A recent school bus accident in San Bernardino seems to back statistics that most school bus crashes are head-on collisions. Elderly couple driving a Jeep struck the bus after running a red light. Fortunately, no kids were on the bus. Unfortunately, the bus driver and the elderly couple in the Jeep were hurt.
From initial reports, it appears that the Jeep was at fault therefore no legal action would be taken on part of the bus, the driver or the school district. In cases where the opposite is true, victims would have had a chance to recover compensation from a number of possibly responsible parties such as the school bus driver, school district or the bus repair company.
Sources at the scene said the passengers of the Jeep were hurt the most. Thankfully, no fatalities were reported as of yet. Bus accident statistics say that over 70% of all fatalities in school bus accidents can be attributed to occupants of vehicles other than the bus.
It is still unclear what exactly lead to the accident, whether it was a medical condition, drugs or alcohol. Although unlikely, even an auto part malfunction cannot be ruled out until investigations are completed.
Upon getting medical treatment, people injured in car accidents should contact an attorney to deal with the insurance claim if conditions allow. It is the only way to ensure fair compensation as insurance companies often try to low-ball your claim. Types of compensation recovered may include pain and suffering, cost of medical treatment, loss of wages, loss of earning capacity, loss of consortium, life car and wrongful death. Without an attorney who has handled similar claims in the past and can fight for the injured persons’ rights, it may be difficult or impossible to put a dollar on intangible losses.
In cases where school buses are at fault, it is equally imperative to hire an attorney to hold the responsible parties liable. Bus drivers generally owe passengers a certain duty of care. Non-passengers can also claim damages based on injuries sustained.
