table above). Additional injuries that are not found within the Whiplash Injury Regulations will be valued using the traditional methods, such as the Judicial College Guidelines. However, if the value of these injuries does not exceed £5,000 and you meet the rest of the eligibility criteria, your claim would still be made through the Whiplash Reforms.
We should also note that if your injury value exceeds £5,000 but whiplash is included within that, the whiplash injury may still be valued based on a tariff amount.
If you have any questions about how the whiplash tariffs could affect your claim, please speak to a member of our advisory team.
Who Can Make Bus Accident Claims?
You can only make a bus accident claim if the following eligibility criteria are met:
- A road user owed you a duty of care
- They breached this duty of care
- You consequently suffered an injury
This is because legally, all road users, including drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians, must use the roads in a safe and responsible manner at all times. This is known as upholding a duty of care, and road users are expected to do so in compliance with the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code.
This means that if a road user makes a negligent action or a sequence of actions, and you are injured, you may be eligible to file a claim.
How Long You Have To Make A Claim After A Bus Accident
You generally have 3 years to make a claim after a bus accident as per the Limitation Act 1980. Usually, the clock starts on the date of your injury for you to file a personal injury claim. If you fail to do so within the 3-year window, your claim will be dismissed and legally registered as time-barred. This means that you will not be able to pursue compensation regardless of your bus accident claim being valid.
Having said that, the legislation highlights exceptions to this time limit, as there are individuals who are unable to file claims on their own:
- An adult who lacks mental capacity and cannot claim unless they fully recover
- A child who cannot claim until they are 18 years old
Due to the above exceptions, the concept of a litigation friend was introduced to the law. A litigation friend is a trusted individual, such as a family member, who is legally appointed to pursue a claim on behalf of the protected party. The litigation friend will keep the protected party’s best interests at heart and handle any decision-making, representation, and communication with solicitors.
If there is someone in your life who you care about who cannot independently pursue a personal injury claim, and you want to know how much compensation for a bus accident they could receive, reach out to one of our advisors so they can advise you on what to do next.
The Most Common Types Of Accidents On A Bus
There are common types of accidents that can happen on a bus. Please find below several examples of bus accidents that can occur:
- Traffic Collisions: A bus fails to stop at a red light and hits a car, causing the driver to suffer a head injury.
- Emergency Stop or Harsh Braking: A bus breaks suddenly, and a passenger is thrown down the aisle, suffering a broken wrist.
- Reckless driving: A bus driver drives recklessly because they want to leave work early and knocks over a pedestrian, causing them internal injuries.
- Slipping on the bus: Rainwater has collected down the bus aisle, and there are no warning signs; a passenger slips and sustains a back injury.
- Another road user hit by a bus: A bus driver turns without looking properly and clips a cyclist, causing them to suffer a brain injury.
If you have been injured and want to know how much compensation for a bus accident, please call us today so we can guide you through the next steps.
What You Should Do If You’re Involved In A Bus Accident
If you are involved in a bus accident and think someone else is responsible, the first thing you should do is collect evidence. The more evidence you have, the more likely your personal injury claim will be successful because you can prove that the defendant was at fault. So, collecting details about the bus, the driver, other vehicles involved, including any contact details and registration information, will give your claim validity. Here are some more examples of evidence you can provide:
- Medical records acknowledging your injury
- A police reference number if they attended the scene
- Photographs of damage to your vehicle
- Your bus ticket (if you were a passenger)
- Photographs of the accident scene
- Contact details of witnesses
The thought of gathering evidence after suffering serious injuries can be overwhelming. Let us do the heavy lifting. Call us today so we can determine how much compensation you could get for a bus accident injury.
No Win No Fee Bus Accident Claims
Everyone has a legal right to pursue a claim if they meet the eligibility criteria. Here at How Much Compensation, our panel will support you from start to finish in filing your claim, backed by years of hands-on experience and advanced expertise. Please have a read of the robust services our panel of solicitors offers:
- We will tell you if you have a strong claim
- Show you how your compensation is calculated
- Gather evidence for you, such as police reports and witness statements
- Show you different funding options
- Represent you in negotiations and court proceedings
- Explain how everything works, including your rights and any potential claim outcomes
Our panel of solicitors can support you via a type of No Win No Fee contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement, also known as a CTA. This means:
- You won’t be charged any solicitor fees if your case loses
- You won’t pay any upfront solicitor service costs
- You won’t pay any solicitor’s services while your claim is ongoing
- If your claim wins, you will pay a success fee. This is paid to your solicitor out of your compensation as a legally capped percentage
Here at How Much Compensation, we know how important it is to get the compensation you deserve. We also know how tough filing a claim can be, and that’s why we are dedicated to taking on the stressful bits so you don’t have to. Let us help you. Reach out to us today by using the contact details below.
Contact Our Advisors
- Ring us on 0800 408 7826
- Contact us online
- Talk to us by using our live chat
More Information
Some more guides by us:
- Read our guide on how much compensation you can get for a torn achilles tendon.
- Find out how much compensation you can get for a broken thumb.
- Learn more about road traffic accidents by reading our guide on car accident claims.
Explore some additional information:
- Read up on bus safety by Transport for London.
- Learn more about pedestrian safety from the Health and Safety Executive.
- In need of mental health support? Read some guidance from the NHS.
Thank you for reading our guide. We hope you are better informed on how much compensation you could get for a bus accident injury.