Charlotte Public Transit Injury Lawyers

Assisting clients hurt on trains, planes, buses, and more in North Carolina

Public transportation is intended to be a convenient, affordable way for people to travel from home to work or school or anywhere they want to go that is accessible to the transit system. Passengers have an expectation that they will be safe riding buses, light rail, trains and taxis, and they usually are. On those occasions when people are injured in public transit accidents, they may be able to recover compensation for their injuries and other damages.

At Warren & Kallianos, PLLC, we represent those who have been injured in any type of public transit accident. We protect your right to recover the compensation you need so you can get back to your busy life. You never have to worry about paying for our services upfront because you do not pay attorney fees until we have recovered compensation for you.

Were You Injured While Riding the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS)?

Millions of passengers ride city buses and LYNX commuter trains around Charlotte throughout the year. The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) operates more than 300 buses and the LYNX light rail service that runs from I-485 to City Centre and The University of North Carolina at Charlotte to uptown.

The LYNX Blue Line, which began operation in 2007, averages 15,000 weekday riders. CATS plans to expand the light rail system with additional lines. Most bus and rail passengers safely reach their destinations. However, when transit vehicles get involved in accidents, passengers can suffer serious injuries.

Public transportation accidents occur for a variety of reasons. CATS passengers may be hurt due to negligent motorists colliding with city buses. Passengers in cars may be injured because of collisions with CATS buses due to driving errors by bus drivers. Bus accidents may cause more injuries and more significant injuries because of the large vehicles’ size and weight, and because they are designed to carry many passengers.

Bus drivers and transit systems have a legal responsibility to adequately maintain vehicles and operate them safely to prevent injury to riders. The bus driver who caused an accident and, in some cases, the Charlotte Area Transit System and City of Charlotte may be liable for passenger injuries.

Uber and Lyft Accident Attorneys

The sheer convenience and affordability of Uber and Lyft and other ridesharing apps have completely disrupted the local transportation industry. Because the industry is so new and has experienced such tremendous growth, the insurance companies have had a challenging time trying to keep up with how the ridesharing model works. Uber and Lyft drivers are not professional drivers. They are your neighbors who drive people around in their spare time to make a little side income. Thanks to Uber and Lyft, we are now getting into stranger’s cars to travel around town trusting that they are good drivers and safe to be alone with in the car.

People who have been injured in an Uber or Lyft accident whether as a passenger, or as a driver, or passenger in a vehicle that was involved in a crash with an Uber or Lyft driver, may wonder what happens next. You might question whether you should pursue a claim against the driver and/or Uber or Lyft. These companies will provide liability coverage of $1,000,000 for drivers who are on the app at the time of the accident. At Warren & Kallianos, we have handled numerous cases against Uber and Lyft for clients injured in an accident while the Uber or Lyft driver was on the app.

Charlotte Taxi Accident Attorneys

Traditional taxis and cabs provide reliable transportation services for the citizens of the Queen City (a nickname for Charlotte which comes from its namesake Queen Charlotte Sophia in Germany, wife of King George III). But taxi drivers do not have a reputation for being sedate drivers. They tend to drive fast and aggressively so that they can get passengers from one destination to another quickly and efficiently. There are a few cab companies that serve the Charlotte areas including:

• Crown Cab
• Royal Cab
• Speedy Cab
• Green Cab
• Yellow Cab
• Universal Cab

North Carolina law § 160A-304 gives the individual cities the authority to license and regulate vehicles for hire. The Department of Public Safety requires that prospective taxi drivers submit to a criminal background check, and they take a copy of the driver’s fingerprints. Passengers who are injured as a passenger in a taxi, or if you were driving and got involved in a collision with a cab, a public transportation accident attorney from Warren & Kallianos is ready to represent your interests as you pursue compensation for your injuries.

Charlotte Lynx Light Rail and Train Accidents

The Lynx light rail system provides a convenient way to get to and from downtown Charlotte along the South Boulevard and University of North Carolina at Charlotte corridors. However there have been some collisions between passenger cars and Lynx trains in the more than 11 years the system has been in operation. Earlier this year, a man was killed after being hit by Lynx train, and late last year there was a deadly 3-car crash with a Lynx light rail train with one fatality at the intersection of South Boulevard and Clanton Road.

Light rail and train crossings have warning signs and safety bars that come down to block vehicles from getting on the tracks when a train is crossing, but some people still become involved in train accidents at railroad crossings.

When a train derailment occurs, the passengers can suffer serious injuries and there can be fatalities. Passengers who have suffered serious injuries in a train accident may wish to consult with an experienced Charlotte train accident lawyer who can explain to you what your rights are concerning pursuing compensation after a train crash.

• Train Accident Lawyers

Aviation Accident Attorneys

While plane accidents are relatively rare, if you survived a plane crash and you have injuries, your Charlotte plane accident lawyer still needs to determine the cause of the crash, who is negligent, and prove how the accident caused your injuries. At Warren & Kallianos, we offer free consultations to discuss your case, and you never pay attorney fees until we recover compensation for you. Jeff is a former Captain in the U.S. Air Force, who amassed more than 2,500 hours providing air-to-air refueling for military planes. He understands exactly what can go wrong while flying and apply this experience in aviation accident cases.

Why Do Public Transportation Accidents Occur in Charlotte?

Common factors that cause bus accidents and other public transportation injuries in the Charlotte area and elsewhere include:

• Driver fatigue from driving for too many hours
• Impaired driving
• Driver distraction
• Careless driving
• Dangerous operating conditions
• Employment of an undertrained or unsafe driver
• Lack of adequate supervision that ensures drivers follow rules
• Bus mechanical malfunction
• Failure to perform adequate maintenance on a bus

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Public Transportation Accident in Charlotte?

Bus and taxi drivers should have adequate training to navigate Charlotte’s congested streets and deliver passengers to their destination. However, as you can see above, many causes of public transit accidents involve driver errors. When a driver makes an error and causes an accident, the passengers may sustain serious injuries. Depending on the severity, some passengers may have to undergo surgery and miss work.

The transit system or the taxi company, or the insurance carrier for the Uber or Lyft driver may be responsible for your injury, depending on the facts of the accident. Another driver who collided with a bus may be liable for your injuries. Passengers injured in public transportation accidents may have a right to claim compensation for their injuries caused by a driver’s negligence. You may be uncertain whether negligence caused your injury, who should be held responsible, or whether you have a valid bus accident lawsuit.

Determining the cause of a public transportation accident requires a thorough investigation by an experienced law firm. Identifying negligence on the part of the bus driver, transit system or other party requires a knowledgeable public transportation injury attorney. Identifying the responsible parties is part of the job of the attorney representing the injured passenger.

How Our Public Transportation Accident Lawyers Can Help

You should contact an experienced injury attorney as soon as possible if you or a loved one has been harmed in a CATS bus wreck or other type of public transportation accident.

Under North Carolina’s statute of limitations, you generally must file a personal injury claim within three years after an accident occurs. Investigating a Charlotte bus accident takes considerable time. So, it is important for an experienced attorney to start work on your injury claim right away.

A Charlotte injury attorney can assist you with filing a bus accident injury claim, filling out the necessary paperwork, and complying with the filing deadlines. The attorney can also lift the burden off your shoulders and let you focus on caring for yourself and your family.

Contact our Public Transportation Injury Lawyers in Charlotte

At Warren & Kallianos, we understand how stressful your situation can be after a public transportation accident. If a negligent city bus driver, cab, Uber or Lyft driver caused your injury, you may have the right to seek compensation. Call 704-377-7777 or submit our contact form today for a free consultation and allow us to carefully review your case.

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