Did you or a loved one sustain injuries in a mass transit accident in Tampa, FL? You may deserve compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. An experienced Tampa mass transit accident lawyer at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers can stand up and fight for the full compensation you deserve. 

We’ve recovered over $500 million in compensation for accident victims across the Tampa Bay area since 1992.

It’s easy to get the legal advice you deserve. Call (813) 222-8656 or contact our law offices in Tampa, Florida, to schedule a free consultation with a qualified attorney today.

How Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Mass Transit Accident in Tampa

How Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Mass Transit Accident in Tampa

There are many mass transit options in the Tampa Bay area. Using public transportation can shorten your commute and reduce your transportation costs. Some options are even enjoyable.

Those benefits can quickly fade if you’re involved in a mass transit accident. Your life could be changed in an instant. You deserve to be compensated, but how do you actually get money in your pocket?

An experienced Tampa injury lawyer can help. At Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers, we have over 28 years of experience handling personal injury cases. We know how to handle every aspect of your case and recover the maximum compensation possible for your claim.

Hiring us means you’ll have an advocate to:

  • Investigate to determine the cause of the accident
  • Locate all responsible parties
  • Handle all paperwork and administrative issues
  • Defend you if the insurance company blames you for getting hurt or failing to mitigate damages
  • Assess the value of your personal injury claim
  • Negotiate to recover the maximum financial compensation available

We aren’t afraid to take your case to court if necessary to achieve a fair settlement. Do you have questions about your options after a public transit accident? Call our Tampa personal injury attorneys for a free case review today.

We Handle All Types of Mass Transit Accident Claims in Tampa

Our Tampa mass transit accident attorneys at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers handle all types of mass transit accident claims, including those involving:

  • Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) buses
  • TECO line streetcars
  • The Cross Bay Ferry
  • School buses
  • Charter buses
  • Greyhound buses
  • Trains 
  • Airplanes
  • Cruise ships

Often, mass transit accidents are complex because:

  • Multiple parties may be injured
  • Multiple parties may be liable for damages
  • As common carriers, bus drivers and train operators are required to follow specific regulations
  • Special licensing requirements apply

The Tampa Bay Regional Transit Authority (TBARTA) is responsible for operating many local mass transportation options. Filing a claim against a government agency can be especially complicated because you may be required to take legal action faster than in a typical car accident case.

What is My Tampa Mass Transit Accident Case Worth?

Before taking legal action, you should know how much your case is worth. Without that information, you risk accepting a lowball settlement–and letting the responsible parties off the hook for damages.

The value of a mass transit accident claim in Tampa depends on a range of factors. Some damages are relatively easy to calculate, like your lost wages and property damage. However, it’s more difficult to put a dollar value on other types of losses.

Factors that will influence the value of your claim include:

  • The nature and severity of your injury
  • The duration and type of medical treatment and rehabilitation required
  • Whether you’ll suffer a permanent impairment
  • Your emotional trauma
  • How the injury impacts your quality of life

Often, our lawyers will hire experts to help us calculate the value of an injury claim.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Mass Transit Accident Victims?

If you or a family member were injured, you deserve to know that you’re getting the full range of damages possible. Florida personal injury laws group compensatory damages into two categories: economic damages and non-economic damages. 

Examples of economic damages, or financial expenses, may include:

  • Past and future medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Reduced earning potential
  • Physical therapy
  • Rehabilitation 
  • Property damage

Florida laws also recognize that you may suffer a wide range of non-financial losses. Examples of non-economic damages include:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Diminished quality of life
  • Physical disfigurement and scarring
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • PTSD
  • Loss of consortium

Our lawyers have over 28 years of personal injury experience. You can count on us to fight for the full array of damages you deserve.

Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Mass Transit Accident in Florida?

Mass transit accidents can be messy. Whether you were a passenger, driver, or pedestrian, it’s possible that you may be blamed for causing the accident. 

But you won’t lose your right to seek compensation. Florida comparative fault laws divide responsibility between all at-fault parties. Your compensation award may be reduced if you share some degree of fault. 

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Mass Transit Accident Injuries

Mass transit accidents can cause a wide range of injuries. Some are devastating, and may leave victims struggling with catastrophic or even fatal injuries. However, not all mass transit accidents are catastrophic. That doesn’t mean your injuries won’t impact your life. 

We regularly represent clients who have sustained:

Were you injured using a mass transit option in Tampa? Call our lawyers to learn more about your legal options today.

What Causes Most Mass Transit Accidents in Tampa, Florida?

When you use mass transit, you don’t have to worry about paying attention to the roads. Instead, the vehicle’s operator is required to act carefully to keep everyone safe. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. Mass transit accidents in Tampa happen for a number of different reasons. 

Some of the most common causes of mass transit crashes include:

  • Driver distraction
  • Inexperienced operators
  • Excessive speeds
  • Fatigued driving
  • Drunk driving
  • Failure to properly maintain the vehicle
  • Failure to maintain train tracks
  • Dangerous turns
  • Failure to yield the right-of-way 
  • Tailgating 
  • Aggressive driving
  • Unsafe passing
  • Illegal lane changes
  • Running red lights or stop signs
  • Driving while under the influence of drugs
  • Road hazards 
  • Vehicle defects
  • Mechanical failures

Operator errors cause many mass transit crashes. However, there are many ways that you can get hurt while using public transportation. 

Our mass transit accident lawyers in Tampa often handle cases involving:

  • Slip and fall accidents on a bus, train, or ferry
  • Falls down bus steps
  • Passengers being thrown from their seats
  • Passengers being struck by objects 
  • Doors closing suddenly
  • Assault injuries caused by negligent security
  • Negligent hiring practices

The party responsible for maintaining the bus, train, or aircraft may also be liable. Identifying the cause of the accident is the first step to determining who may be liable for damages.

How Do I Prove Negligence After a Mass Transit Accident in Florida? 

You’ll have to find proof of negligence to recover compensation for your injuries. From a legal perspective, someone is negligent if:

  • They owed a duty of care
  • Breached that duty of care
  • Caused your accident
  • You suffered injuries or harm (called damages)

Mass transit cases are complex; even if the driver was at fault, other parties may be legally responsible. The driver of a mass transit vehicle is probably an employee. Employers can be held vicariously liable for the acts of negligent employees.

Additional responsible parties may include:

  • Third-party drivers, pedestrians, or bicyclists
  • Manufacturers of defective vehicle components
  • A company responsible for maintaining or inspecting the vehicle
  • State or local government transportation authorities
  • Other passengers

Filing a claim against the government or large corporations may seem intimidating. Our lawyers have decades of experience handling these complicated cases. We’d be happy to use our experience to your advantage.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Mass Transit Accident in Florida?

If the responsible party is a private entity, you’ll have four years to file a personal injury lawsuit from the date of your accident. However, the statute of limitations is different if a government agency was partly responsible. 

Under Florida law, you have three years to provide notice of the claim to the government agency. After you provide a notice of claim, the government agency will have time to investigate before you can file a lawsuit. 

Contact a Tampa Mass Transit Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Were you or a loved one injured in an accident involving a bus, train, or streetcar? A Tampa mass transit accident lawyer at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers can fight to protect your legal right to compensation. Call our law firm today to schedule a free consultation.