Potential Causes of a Denver School Bus Crash
In most cases, school bus crashes occur when the bus is transporting students. School buses regularly transport children to and from school, sporting events, and extracurricular activities. However, school buses can also be chartered for other purposes, including for adult groups who are planning trips and require a bus.
If you or a loved one is involved in a school bus crash, it is important to learn why the accident happened. If the school bus driver or any other party exercised negligence or carelessness, then the victims of the school bus accident can file a claim to obtain damages through an out-of-court settlement or a personal injury lawsuit.
In accidents involving school buses, child passengers, pedestrians and other motorists can all suffer serious traumatic injuries. Similar to large commercial trucks, school buses take longer to stop than other vehicles, they offer limited visibility, and their mass increases the risk of a catastrophic collision. In addition, the large number of windows on school buses creates increased potential for lacerations and other injuries; and, with no seatbelt law for school buses in Colorado, child passengers are at risk for a variety of other types of collision-related injuries.
Examples of negligence that can lead to a personal injury claim after a school bus crash include:
- Bus companies failing to hire qualified drivers, or failing to screen or train their drivers
- Drivers who are drowsy, intoxicated or distracted when operating the school bus
- Drivers who are speeding
- Drivers who fail to obey road signs or traffic signals and who lose control of the vehicle
- School bus drivers who veer out of their lane
- Bus drivers who make overly wide turns
- Drivers who do not adjust their speed to ensure safety in bad weather
- Drivers of other motor vehicles who encroach on the bus, who fail to stop as required, or who otherwise are careless in sharing the road with the bus
Accidents almost always involve some type of negligence or carelessness on the part of the bus driver or another motorist, and passengers on the bus are almost never at fault for the accident. Passengers, therefore, almost always have some legal recourse available to them. Furthermore, in the event that the bus driver was responsible for the accident, victims of school bus crashes may take legal action against the bus driver’s employer in addition to the driver.
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Recovering Medical Expenses and Other Losses After a School Bus Accident
In certain respects, a school bus accident is similar to any other type of vehicle collision. For example, if you or your child was injured and the school bus driver is deemed at fault in the accident, you are entitled to seek full and fair compensation for your family’s accident-related losses. This includes financial losses like medical bills, lost earnings and out-of-pocket expenses, and it also includes non-financial losses such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
These rights apply regardless of whether it was you or your child that was injured, and regardless of whether the injury occurred on the school bus, on a road or sidewalk, or in another vehicle that was involved in a school bus collision. The key is to prove that the school bus driver (or another third party) was at fault in the accident, and they best way to do this is to conduct an investigation as soon as possible.
To protect your family’s rights after a school bus accident in Denver, you should:
- Seek medical attention for yourself or your child as soon as possible. Do this even if you do not see or feel any immediate symptoms of a traumatic injury.
- If possible, take photos at the scene of the accident. Photograph the school bus and any other vehicles involved, and try to document the location and weather conditions at the time of the accident.
- Keep copies of all documentation you receive relating to the accident. This includes the police report, medical records and any records you receive from the school district.
- Avoid mistakes that could jeopardize your financial recovery, such as returning to work too soon or allowing your child to play against your doctor’s advice.
- Discuss your case with a Denver school bus lawyer as soon as possible. You should not wait any longer than necessary to seek advice from an experienced attorney.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Top Denver School Bus Lawyer
If you or your child were involved in a school bus accident, an accident lawyer can review your case to help you determine who was responsible for the crash. Your lawyer can then take legal action on your behalf to obtain damages for the injuries and pain you suffered.
At Levine Law, our school bus lawyers have represented many victims of school bus accidents, both children and adults, in Denver and throughout Colorado. We can put our legal experience to work to help you obtain the compensation you deserve. To learn more about how we can help you, give us a call any time at 303-333-8000 or reach out to us online. Your consultation is free and phones are always answered 24-7.
