Who’s Responsible When NY School Bus Accidents Occur?

On September 20, 2018 by No Comments

If your child is injured in a New York school bus accident, who can be held responsible probably isn’t your first worry. You want to make sure that your kid is okay.

After you get over your initial fears, though, determining responsibility is one of the most important things you can do. Why? A number of reasons.

School bus injuries can be costly. If another’s negligence hurt your child, they should have to pay instead of you. Bus drivers who weren’t during their job shouldn’t be allowed to get behind the wheel again, and filing an injury lawsuit can stop that from happening. The list goes on.

In this post, we’re going to detail the most common parties named in personal injury cases and explain how a knowledgeable NY injury attorney can help you file a claim.

School Bus Accidents in New York

School bus accidents may not happen every day, but when they do, they can cause serious injuries or fatalities to many people – especially children. Those who ride in school buses are not required to wear seat belts, so the injuries can be more severe as compared to injuries in a regular vehicle accident.

A experienced lawyer can examine the details of the accident to determine who may be at fault. Your attorney will look at factors like these to decide liability:

• If the bus was involved in a single or multiple vehicle accident
• If the bus hit a pedestrian
• If a head-on or side collision occurred
• If the bus rolled over on its side
• If any obstructions were on the roadway
• If the bus driver was properly trained
• If the bus driver was impaired
• If the bus had been recently inspected or repaired

Other factors may be at play in your particular case, so it’s important to consult with a lawyer as soon as the accident occurs.

Potential Liable Parties in NY School Bus Accidents

These are the most likely entities who can be held liable in school bus accidents. You may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against one or more of the following parties.

School board or school district

These people are responsible for hiring trained and experienced drivers, and removing drivers who do not practice safe driving or who are known to abuse alcohol. If the board or district representatives are found to be negligent in their decisions or duties, they can be named in a lawsuit.

Bus maintenance and repair companies

In many cases, a company is hired to maintain and repair buses for a school district. That company bears the responsibility of ensuring that all bus parts are operating properly. If the company isn’t doing what it has been contracted to do and an accident occurs as a result, the company may be held liable for your injuries.

Parts manufacturer

If the bus parts or mechanics are found to be defective, and the defect causes a crash that results in your injuries, your attorney can help you file a suit against the manufacturer.

Bus driver

The bus driver is held to a higher standard of conduct than the average driver, as he or she is responsible for everyone on board. If the driver was negligent in any way that led to an injury-causing accident, he or she can be named in a lawsuit.

Another driver

Another driver may have acted with negligence that caused the bus to crash, which resulted in your injuries. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to file a claim against the driver of the vehicle that caused the crash.

Injuries from School Bus Accidents in NY

Common injuries due to school bus accidents include the following:

• Broken bones
• Head injuries
• Brain injuries
• Neck injuries
• Blunt force trauma
• Spinal cord injuries

If you have been injured due to a school bus accident, it’s important that you gather as many details from the accident as possible, including witness statements and pictures. No matter how minor your injury may seem, it’s critical that you seek medical assistance soon after the accident. Serious injuries don’t always show up right away, yet medical professionals will often recognize the signs of ongoing issues.

Many of these injuries can be life-threatening or have life-altering symptoms. Injuries such as concussions may require months of therapy and rehabilitation. You should not be held responsible for medical expenses, lost income, or property damage associated with a school bus injury caused by someone else. Get in touch with a New York injury attorney today to talk over the details and see who may be responsible in your situation.