If you think you have a personal injury claim - we can help.

Read our free legal guide below to better understand your position.

If you think you have a claim and would like to speak to an expert today please contact Friends Legal free on 01252354412.

For further information about Friends Legal and why they're our trusted partner, scroll down.

Get help today, call 01252354412 or fill out the form below.


Please let us know your name.

Please let us know your email address.

Invalid Input

Please tick the box below


Invalid Input



Public Transport Accident Claims

Can injuries caused by an accident on public transport result in a compensation claim? Accidents can conceivably happen on a bus, a taxi or even a train and whilst they do happen, how they are dealt with in personal injury law is not well known. Owing to the lack of clarity on how they can be handled, this guide will cover everything that you need to know regarding being involved in an accident involving public transport. For help at this stage call 01252354412 or fill out the online form at the top of this page.

What does ‘public transport’mean?

If you have ever taken a bus, a taxi, a ferry, a train then you will have travelled via public transport. The situation would be no different if you had travelled via the Eurostar from the UK to France, or if you had spent the day navigating the famous London Underground. All of these modes of transport are public i.e. made available for the use of members of the public. For help at this stage call 01252354412 or fill out the online form at the top of this page.

How are accidents on public transport categorised in law?

If you suffer an accident on public transport i.e. you suffered some degree of harm, then you will have suffered a personal injury. Therefore, injuries sustained on public transport are dealt with under the UK’s personal injury laws.

The circumstances in which you could suffer a personal injury on public transport are varied: you may bump your head on the seat in front of you, if the bus driver brakes abruptly; you may have been hurt because a member of the train’s service team hadn’t taken care of who was behind the refreshment trolley; or you may have been injured because the taxi driver didn’t pay attention to where he was driving.

Regardless as to the mode of transport you were using, if you have suffered an injury on any kind of public transport that was not your fault, you may be able to raise a claim in the courts for financial compensation. To discuss your situation today call 01252354412 or fill out the online form at the top of this page.

How could you make a claim for compensation?

Any attempts to make a claim for an injury suffered on public transport must follow a set process under UK personal injury law. The most important part of the process is for you to be able to show a court that you were entitled to expect that you would not be injured, and that someone else failed to observe your entitlement.

The compensation claim process can be quite complicated, but it involves demonstrating two things:

First, you must be able to show to a court that, in using public transport you were entitled to be able to expect that nothing would be done to put you in harms way. This is known as establishing the existence of a ‘duty of care’. The difficulty of establishing a duty of care will depend on the circumstances. However, people responsible for public transport e.g. bus drivers, taxi drivers, train operators etc. are generally under an obligation to perform their duties with the care and skill that would be expected of someone in their position, i.e. not to do anything that could cause their passengers to suffer injury. They are not expected to drive with the same level of skill expected by an F1 driver or a Fighter Pilot –only that expected of a bus, taxi or train driver.

The second, and arguably more difficult stage in the process, involves demonstrating that the duty of care that you have shown to be owed, was breached: in other words you must establish negligence on the part of the person that your claim is against. No court will make an easy finding of negligence unless there is convincing evidence of this. It is important to understand that it is your responsibility as the person claiming financial compensation to prove negligence. This is why the evidence that you are able to bring before a court is so important. If you are able to give a detailed factual account of your injury then this will make it easier for a court to find negligence. Evidence can include:

  • The circumstances surrounding the accident;
  • Photographs of the accident and any injuries you suffered;
  • Statements of other people that witnessed your accident; and
  • Details of the significance of your injury.

For help and advice contact us to on 01252354412 or fill out the online form at the top of this page.

How much compensation could you be awarded?

If you are successful in proving negligence, it is the task of the court to decide on how much financial compensation you should be provided with. It is advisable to work with an experienced personal injury solicitor when making a compensation claim following an accident on public transport: they will be able to set out in detail for the court what level of compensation should be awarded.

The level of compensation that you could be awarded will depend on the gravity of the accident and your injuries. Furthermore, it will also reflect any resultant impact that your injuries have had on your life, e.g. loss of income, need for professional care to be organised or for family members to care for you. For help and advice regarding your situation call 01252354412 or fill out the online form at the top of this page.

Key points

  • ‘Public Transport’includes buses, trains and taxis
  • In proving negligence, you must demonstrate that your driver did something that they should not have done and that this caused your injury
  • Drivers of public transport are only required to conduct themselves with ordinary care and skill, not extraordinary care and skill
  • The level of compensation you are awarded depends entirely on the severity of your injuries

Nothing in this guide is intended to constitute legal advice and you are strongly advised to seek independent advice on matters that affect you.

For help at this stage call 01252354412 or fill out the online form at the top of this page.

Like this? Why not share.

Jurisdiction

UK

Last Updated

Tuesday, 14 November 2017

Related Items

Accident At Work Claims - Personal Injury Guide UK | Accidents in Public Places | Asbestos Compensation Claims Guide UK - What You Need To Know | Building & Construction Site Accidents - UK Injury Claims Guide | Car Accidents - Personal Injury | Cycling Accident Claims | Fatal accident inquiries (FAI) Scotland | Football Injury Compensation Claims | Gym Injury | Head Injury Compensation Claims - The Complete UK Legal Advice Guide | Health & Safety at Work Claims - Help & Advice Guide | Horse Riding and Equestrian Accident Injury Compensation | Military Accident Injury Claims In The UK | Motorbike Accident Claims in the UK | Personal Injury & Medical Negligence Law in Scotland | Personal Injury & Medical Negligence in England & Wales | Personal Injury Claims Belfast - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Personal Injury Claims Brighton - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Personal Injury Claims Bristol - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Personal Injury Claims Coventry - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Personal Injury Claims Edinburgh - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Personal Injury Claims Hull - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Personal Injury Claims Leeds - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Personal Injury Claims Leicester - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Personal Injury Claims Liverpool - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Personal Injury Claims Manchester - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Personal Injury Claims Newcastle - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Personal Injury Claims Nottingham - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Personal Injury Claims Plymouth - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Personal Injury Claims Sheffield - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Personal Injury Claims Sunderland - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Personal Injury Glasgow - The Complete Guide To Making Your Claim | Road Traffic Accident Claims - UK Compensation Guide | Rugby Injury Claims - Compensation Guide UK | Serious Injury Compensation Claims | Slips, Trips and Falls | Sports Injury Compensation - UK Claims Guide | The Complete Guide to Making a Personal Injury Claim in the UK | Whiplash

Share