Posted in Bus Accident,Car Accident,Personal Injury,Tennessee Accident Law on June 12, 2015
Church Bus Crash in Cleveland Injures 17 People
A total of 17 people suffered injuries and were transported to a local hospital after a church bus hit a drain culvert in Cleveland, Tennessee, Friday morning.
A staff report by wkrn.com stated that the accident occurred at the intersection of Interlackin Circle and Freewill Road in Cleveland when the bus left the road and struck a drain culvert, causing serious damage to the vehicle.
The occupants of the bus were heading home to South Carolina from a mission trip with Ocoee Outreach in Cleveland when the accident occurred.
Of those injured, 16 were juveniles and all were transported to SkyRidge Medical Center in Cleveland by emergency medical services for treatment. A total of six passengers are currently being treated by hospital staff while 11 other passengers will be evaluated to determine the severity of their injuries.
The ages of the passengers in the accident ranged from 11 years old to 17 years old. Because the bus the passengers were traveling on was so heavily damaged during the accident, another bus is en route from South Carolina to bring the injured passengers home.
Matt Hardin Law’s team of Nashville personal injury lawyers hopes the passengers and driver of the bus are able to fully recover from the injuries they suffered in this accident.
Who Can Be Held Responsible after a Bus Accident?
Bus accidents often involve several victims, including the driver and passengers. Because many buses aren’t equipped with seatbelts or airbags for passengers, the injuries they suffer during accidents are often more severe than they would be if they were riding in standard passenger vehicles.
Victims of bus accidents often face expensive medical bills and long roads to recovery, and filing for compensation can involve multiple parties depending on what caused the accident. Some of the parties who may be held responsible after a bus accident include:
Bus drivers are held to a high standard due to the number of lives they are responsible for while they’re behind the wheel. When a bus accident is caused because a driver was engaging in reckless behavior, driving while intoxicated or under the influence or drugs, or driving while drowsy, the driver can be held responsible for the injuries suffered by the passengers at the time of the accident.
Sometimes bus accidents occur due to the failure of certain parts on a bus, including the brakes, tires, wheels, transmission, steering wheel, and other critical components. Bus owners are responsible for properly maintaining their vehicles and making sure they are safe to drive at all times. When a component breaks or malfunctions and causes an accident, the owner of the bus can be considered legally liable for the injuries sustained in the accident.
Whether the bus was involved in a collision with another vehicle or forced off the road due to another driver’s negligent behavior, other drivers who caused or contributed to a bus accident can be considered responsible for any medical expenses and financial damages incurred by the driver or passengers on the bus.
Bus accidents are often traumatic events for everyone onboard, including the driver and all passengers. Because of the legal complexity of these types of accidents and the multiple parties that can be considered responsible, it’s important that victims get in touch with a law firm that has the experience and resources to properly handle these claims.
At Matt Hardin Law, our Nashville personal injury attorneys have 20 years of experience handling injury claims throughout Tennessee, and we fight hard to make sure our clients get the compensation they deserve. If you or someone you love was injured in a bus accident, get in touch with our legal team today by dialing (615) 200-1111 or complete our free consultation form.
