As the festive season gets underway, many of us may be making more use of public transport options to avoid the lengthy delays and difficulties finding parking that are common in so many towns and cities at this time of year. As a passenger, the responsibility falls on the driver or conductor to follow all safety procedures to transport you safely to or from your destination. Whether you use public transport on a regular basis, or only on a rare occasion, it can be very unsettling and upsetting if you suffer a personal injury or accident while travelling. If you have suffered an injury in a public transport accident that was not your fault, you may be entitled to claim compensation. 

Types of Accidents 

There are many types of claims that can result from an accident on a bus. You might have had a trip or fall while on the bus, or getting on or off the bus; been involved in a collision with another vehicle; or an injury sustained on the bus due to poor driving.

Likewise, on a train or tram, you might have suffered an accident while boarding or disembarking the train, or encountering faulty electric doors; you might have encountered a trip or slip hazard such as wet floors that have not been properly identified and dealt with; the train might stop suddenly causing objects to be dislodged or fall, or you yourself might fall onboard as a result. We also regularly hear about tram (Luas) collisions with pedestrians or road traffic accidents in the news.

If you have been travelling with a taxi, you may sustain an injury during an accident while on your journey. This might be a side impact collision, a head-on collision, or a rear-end collision in a taxi. 

The injuries you might have suffered could include whiplash, broken bones or fractures, cuts or lacerations, back, head or neck injuries, brain or spinal damage, or damage to your legs, arms, feet or hands. 

What to do if you have been involved in an accident while using public transport

If you have been involved in a public transport accident, the first thing you should do is seek medical attention if required. 

• You should take as detailed an account as possible of the accident including as many details as you can. This should include the taxi registration number and insurance details, or details of any of the drivers and other vehicles;
• Take photographs or videos of the scene / location if it is safe to do so, as this can also help in assessing the incident at a later stage; 
• If there are any witnesses, it is recommended that you take their contact details so that their account can be taken into consideration; 
• Alert the Gardaí – while they might not need to attend every public transport accident, it is important that you report the incident. For any serious accidents, the Gardaí will most certainly need to assess the incident and make a report of the scene. 

Making a Public Transport Accident Claim 

If you have been involved in a public transport accident and have suffered a personal injury, you may be able to make a personal injury compensation claim. If you would like assistance regarding your personal injury* claim, please contact our team here at Martin A. Harvey & Co. Solicitors, and we would be happy to assist you in any way that we can. Freephone 1800 – 396 396 or fill out our contact form here. 

*In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.