Common Carrier Accidents

There are state and federal regulations regarding the liability to passengers injured while using a common carrier. A common carrier is one who represents to the public that its business is one of transporting persons or cargo from place to place for compensation, and such services are generally open to the public. Generally, commercial buses, ferries, trains, and airplanes are considered common carriers. A common carrier is generally required to use the highest degree of care in transporting passengers. The common carrier must have the necessary equipment and a reasonable degree of skill to carry out the transportation of passengers.

In California, a common carrier must use the utmost care and diligence for the safe carriage of its passengers, must provide everything necessary for that purpose, and must exercise to that end a reasonable degree of skill. This duty requires a common carrier do all that human care, vigilance and foresight reasonably can do under the circumstances. It includes protecting passengers from assaults by others, including fellow passengers when the common carrier knows or should know that an assault is about to occur. In common carrier accident cases it is essential that measures be taken promptly to preserve evidence, investigate the accident in question and to enable physicians or other expert witnesses to thoroughly evaluate any injuries. Our firm has successfully represented many victims injured as a result of common carrier negligence.

Mr. Corwin can be emailed at scott@sjclaw.com.