Lawrenceville MARTA Accident Lawyer

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, commonly known as MARTA, is a massive public transportation system composed of a bus system that is linked to a wide network of rapid transit systems. Billions of people have used the MARTA system since its inception in 1971, and thousands of people move through the MARTA system daily.

MARTA’s officers and operators are responsible for the safety of the people who ride their buses and trains. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a MARTA accident, Spaulding Injury Law is here to help.

Our experienced lawyers will help you obtain the monetary compensation you deserve for your accident-related injuries and other losses.

The Different Kinds of MARTA Accidents

MARTA Bus Accidents

You can find MARTA buses virtually anywhere in Atlanta, whether on residential streets, highways, or downtown. While convenient, however, MARTA buses have seen their share of serious accidents that sometimes lead to death. Recovering compensation from MARTA operators following an accident is very different than filing a standard motor vehicle claim because they are backed by an army of lawyers and ruthless insurance providers who will do all that they can to avoid paying out claims.

MARTA Train and Pedestrian Accidents

These accidents typically occur when a MARTA bus or train injures a pedestrian or even a MARTA contractor or employee. Train passengers can likewise get injured while riding or getting off the train. While these accidents do not happen often, they could lead to serious injuries, even death, when they do.

Accidents in MARTA Property

MARTA operates numerous train terminals and bus stations throughout Atlanta and manages various parking lots for its patrons. Accidents could happen in these places, causing harm and injury to people. For example, some major MARTA accidents have involved elevators and escalators in MARTA property. In these accidents, the cause is equipment malfunction, which means that MARTA and/or its contractors or subcontractors can be held legally liable for the accident and resulting injuries and losses.

MARTA property accidents could likewise include slips and falls. As property owners, MARTA operators must always ensure that the property is regularly maintained and free of potential hazards. Additionally, personal injury or wrongful death claims involving negligent security could be filed against MARTA.

If an individual is killed, injured, or attacked on MARTA property, the operators could be held liable for the incident if they did not have sufficient security. These incidents could include homicide, robbery, aggravated assault, rape, larceny, auto theft, arson, and burglary.

Common Injuries in MARTA Accidents

Aside from being massive, MARTA trains and buses also carry many people every single day. When accidents happen, the resulting injuries could be serious or fatal. Besides injuring passengers, MARTA accidents can also injure pedestrians and other motorists. Likewise, injuries can result from equipment malfunction and poor security and/or maintenance of MARTA property. These injuries could include:

• Whiplash
• Severe lacerations
• Multiple bone fractures
• Severe strains and sprains
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Facial injuries
• Internal bleeding
• Internal organ damage
• Amputation

Our Lawrenceville MARTA accident lawyers here at Spaulding Injury Law have handled MARTA accidents and other public transportation-related cases involving serious injuries. Regardless of the exact nature and severity of your injuries, our skilled lawyers are prepared to fight for your rights to make certain that you are compensated fairly for all your damages.

Damages in MARTA Accident Cases

You may be eligible to recover damages from MARTA operators and other relevant entities if you can prove that they are liable for your injuries and other losses. Medical bills are the most common damages in MARTA accidents. These include all the medical expenses you incurred for diagnosing and treating your injuries and may include future costs for long-term injury treatment. These expenses typically include emergency services, diagnostic testing, hospital stays, medications, doctor’s appointments, physical therapy, assistive devices, and other medical-related fees.

You can likewise claim lost income if you were unable to work due to your injuries and while you were recovering. Also, if you become only capable of working in a diminished capacity because of your injuries, you could recover damages for future lost wages and lost earning capacity.

In addition, MARTA accidents could significantly affect your overall quality of life. In most cases, injured victims can likewise claim pain and suffering damages for the mental and physical pain they have experienced due to the accident.

Third-Party Liability in MARTA Accidents

In some cases, third parties may also be held legally liable for MARTA accidents. For example, contractors or subcontractors that MARTA hired to maintain their buses, trains, equipment, premises, etc. Sometimes, government entities may likewise be indirectly responsible for accidents, such as when poor road conditions or traffic control devices led to the accident. Also, if MARTA operators hire inadequately trained drivers or other workers who caused or contributed to a MARTA accident.

In other cases, MARTA bus accidents also happen due to another driver’s negligence. In this case, the individual who was driving the vehicle or owns the vehicle would be responsible for any damages incurred by MARTA bus occupants in a traffic accident. A Lawrenceville MARTA accident lawyer who has experience handling MARTA accidents could help identify all potentially liable parties in order that you could hold them responsible for their negligent acts and your losses.

Claims involving Government Entities Add an Additional Layer of Complications

Injury claims that are based on negligence are complicated enough, to begin with, but when they involve a government entity, such as the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority ​​(MARTA), they tend to be that much more so. The rules and regulations that apply are heightened, and any misstep on your part can seriously limit your ability to obtain the just compensation to which you are entitled. Having a dedicated Lawrenceville MARTA accident lawyer on your side is the best way to protect your rights – in focused pursuit of your rightful compensation.

An Abbreviated Time Frame

Georgia, like other states, imposes what is called a statute of limitations when it comes to personal injury claims, and the amount of time victims generally have to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party is two years. If, however, you are injured in a MARTA accident, you have only six months to bring a lawsuit against the city, which is responsible for running the sprawling transportation network. To complicate matters, you’ll need to first submit a claim for approval by both the city council and the mayor, and from here – if your claim is denied – you can move forward by filing a lawsuit against the city (the metropolitan Atlanta area) and MARTA specifically. 

Marta Claims and the Duty of Care Owed

The bus drivers and train conductors who work for MARTA are professional drivers who owe everyone a considerable duty of care (which translates to a responsibility to the safety of others). This includes a duty to both passengers and other motorists on the roads. When these MARTA employees fail to live up to the responsibility they accept as professional drivers, it can lead to serious accidents and injuries. The forms of negligence that commonly cause or contribute to MARTA accidents include:

• Driver exhaustion
• Driver impairment by alcohol or drugs 
• Excess speed
• Driver distraction
• Failure to stop or yield the right-of-way
• Failure to adhere to traffic lights, signs, and signals
• Failure to keep a safe distance from forward vehicles

A failure to put safety first can lead to a lapse in the duty of care that MARTA drivers owe everyone on the trains or buses they operate and everyone with whom those trains and busses cross paths.

Filing Your MARTA Claim

Your MARTA claim will be set in motion when you file the necessary form, which is provided by the city. In this form, you must adequately address both of the following:

• The station manager or officer identified – which often means the driver whose negligence caused you to be injured or the officer responsible for the station whose inadequate maintenance caused you to be harmed – was acting within the scope of his or her employment duties in relation to your MARTA accident.
• You experienced losses – such as medical bills, lost earnings, or pain and suffering – that the law recognizes and addresses.

You want to have legal help when filing any paperwork with MARTA. Even the smallest error can derail your claim, so let a MARTA lawyer assist you from the beginning of this process.

Find Out How Spaulding Injury Law Can Help

MARTA accidents, whether involving a bus, train, failed equipment, or premises liability, will require extensive investigation by various governmental agencies and lawyers of the injured victims. Because of the possibility of multiple liable parties, the damages that can be recovered in MARTA accidents can be quite substantial. However, it’s crucial to note that to avoid maximum payouts to injured victims, MARTA will use all its resources, which are virtually bottomless, to protect its name and reputation.

If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries or if a loved one was killed in a MARTA accident, reach out to us here at Spaulding Injury Law for legal assistance. You can schedule your free case review with one of our Lawrenceville MARTA accident lawyers by calling 770-874-8891 or contacting us online.

Spaulding Injury Law: Lawrenceville Personal Injury Lawyers is located at  223 Scenic Hwy S #202, Lawrenceville, GA 30046, United States.