A woman was struck by a MARTA bus in downtown Atlanta early on Friday, January 15. According to a spokesperson for the transit agency, the accident occurred at the intersection of Alabama and Forsyth streets at about 7 a.m.

The bus was reportedly making a left turn at the intersection when it ran into a woman who was crossing the road close to the Five Points rail station. She was inside a crosswalk at the time of the accident and suffered an undisclosed shoulder injury. A passenger on the bus also suffered a minor injury. They were both taken to be treated at Grady Memorial Hospital.

Atlanta police officers ticketed the bus driver for failure to yield to a pedestrian. The driver was then submitted to mandatory alcohol and drug testing. The results of those tests were not immediately available.

Where does liability fall?

Because the woman was in a crosswalk at the time of the accident, it was the responsibility of the driver to yield to her and let her safely cross the street. Therefore, it’s possible that the woman could take legal action to seek compensation for her medical bills and suffering.

This type of case is slightly more complicated than a standard passenger car/pedestrian accident because of the type of vehicle involved. In this case, the defendant in a lawsuit would be MARTA and not the driver, as bus agencies and local governments are considered liable when their employees injure another person in the scope of their work (with some exceptions).

To learn more about how you might file a personal injury lawsuit after you have been injured in an accident with a bus or other form of public transportation, consult the trusted Atlanta auto accident lawyers at McMenamy Law LLC.