Thousands of parents in Tempe place their children on school buses every morning and go about the rest of their day, never questioning the safety of their child because they trust that a bus driver and the bus company will always put safety first. Despite this significant trust placed by parents, numerous school bus accidents occur every year in the greater Phoenix area, including in Tempe, Scottsdale, Glendale, Chandler, and Mesa. Some of these collisions are minor and fortunately do not injure children but others are severe and leave those involved hurt and in need of medical care.
When a school bus accident leaves your child hurt, it may be difficult to understand what steps you need to take to ensure your child’s rights and your family’s rights are protected. Do you have a valid claim? Who was at fault in the collision? Do the outcome of any traffic-related charges impact your child’s right to a recovery? When facing these difficult questions, it is a good idea to speak with a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer so that you can get the answers you deserve.
A collision between a vehicle and a school bus took place yesterday in Tempe and police are still investigating at this time. According to officials, a vehicle in the area of Rural and Guadalupe approached a school bus with at least 17 students on board. For reasons that are not yet clear, the vehicle did not stop and struck the back of the bus in a rear-end collision.
Police responded to the scene and spoke to the individuals involved. It appeared that none of the students on the bus were injured nor was the driver; the condition of the driver of the other vehicle is not clear at this time. Authorities have not revealed whether anyone involved will be issued a traffic citation due to the collision or whether any other charges may be forthcoming.
When a school bus is involved in a collision, the legal implications can be complicated. While it may appear clear who caused a crash, in some cases, the legal liability may be placed on several parties, making a crash more involved.
Further, certain things about bus accidents make injuries likely in the unfortunately situation that a crash happens. Most school buses are heavily packed with students which means that the potential number of victims in a crash is high. Additionally, most school buses are not equipped with seat belts so there may be nothing to prevent a child or a teen from being thrown around inside the bus if the bus is hit or if the bus hits an object. Finally, while personal vehicles like cars, trucks, and vans have benefited from new safety features, including impact-absorption zones, side curtain airbags, and innovation to limit rollovers, these features have not been introduced on the majority of school buses, meaning that children are more likely to suffer from the impact in a crash while on a bus.
If your child or your teenager has been involved in a Phoenix-area school bus accident and sustained injuries, you may be entitled to relief. Call the personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. today toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER or locally at (602) 819-5191 and let us help you understand your options. We offer a free, confidential, obligation-free case consultation to those who call us and we are standing by 24 hours a day to take your call.
After a school bus accident takes place, make sure your child’s rights are preserved. Call Abels & Annes, P.C. today and let us help you seek the relief you deserve.
Prior Blog Entry:
4 Vehicle Car Accident in Scottsdale Leaves 2 Injured, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published October 2, 2014.
Resource:
17 students escape injuries in Tempe bus crash, by Phil Benson, CBS5AZ.com, published October 2, 2014.