Bus crash cases are significant. According to the National Safety Council, school bus-related crashes killed 104 people nationwide in 2022. Having handled several such cases in my experience as a Kansas City personal injury lawyer, I have seen the devastation such crashes can cause. Because of this, I wanted to write about some of the observations I’ve made about these cases.
The High Standard of Care for Bus Drivers
Busses must be driven with the highest degree of care. Missouri law requires everyone to drive with the highest degree of care. This means that even simple mistakes or “accidents” on the bus driver’s part makes them liable for the injuries and damages they cause. Even the slightest distraction from the road or failure to follow traffic control to a “T” can amount to liability for bus drivers. This standard of care really helps bus crash victims get money compensation for their injuries and damages.
Compliance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
Busses are commercial motor vehicles and drivers must follow the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. All busses, whether school or transport busses, require a special license to operate. These special licenses require the driver to follow additional rules beyond those that apply to cars. For example, school bus drivers must undergo alcohol and drug tests to get their licenses, whereas regular car drivers do not. These additional regulations can be used to help you win your bus crash case.
Significant Insurance Coverage for Bus Operators
Bus operators usually have significant insurance coverage. Busses are very large objects. When they crash into something, it usually causes a significant amount of damage. Bus crash victims are often seriously injured or even killed. As such, their damages and losses are significant and require a lot of money to compensate. To protect themselves from large money judgments from bus crash lawsuits, bus operators tend to carry large insurance policies. If you’ve suffered significant injuries from a crash, chances are good you can get significant money compensation.
Get Experienced Legal Help
With almost 20 years of experience as a personal injury lawyer handling crash cases, I’ve accumulated a wealth of knowledge about them. If you or a loved one have been hurt in such a crash and have questions, please contact my firm. We would be happy to help.