School Bus Accident Lawyer

Every single day, around 25 million children ride on 450,000 school buses. While parents and loved ones trust this mode of transport, the sad fact is that nearly 17,000 children are forced to visit emergency rooms each year because of accidents involving school busses. While we like to think that the worst won’t happen, the parents of 17,000 children will tell you otherwise.

What happens after a school bus crash? What are the main causes of such incidents? Who is responsible for school bus accidents? What are the most common injuries? Are we entitled to compensation? To answer the final question first, you may be entitled to compensation if the accident has caused economic and non-economic damages. Feel free to contact The Injury Firm for an experienced school bus injury attorney.

Causes of School Bus Accidents

What are the main causes of school bus accidents? Unfortunately, negligence is still one of the biggest problems with all road accidents, not just those involving school buses. Though it is preventable, negligence is common on the road and can occur with the school bus driver or another driver.

If the school bus driver is found negligent, they are sometimes responsible for any damages caused to passengers. As an example, they may be using a cell phone, following the rules of the road poorly, driving recklessly, or even under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

However, negligence doesn’t just occur with the school bus driver. As mentioned, it can occur in other road users as well as in the bus company. Another driver on the road could drive negligently or the bus company could fail to monitor and maintain vehicles to the right standard. Suddenly, a vehicle defect or damage gets through the cracks and the vehicle gets onto the road when it shouldn’t.

Elsewhere, it could be that no driver did anything wrong. Instead, the road conditions are poor and caused the accident. The bus company could also be accountable for other reasons such as poor recruitment.

The reason a personal injury attorney is so important is that a school bus crash has many complexities. For one thing, the school district likely owns the school bus. Even if the driver was negligent and caused the bus accident, the personal injury case might be filed against the school district rather than the driver.

As you may know, government entities are generally immune from legal challenges. Yet, the rule is slightly different for school bus accidents. Experienced bus accident lawyers at The Injury Firm will understand the intricacies and follow the correct procedures to help your case. It’s important to partner with an experienced professional to avoid mistakes and get the compensation that you deserve.

Of course, we also mustn’t forget that sometimes vehicle manufacturers are to blame for accidents. Did they allow an unsafe school bus to leave the factory? Has the vehicle been designed poorly? When the lives of children are on the line, this is unforgivable.

Injuries After a School Bus Crash

Ultimately, the injuries experienced after a school bus accident depend on the extent of the bus accident itself. While some people are lucky enough to walk away with minimal damage, others experience the following:

• Neck injuries
• Spinal cord damage
• Broken bones
• Strains and sprains
• Head injuries
• Internal injuries
• Amputations
• Concussion
• Lacerations
• Fractures

Naturally, the mind automatically jumps to physical injuries when talking about a school bus crash. Yet, it’s important not to ignore the potential psychological impact on children after such a horrendous experience. For example, some children are left with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). After experiencing an accident, they may not want to get into any vehicle for weeks or months afterward.

A school bus accident lawyer will consider the facts of your case and claim compensation accordingly (we’ll look at compensation in more detail later!).

Dealing with a School Bus Crash

After a school bus accident, somebody should immediately call the police - the police need to assess the crash site and give their early opinions on the cause of the accident. If they determine negligence or another cause, having this initial view will make a future case stronger against the guilty party.

Whether you’re talking to your child immediately after a crash or reading this in retrospect, make sure that your child receives medical attention if they haven’t already. Of course, this is always the priority after they experience any sort of injury. By receiving medical attention, they start on the road to recovery as soon as possible. Medical professionals will look for obvious injuries as well as any signs of internal problems.

Another reason why you should get your child seen is that it starts a paper trail of your child’s injuries. Without medical attention, the defendant may later question the seriousness of your child’s injuries if you didn’t feel the need to seek medical attention. In the past, this has harmed the claims of many parents after a school bus crash.

Even if you’re reading this the day after the accident, it’s still not too late. Sometimes, children don’t initially notice or feel injuries because of the adrenaline coursing around their bodies. The longer you wait, the more your child is at risk and the more it harms a potential future claim.

Once you’re at this stage, contact a school bus accident attorney as soon as possible. Why? Parties will likely get in touch with you to talk about the accident - statements that you make at this stage could impact the compensation claim. While you will need to file a claim with the bus company or school district, it’s best to do so with the experience of a personal injury attorney behind you.

When it comes to any accidents, insurance companies send adjusters to draw statements from victims. Unfortunately, these professionals are trained to get victims to admit blame and reduce the potential compensation package as much as possible.

Obtaining Personal Injury Compensation

What compensation can your family recover after your child was involved in a school bus incident? The idea of compensation is to grant an amount tantamount to the damages experienced. Depending on the accident, you might claim for the following for your school bus accident settlement:

• Lost wages (if you need to take time off work to look after your child)
• Pain and suffering
• Medical bills
• Punitive damages

When building a claim, your personal injury attorney will include any damages that were caused by the accident. If successful, the compensation will cover all costs so that your family isn’t financially damaged by the accident.

If you’ve lost a loved one due to an incident of this nature, a school bus accident attorney will also claim funeral expenses, wrongful death, and similar damages. After determining negligence and fault, your bus accident attorney will work tirelessly to build a strong case and recuperate the compensation that your family deserves after a school bus accident.

Before making a potential mistake, contact a school bus accident attorney and allow them to protect your legal rights. They have the resources, experience, knowledge, and tools to represent your family. If your child was injured while on a school bus, get compensation to prevent damaging the financial future of your family!