Fortunately, school bus accidents are a rare occurrence. However, they can unfortunately still happen as a result of negligence. Understandably, it is every parent’s worst nightmare to hear the news their child has been injured in a collision while on their way to or from school. However, following a school bus accident, it is critical to understand the facts of the accident as fault allocation plays a crucial role in your ability to recover monetary compensation for your child’s damages. If your child has been injured in a school bus accident, you need a determined Bronx Auto Accident Lawyer on your side. Keep reading to learn who may be liable for this type of auto accident and discover how our skilled team members can help you today.
Who may be liable for a school bus accident?
When a school bus accident occurs, parents immediately point their fingers at the bus driver. Although the bus driver may be responsible in some cases, there are also other parties whose negligence may have contributed to the cause of the collision. Bus drivers can be held liable for an accident if their negligent actions caused the collision to occur. For instance, if the bus driver was texting while driving or ran a red light, a lawsuit can be filed against them.
In most school bus accident cases the school district can be named in a lawsuit as they were responsible for hiring bus drivers with proper training and experience to safely transport children. Additionally, they are required to ensure the school’s buses are in good condition by conducting regular maintenance routines. If they fail to hire drivers with the proper experience or fail to maintain the vehicle, the school district can be held responsible for their negligence. Moreover, the owner of the school bus may be at fault for the cause of a collision. In some cases, school districts are outsourced vehicles from government entities or private companies. When this is the case, the owner of the bus must perform routine maintenance to ensure there are no issues with the vehicle. If the owner of the bus fails to properly maintain the vehicle and remedy potential mechanical issues, a claim can be filed against them to collect compensation.
The manufacturer of the school bus may also be at fault if they provide the school district with vehicles that have defective or malfunctioning parts. For instance, if the collision was caused because of a faulty brake or a defective blinker, you can file a claim against the manufacturer to collect monetary compensation for your damages.
If your child has been injured in a school bus accident, please contact one of our dedicated and determined team members. Our firm is committed to helping our clients seek reasonable compensation for their devastating losses. Allow our firm to fight on your behalf today to achieve the best possible outcome.
