Who We Are and How We Can Help You

Gomez Trial Attorneys is a leading Southern California law firm representing individuals who have suffered injuries and losses because of soeone else’s wrongful actions. From our numerous offices around the region, including on West Adams Avenue in El Centro, we fight to make sure that our clients receive compensation to pay for the physical, emotional, and financial pain inflicted by an injury.

The team of award-winning trial lawyers at Gomez Trial Attorneys has secured tens of millions of dollars in settlements, judgments, and jury verdicts for our clients. We can never guarantee results, but we can give our clients the confidence of knowing their lawyers have the skill, knowledge, and resources to get top-dollar results in even the most challenging bus accident cases.

Types of El Centro Bus Accidents We Handle

Bus accidents happen in different ways, and each causes unique and unexpected injuries to victims. At Gomez Trial Attorneys in El Centro, we handle bus accident cases arising from a wide array of circumstances, including:

El Centro School Bus Accidents

We trust that our children will get to and from school safely on buses operated by local school districts. Accidents involving school buses can inflict unspeakable tragedy on families and communities.

School bus accidents can result from driver negligence, mechanical failure, and a host of other preventable mistakes and circumstances. The team at Gomez Trial Attorneys investigates those causes, identifies the parties at-fault, and pursues maximum compensation on behalf of injured children and grieving families.

Imperial Valley Transit Bus Accidents

Accidents involving Imperial Valley Transit buses can happen on highways and at in-town intersections. No matter where they occur, they put passengers, motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists in danger of severe and fatal injuries.

IV Transit and its contracted transit provider, First Transit, have a basic responsibility for ensuring the reliability and safe operation of El Centro public transportation buses. If buses are poorly maintained, driven by unqualified or unskilled drivers, or operated in a manner that puts passengers and the public in danger, then those entities may have a legal liability to accident victims.

The Gomez Trial Attorneys team has years of experience holding public and quasi-public entities like transit authorities accountable for the unsafe operation of buses resulting in accidents and injuries.

Charter and Long-Distance Passenger Bus Accidents

Privately operated charter and passenger buses are not immune to accidents, either. You may encounter these buses as they traverse the area on I-8, or when party buses bring tourists and other visitors to the more narrow streets of downtown El Centro.

Charter and passenger buses are large, heavy vehicles. They can inflict massive damage on smaller vehicles in a collision, resulting in catastrophic injuries to drivers and passengers. Passengers of a charter bus can suffer injuries in accidents because they are not required to wear seat belts, and rarely do so. Rollovers of tour and charter buses can cause particularly severe and fatal injuries.

At Gomez Trial Attorneys, we have the resources, knowledge, and attention to detail necessary to dissect the intricate facts of a private bus accident. We know how to untangle the complicated commercial relationships frequently involved in the ownership and operation of private buses to make sure we identify and pursue every party who may owe damages to our clients.

Common Causes of El Centro Bus Accidents That May Create Liability

Over 15,000 injuries occur in bus accidents annually. Transit and school bus accidents account for a good portion of these total injuries. But not all injuries happen to passengers on the bus. Many injuries occur to drivers or passengers of other vehicles, as well as to pedestrians, cyclists, and other non-motorists.

The vast majority of bus accidents are preventable, resulting as they do from a variety of human errors.

Clients of Gomez Trial Attorneys may recover compensation for El Centro bus accident injuries resulting from:

• Driver fatigue;
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol;
• Distracted driving;
• Dangerous, avoidable road conditions;
• Failures to yield;
• Running a stoplight or stop sign;
• Speeding;
• Defective bus parts;
• Improper driver training;
• Improper bus maintenance; and
• Overloaded cargo or imbalanced bus weight.

These are only examples of some of the types of human errors that can lead to bus accidents in El Centro. No matter what decisions or actions lie at the root of an El Centro bus accident, the team at Gomez Trial Attorneys has the know-how to find the culprit and pursue full compensation.

What to Do After an El Centro Bus Accident

The steps you take immediately after an El Centro bus accident can play a significant role in your ability to recover maximum compensation for your injuries. Follow these steps to protect your rights.

Seek Medical Attention, Even if You Don’t Feel Injured

Always have a doctor examine you after any bus accident in El Centro, even if you do not feel injured in the moments or hours afterward. The stress of getting into an accident can mask the pain you might otherwise feel. Also, some potentially serious injuries may not show symptoms right away.

An examination by a qualified physician can spot any injuries you may have suffered in a bus accident, especially those that could get worse if left untreated. As an added benefit, seeking medical attention as soon as possible after an El Centro bus accident ensures that medical records document the connection between the accident and any injuries, which can constitute important evidence in a later lawsuit seeking compensation for you.

Do What Your Doctor Tells You

As important as seeking medical attention is following your doctor’s advice and doing everything you can to get better. That means going to your doctor for follow-ups, taking your medication, and doing your prescribed physical therapy.

Following your doctor’s orders gives you the best possible shot at regaining your health. It also protects you against someone claiming that you made your own injuries worse by not taking care of yourself.

Contact an Experienced Bus Accident Lawyer Right Away

Calling a lawyer may not come to mind as an important step to take right away, but after seeking medical help, it could be the most important action you take.

El Centro bus accident injuries can leave you facing massive medical bills, costly time off from work, and pain you do not deserve. You should receive compensation for the harm you have suffered, and the sooner you get it, the better off you will be.

By speaking with a skilled El Centro bus accident attorney right away, you give that lawyer the greatest possible opportunity to gather evidence on your behalf, interview witnesses before their memories fade, and press your claim at the most advantageous time.

The personal injury lawyers at Gomez Trial Attorneys invite you to contact us as soon as possible after your El Centro bus accident.Potential El Centro Bus Accident Damages

At Gomez Trial Attorneys, our goal is to secure maximum compensation for our clients from anyone whose wrongful actions caused their El Centro bus accident.

Every bus accident matter we handle for a client differs, but in general, legal action may secure payment for:

• Medical expenses related to treating bus accident injuries, including a client’s expected future medical costs.
• Other costs related to adapting to or living with an injury suffered in a bus accident;
• Wages and income our client could not earn, or will not earn in the future, because of El Centro bus accident injuries;
• Non-economic damages such as physical pain, emotional suffering, diminished quality of life, and harm to personal relationships; and
• In some cases, exemplary damages to punish the at-fault party for extreme conduct that led to the bus accident.

Gomez Trial Attorneys’ lawyers know that the majority of an El Centro client’s expenses for bus accident injuries may come in the future. Depending on the severity of those injuries, a client may spend lots of time out of work. In the worst cases, the client may never return to work, severely limiting the client’s future income. Shouldering this financial burden can leave families in dire straits.

Our team at Gomez Trial Attorneys works hard to prevent that from happening to our clients. We work closely with our clients to establish an accurate estimate of their future financial needs.

While no lawyer can guarantee how much money an El Centro bus accident victim may receive, a lawyer can establish a reliable calculator of damages by digging into the evidence and working with trusted medical and financial experts who understand future medical and financial needs.

Frequently Asked Questions About El Centro Bus Accident Cases

Getting into an accident in El Centro can be a traumatic experience, especially when it involves you riding in or getting hit by a bus.

In the aftermath of an El Centro bus accident, victims have lots of questions about their legal rights and financial options. Below, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions we hear from potential clients about bus accident cases. For answers to your specific questions, you can always contact Gomez Trial Attorneys in El Centro to speak with an experienced bus accident attorney.

What El Centro bus accident injuries do you handle?

El Centro bus accidents cause a wide array of injuries.

The experienced bus accident injury lawyers at Gomez Trial Attorneys have years of combined experience fighting to secure compensation for virtually all types of them, such as:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that cause lasting impairment and, in the worst cases, a permanent loss of consciousness;
• Spinal cord injuries (SCI) that result in loss of sensation and bodily function, and paralysis;
• Amputations and crush injuries that deprive an El Centro bus accident victim of the use of a limb or appendage;
• Neck, shoulder, and back injuries that leave our clients struggling with limited mobility and living in constant pain; and
• Broken bones and orthopedic injuries that may require multiple surgeries to repair, and may still cause limitations.

These are just some of the types of injuries for which Gomez Trial Attorneys can help our clients secure compensation. No matter what injury you suffered in an El Centro bus accident, we invite you to contact us to learn more about how we may help.

My child was injured on an El Centro school bus. Can I collect damages?

There’s a good chance you can, so speak with an attorney about the accident as soon as possible.

Parents of children injured on a school bus, or any other vehicle for that matter, generally have the right under California law to take legal action on their child’s behalf to obtain financial compensation for the child’s injuries and the financial losses it caused.

However, obtaining damages for a child’s school bus accident injuries may involve taking legal action against a public entity like a school district. In California, that can mean following special procedures and meeting tight filing deadlines. You may have as little as six months after the date of the accident to act to preserve your child’s rights to compensation.

It takes the skill and legal knowledge of an experienced bus accident attorney, like the team at Gomez Trial Attorneys, to pursue a claim against a public entity like a school district. Contact us right away to learn more about your rights.

I was a passenger in a vehicle hit by a bus in El Centro. Can I still collect damages?

Yes. You do not need to be a passenger on a bus to file a claim for injuries you suffered in an El Centro bus accident. Buses are many times larger and heavier than passenger vehicles. Because of this, buses can cause catastrophic damage and injuries in a collision, even at slow speeds.

When a bus is involved in a traffic accident, it is common for people in other vehicles, as well as non-motorists like pedestrians and cyclists, to suffer injuries. Just because you were not on the bus does not prevent you from collecting compensation from the at-fault party or parties.

Speak with the El Centro bus accident lawyers at Gomez Trial Attorneys. We fight for compensation for victims of bus accidents no matter what type of vehicle they were (or were not) riding in.

How do I know if I have a valid El Centro bus accident injury claim?

As a practical matter, chances are that you have a claim. Bus accidents should not happen. Most people who get injured in them are bus passengers or passengers in other vehicles. Those victims rarely play any role in the cause of the accident and may have claims to file for their injuries and losses.

In general, you may seek compensation for any injury caused by someone else’s unreasonably dangerous decisions or actions.

In an El Centro bus accident, that may include:

• The employer of a bus driver who made mistakes behind the wheel that led to an accident;
• The owner or operator of a bus that crashes because of a failure to maintain it in roadworthy condition;
• The manufacturer of a bus that gets into an accident because of a mechanical or electrical defect;
• Other motorists whose dangerous driving conduct around buses lead to an accident.

These are just a few examples. Every bus accident case we handle at Gomez Trial Attorneys has unique facts and circumstances. Contact us to learn about who may owe you compensation for your El Centro bus accident injuries.

How much is my El Centro bus accident case worth?

Every El Centro bus accident injury case is unique, which makes it difficult for lawyers to predict the value of a claim without digging deep into the facts.

In general, the value of a compensation claim depends on:

• The nature and extent of your bus accident injuries, which influence the size of the medical and other costs you face, the amount of time you may miss from work, and the degree of your pain and suffering.
• The availability of evidence and your lawyer’s ability to prove your case. To secure compensation on your behalf, a lawyer must have the evidence and skill to establish someone else’s liability and the size of your damages.
• The financial resources available to pay for your damages. The majority of bus accident injury claims get paid by liability insurance or out of the assets of the party at-fault. The higher the value of those resources, the better the chances of payment of the full value of a claim.

Choosing the right lawyer to represent you in your El Centro bus accident injury case can enhance the value of your claim. Gomez Trial Attorneys can point to a long track record of securing high value compensation for their injured clients. Contact us today to learn about the potential value of your El Centro bus accident injury claim.

A bus hit me while walking in El Centro. What are my rights?

California law protects pedestrians by giving them the right of way at all intersections, even if there is no crosswalk. This means that drivers must yield to pedestrians. If a bus collided with you while walking in El Centro, then chances are you have the right to receive substantial financial compensation for your injuries and losses.

The team at Gomez Trial Attorneys can investigate the accident and determine who may owe you damages. Keep in mind that you may have a claim not just against the bus operator, but also against the government agency that designed, built, or maintained an unreasonably dangerous section of road or intersection where it happened.

Can I still recover accident damages if I wasn’t wearing a seatbelt as an El Centro bus passenger?

Yes, you still can in many cases.

It’s always a good idea to wear a seatbelt in any vehicle, including as a bus passenger. If you suffered injuries as a bus passenger in an El Centro bus accident, however, your rights to receive compensation for your injuries do not necessarily depend on whether you were wearing a seatbelt.

At Gomez Trial Attorneys, we frequently represent individuals who suffered injuries in accidents in which they might have done more to protect themselves from harm. No one is perfect, but that does not excuse other people’s negligence and wrongful conduct. Contact us to learn about your rights to compensation.

Why does my lawyer need to investigate my El Centro bus accident?

Law enforcement typically investigates bus accidents in El Centro, but your lawyer may want to conduct an independent investigation, too. Here’s why.

Lawyers conduct these investigations not out of mistrust of the police, but because lawyers like the team at Gomez Trial Attorneys frequently work with engineering, forensic, and mechanical experts who have the experience and resources to uncover additional information that can enhance the strength and value of a claim. Police and public accident investigators may lack the time and resources to dig into the cause of bus accidents in the same level of detail.

The attention to detail the skilled lawyers at Gomez Trial Attorneys bring to their work helps to ensure that they build the strongest possible cases for their clients in El Centro bus accident matters.

Should I take the settlement money the at-fault party’s insurance company offered me after my El Centro bus crash?

Not yet. You just need to make sure that any settlement payment you receive covers your needs to the greatest extent possible. To make sure the money an insurance company has offered you compensates you fairly, consult with an experienced El Centro bus accident injury lawyer from Gomez Trial Attorneys before agreeing to or signing anything.

A settlement is a contract. In exchange for offering you a payment for your injuries and losses, insurance companies demand that you waive your right to pursue a legal claim against the insurance company or its policyholder in the future for your bus accident injuries.

You cannot afford to settle for the wrong amount. If you agree to an inadequate payment, then your funds may run out and leave you empty-handed when you need to pay for medical care or other necessities.

Insurance companies routinely make low settlement offers directly to accident victims in hopes they will agree to them before consulting with a lawyer. You can avoid making the mistake of taking less compensation than you deserve by leaving negotiation of any settlement of your claim to a skilled El Centro bus accident injury lawyer.

How long do I have to file an El Centro bus accident damages claim?

In California, in most cases, you have only two years after the date of an El Centro bus accident to file a claim against a private party for damages, and just six months to take action against a government entity. Missing a deadline for filing a claim can result in the permanent loss of your legal rights to receive compensation.

In other words, you have no time to lose in contacting an experienced bus accident injury attorney to discuss your rights. Gomez Trial Attorneys encourages you to contact us as soon as possible after an El Centro bus accident harms you or a loved one.

Will I have to go to court to get money for my El Centro bus crash injuries?

The award-winning trial lawyers of Gomez Trial Attorneys feel at home in the courtroom. However, we understand that many of our clients do not share our level of comfort with going to court. Some worry, in particular, about the stress, uncertainty, and publicity of testifying in open court.

Here’s the good news. The majority of claims we handle at Gomez Trial Attorneys do not end up being decided in a trial. That’s just the nature of the American civil legal system. Instead, most cases get settled before a trial begins.

So, as a general proposition, the odds are against you having to testify in open court. That does not mean it cannot happen, however. It’s not always easy to tell which cases will be the ones that go the distance to trial.

Clients of Gomez Trial Attorneys can always rest assured, however, that we will be with them every step of the way. We do our best to make our clients comfortable in the courtroom, and we protect their rights vigorously against anyone who tries to give them a hard time.

How much does it cost to hire Gomez Trial Attorneys’ El Centro bus accident lawyers?

Nothing, unless we get you results.

First, at Gomez Trial Attorneys in El Centro, we offer free consultations for anyone who has suffered an injury and wants to find out about their legal rights. A member of our team will connect with you at the time and in the manner most convenient for you and your family. Anything we discuss remains 100 percent confidential, even if we do not end up representing you.

Next, in cases we take for victims of El Centro bus accidents, we virtually always work on contingency. That means we get a fee only if we secure payment for our client’s injuries and losses. We do not charge our client money upfront or as the case goes along. We only get paid if our client gets paid.

So, do not let your financial concerns keep you from speaking with the team at Gomez Trial attorneys about your El Centro bus accident injuries. Speaking with us comes with no risk to you, and could give you a substantial financial benefit in the long run.

Call Our Award-Winning El Centro Bus Accident Injury Lawyers

Suffering injuries in an El Centro bus accident can take an extreme financial, physical, and emotional toll on you and your family. You deserve compensation from the at-fault parties. The skilled bus accident injury lawyers at Gomez Trial Attorneys can help.

Our team has years of experience fighting to make sure victims of other people’s wrongdoing receive the money they need to pay for their medical care, lost wages, pain, and suffering. Our track record of success gives us a reputation that benefits our clients day-in, day-out.

If a bus accident in El Centro harmed you or a loved one, then contact Gomez Trial Attorneys online or call our El Centro office at 833-GET GOMEZ (833-438-4663) today for a free case evaluation. We can help you understand your rights and options for securing the compensation you deserve.

Injured in an accident? Get a real trial lawyer. Get Gomez.

Gomez Trial Attorneys
2299 West Adams Avenue, Suite 102
El Centro, CA 92243
(760)-259-2166