Auto Accidents And Party Buses: Who Is To Blame?

When people book a party bus, they have nothing more than a great time in mind. What they do not have in mind is an accident. Yet, the reality is that an auto accident can happen anywhere, at any time. However, unlike a typical accident, since you are not the vehicle's driver, it can be somewhat challenging to sort out who is to blame or even where you should begin to file a claim. 

At-Fault Party

In determining with who to file a claim in the event of this sort of accident, the most straightforward approach is the at-fault party. For instance, consider a scenario where another driver ran the stop sign and slammed into the party bus. In this instance, the vehicle's driver is the likely at-fault party.

In this scenario, any passengers on the bus would file their claims for compensation with the insurance company representing the driver. While this is the best-case scenario, if it is hard to identify who is to blame, an attorney can help investigate the matter to determine who is at fault. 

Business Structure

If the party bus driver is to blame for the accident, determining who to file a claim with can be a little more challenging. You first must determine if the driver is an employee or a contractor. If they are a contractor, any victims would likely be able to file a claim against the party bus company.

However, this would not be the case if the driver was a contractor. In this scenario, since the driver is not an employee, the company can also argue that they are not liable for their actions. As a result, victims, in this case, may not be able to file a claim against the party bus company. 

Duty to Establish a Safe Environment

The driver's responsibility of the party bus does not rest solely with their duty to transport you from one place to another. Instead, it is their responsibility to ensure the bus is safe. When the passengers of a party bus are over the age of 21, alcohol may be involved. 

The driver must ensure no person is intoxicated to the point that their safety is at risk. In the case of an accident, if the injuries someone sustained were partly due to the driver's unwillingness to maintain a safe environment on the bus, they could face additional liability. 

If you were involved in an accident on a party bus, contact an attorney who can assist you through the process. 

To learn more, contact a company like Eisdorfer, Eisdorfer & Eisdorfer.