Liability in a School Bus Accident
When you drop your child off at school, you expect the school and all its staff to care for them as you would. What happens when you find out they’re injured on the bus? What are your options?
Common Causes of School Bus Accidents
School buses, just like traditional passenger vehicles, are at risk of being in an accident. In fact, school bus accidents can, and do, occur. They have occurred in numerous U.S. states, all for a variety of causes. Fortunately, they don’t tend to occur as frequently as passenger vehicle accidents. School bus accidents can occur for a variety of reasons, including:
- Distracted drivers
- A driver under the influence
- Bad weather
- Mechanical problems
Liability can also come from a variety of people, including the bus driver, other drivers on the road, or even the school bus mechanic. For this reason, it’s not always easy to determine who is liable when a child is injured while riding on a school bus. While you may not initially look for someone to blame, liability may become important as your child’s medical bills pile up.
Why You Need a Lawyer
If your child was injured while riding on a school bus, it’s crucial that you have your own legal representation. The school will likely hire its own, who will protect the best interests of the bus driver or the school. Your case will likely involve a lot of investigation to find out what happened.
This will include photographs or video evidence from the scene of the accident. It might also include witness statements or evaluation of maintenance reports.
What is a Tort?
When a school bus accident leads to injuries, it’s referred to as a tort. There are two main types of torts, which include negligence or intentional. In most cases, school bus accidents are an act of negligence. This means that someone made a mistake or was negligent in their care, which led to the injury.
A few potential samples of negligence might include a driver who is texting while driving or a mechanic who failed to complete a full inspection of the bus. Identifying negligence, and the liable party is not always easy. It usually requires careful evaluation, which is why it’s so important to have a lawyer.
Liability can go even further than the school bus driver, another driver, or the bus mechanic. For example, if the school bus driver lacked the necessary safety training, the school itself may also be at fault. It’s their duty to screen and hire bus drivers. It’s also important to note that different school districts handle the hiring of transportation services differently. This can make a big difference when it comes to determining liability following a school bus accident.
Contact a New Jersey School Bus Accident Lawyer
Your child should never return home from school with an injury. If they do, someone needs to find out what happened. The responsible person should cover not only their medical bills but also any other costs associated with the accident. This might include your lost wages or even the pain and suffering that you and your child have had to experience.
Contact a Hudson County Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your School Bus Case in New Jersey
Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a bus accident in New Jersey? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Birkhold & Maider, LLC represent clients injured because of a school bus accident in Hudson County, Essex County, Mercer County, Union County, and throughout New Jersey. Call (973) 947-4670 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 189 Franklin Avenue, Suite 1 Nutley, NJ 07110, as well as a satellite office in Hamilton, NJ.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.
