School Bus Crash

I’m David Holub, an attorney focusing on personal injury law in northwest Indiana.

Welcome to Personal Injury Primer, where we break down the law into simple terms, provide legal tips, and discuss personal injury law topics.

Today’s question comes from a caller concerned about her child who was hurt in a school bus crash.

Thankfully, the injuries were not too serious.

But, the bus rolled on its side. Even at low speed, there were moving objects inside the bus which could have caused serious injury had they struck a child. Though no one was thrown from the bus, if they had been, the injuries could have been quite serious or fatal.

When you consider dangers associated with school buses, you have to include dangers beyond those associated with a collision.

For example, an occupant can get caught in the door mechanism when either entering or exiting the bus. A passenger can fall down the stairs trying to get off the bus or trying to step up onto the bus.

Poor driver training and poor driver supervision have been linked to many bus injuries. A school district can fail to do a proper background check on a bus driver, or negligently do a background check, both of which circumstances can increase the likelihood of injury.

Poor bus maintenance by a school district can also lead to injury. Mechanical issues, like worn or defective brakes, can lead to a mechanical failure, which in turn can lead to injury.

One thing to keep in mind, when investigating a public school bus-related injury is that the school will be considered a branch of the government, and will be subject to governmental immunity. This means that special notice of intent to sue must be given within a short few months following an injury incident.

I hope you found this information helpful. If you are a victim of someone’s carelessness, substandard medical care, product defect, work injury, or another personal injury, please call (219) 736-9700 with your questions. You can also learn more about us by visiting our website at DavidHolubLaw.com – while there, make sure you request a copy of our book “Fighting for Truth.”