Public Transportation

Public Transportation has been around for hundreds of years in the form of busses, trains, boats, airplanes and subways. Although these means of transportation often have strict safety guidelines and mandated maintenance checks, according to The United States Department of Transportation, 95,899 public transportation accidents were reported in 2014. Joseph E. (Jed) Dietrich and the Dietrich Law Firm understand the frequency and severity of bus, train boat, plane and subway accidents because we work on cases like them every single day. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury while on public transportation or as a result of the negligence of the operator of one of these types of vehicles, our experienced and qualified Buffalo public transportation accident attorneys are here to help.
Following a public transportation accident, it can be difficult to determine what course of action you need to take- but remembering these 4 easy steps can help ease your stresses and provide information to your Buffalo public transportation accident attorneys at the Dietrich Law Firm P.C.:

1) Ensuring that you obtain the proper medical treatment for your injuries is the most important thing you need to worry about after any accident. Your health is what matters the most! By pursuing treatment as soon as possible following your accident, you allow your medical professionals to determine the most appropriate plan of care which will allow you to return to your pre-injury status.

2) No matter how minor the accident may seem, it is important that you call the police following an accident. In New York State you are legally required to notify the police if an involved party is killed or seriously injured. A police report can be invaluable in determining fault following motor vehicle crashes. It also is hard proof of demographic data such as the location the collision occurred and the day and time. It is always a good idea to get the name of the responding officer to the scene.

3) Try to gather as much information from the scene as possible, while remaining in a safe location.
• Name(s), number(s) and contact information of anyone involved
• Vehicle descriptions (make, model, year)
• License plate number(s)
• Witnesses to what happened
• Insurance Information
• Pictures (vehicle damage, injuries, etc.)

4) Depending on the type of accident you were in, there could be timelines as strict as 90 days to file a lawsuit against the correct liable party. By conducting an aggressive investigation of your claim as soon as possible, our public transportation accident attorneys in Buffalo will work quickly and diligently to gather the necessary information to ensure that you receive the highest level of personal injury service.

One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to get around Buffalo is by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) Metro system. You can easily get to and from the Harbor Center downtown for a Buffalo Sabres game, to Niagara Falls to catch a ride on the Maid of the Mist and even to your daily activities such as going to school, work and doctors’ appointments. According to the NFTA Annual Performance Report for 2018, the NFTA Metro System operators traveled, collectively, about 10,000,000 miles in one calendar year. The 2018 NFTA Annual Performance Report also notes that the NFTA Metro System accounted for 224 avoidable motor vehicle collisions in 2018- which is the highest number of accidents in the past 8 years.

Immediately following an accident of any kind- especially while on public transportation- emotions run high and stress kicks in. Not knowing who to talk to and who to trust is often a fear that many of our clients have expressed feeling prior to retaining our Buffalo public transportation accident attorneys.

The NFTA Metro System is a municipality, or it has its own government- meaning that there are different laws in place for the corporation. Our public transportation accident attorneys in Buffalo are experienced with the laws surrounding filing a personal injury claim against a municipality in New York State, such as the strict timelines for filing claims. A notice of claim, or written notice to the corporation of the lawsuit that will be filed, must be submitted to the entity within 90 days of the date of accident. The statute of limitations, or the amount of time a claimant has to sue for damages, on motor vehicle collisions in New York State is normally 3 years from the date of accident. However, when a municipality is involved, this timeline is reduced to one year and 90 days from the date of accident. Our firm works diligently and effectively to ensure that these deadlines are met on behalf of our clients.

In some circumstances, the municipality may require a 50-h hearing during the course of your case. Joseph E. (Jed) Dietrich will help prepare you for this hearing and also go to the hearing with you to make sure you feel as comfortable as possible each and every step of the way. At this hearing, under oath you will go over the basics of how the accident happened and any details about the incident that you can recall, your medical treatment, time off of work and how the accident has impacted and will continue to impact your life. By having our trustworthy Buffalo public transportation accident attorneys on your side, you will feel well prepared and confident throughout your case.

The last thing a parent wants to hear is that the school bus their child was on was in an accident. Although busses are often thought to be a safe way for children to get to and from school, unfortunately our office knows that is not always the case. School busses without seatbelts and proper monitoring, with improperly trained/negligent drivers or out of date maintenance checks can be a cause of tragic accidents. With school bus accidents, taking the time to assess liability in each circumstance is crucial- whether it be the bus driver, the bus company or even the school district. By joining the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. family, you will see that our skilled Buffalo public transportation accident attorneys fight tooth and nail to ensure that your family is compensated fairly for the traumatic accident that your child unfairly had to experience.   

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