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Central FL Public Transportation
Injury Lawyers
Public transportation is defined as “transportation by a conveyance that provides regular and continuing general or special transportation to the public.” Public transportation includes service by buses, subways, rail, trolleys, buses and ferries. As gas prices rise, so too does the U.S. ridership on public transportation, which has grown by more than 32 percent since 1995. The American Public Transportation Association estimates that 34 million trips are taken on public transportation each week day in the United States. That totaled 10.3 billion trips in 2007.
Attorneys Trial Group Orlando
If you or a member of your family has been injured in a public transportation accident of any kind, please contact our Central Florida public transportation attorneys at Attorneys Trial Group in Orlando, Kissimmee or Apopka today. We can help victims of public transportation accidents obtain financial compensation for the damages they have suffered. We serve the residents of Florida, including Orange County, Osceola County and counties throughout Florida.
People use public transportation for many reasons, including economy, convenience and reduced emissions. Although municipalities work hard to ensure that their transportation methods are safe and reliable, countless people are seriously injured each year either by or on public transportation.
There are approximately 240 fatalities each year involving transit vehicles or on transit properties and roughly 18,000 injuries. About one-third of the fatalities are commuter rail-related, 31 percent stem from bus travel and 24 percent involve heavy-rail travel. About two-thirds of all injuries are bus-related, 25 percent are related to heavy rail and 7 percent are commuter rail-related.
Public transportation providers are also known as "common carriers." Common carriers are individuals or organizations that transport people or goods on hire from one place to another for a specific fee. Examples of common carriers include:
- Planes
- Buses
- Ferries
- Taxis
- Trains
- Trolleys
- Elevators
- Escalators
- Movable walkways
- Airport shuttles
Common carriers are required by state and federal law to use the highest degree of care to ensure the safety of their passengers. This heightened duty means that common carriers have a responsibility to operate with safety as a priority, to keep regular schedules, to pick up and discharge passengers at the proper destination and in safe manner, to provide disabled and elderly seating, and to keep equipment in excellent working condition.
Accidents involving public transportation can happen for many reasons. Some of the more common reasons include:
- Dangerous roadways
- Defective equipment
- Driver negligence
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Improper maintenance
- Inadequate safety measures
- Failure to follow federal and state regulations
- Reckless driving
- Weather conditions
Litigation involving public transportation accidents can be quite complex. There are often several victims as well as several potentially responsible parties. Furthermore, special issues can arise when municipalities or school districts are involved. The public transportation lawyers at Attorneys Trial Group have represented many clients who have been injured in public transportation crashes as well as clients who have lost a loved one in such a crash – wrongful death. Any person who is involved in an accident on or is hurt by a common carrier has the right to recover damages for their injuries.
Our Orlando public transportation attorneys based in Orlando, Kissimmee and Apopka are ready to evaluate your claim. At Attorneys Trial Group, we are on your side, and we can help you make informed decisions about your accident claim. Our cases are handled by a team of professionals, including nurses, doctors, engineers and public transportation lawyers. We offer free consultations in your home, at the hospital or in our offices. There are no fees or costs unless we win. Contact our Apopka public transportation lawyers today by calling our offices in Orlando, Kissimmee or Apopka at 1-800-741-2243 or contact us via our online contact form.
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