Train, Bus, and Plane Accidents — Common Carrier Liability

Trains, buses, and planes all fit into the category of common carriers (under Pennsylvania law, a common carrier is essentially any person or entity that accepts money to transport passengers).  If you’ve been injured while traveling with a common carrier, or in the course of waiting/boarding/etc., then you could be entitled to compensation.  Common carrier regulations require that they provide a safe environment for passengers and that they exert significant efforts in doing so.

Curious about your claims?  Contact Drake, Hileman & Davis, PC to discuss your case with one of our experienced attorneys.  We will evaluate your claims and work with you to identify a winning strategy for securing the compensation you deserve.

The Standard of Care for Common Carriers

Common carriers are held to the “highest possible” standard of care, though it’s important to note that they are not guarantors of safety.  Put simply, common carriers are expected to take significant precautions to ensure that they do not expose passengers to an unreasonable risk of harm.

Importantly, the duty of care for common carriers not only applies to situations centering around the transportation of passengers (i.e., operating the vehicle), but also to the facilities in which passengers are picked up and dropped off as part of their journey.

Confused?  Let’s clarify with a brief example.

Suppose that you are assaulted at a bus station while waiting for a private coach to pick you up.  You suffer serious injuries as a result and bring an action against the coach line for damages.  In your subsequent lawsuit, you could reasonably argue that the coach line failed in their duties as a common carrier, as they did not properly light the bus station (thus attracting violent behaviors), and they did not hire sufficient security personnel to protect passengers from attack.

Common carriers must not only invest resources into shielding passengers from harm during the journey itself but also on either side of the journey (in facilities that are within their ability to control).

Contact DHD Law to Arrange for a Free Consultation With an Allentown Injury Attorney

If you’ve been injured in a train, bus, or plane accident, or any other accident involving a common carrier defendant, then you may be entitled to significant damages.  We encourage you to contact Drake, Hileman & Davis, PC for guidance on how to proceed.

Litigating an injury claim against a common carrier can be quite challenging in some ways, and easier in others — though common carriers tend to have substantial resources at their disposal (with which to litigate), they are also held to a higher standard of care, making them liable in situations that might otherwise not seem to imply negligence.

Ready to discuss your claims?  Call us at 888-777-7098 or complete an online intake form through our website to schedule a free and confidential consultation with an experienced Allentown injury attorney at our firm.