What Can I Do If My Child Is Injured on a Public School Bus?

Thousands of children in New York ride school buses to and from school every day without incident. They rely on the bus driver to drive safely and the buses to be adequately maintained and equipped with proper safety precautions. However, school bus accidents happen, and you should be prepared with next steps in the event that your child is affected. Here is what you should know if your child is injured in such an accident.

Common Causes of School Bus Accidents

Numerous situations can cause a New York City school bus to be involved in an accident. The most common causes include:

●     Negligent or reckless driving. Improper or inadequate training, aggressive driving, speeding, failure to yield, and driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol could lead to a New York school bus accident.

●     Motorists or bus drivers under the influence of alcohol, illicit drugs, or prescription drugs.

●     Children not properly supervised while on the school bus.

●     School buses not properly maintained. Negligent inspection and maintenance of your child’s school bus could contribute to an accident. Certain accidents may be due to a defective part, which would shift the liability from your child’s New York school bus to the manufacturer of the defective part.

●     Crashes with other motor vehicles due to the recklessness of other drivers or the bus driver.

●     Assault. In New York, your child’s school has a duty to intervene before or during any fight. This includes fights on a school bus. Additionally, school districts are required to take action the second they know a student may assault another.

Who Is Liable for Your Child Being Injured?

In a New York school bus accident, more than one party may be at fault. The driver of the bus may be held liable if they were driving recklessly or negligently. The New York school district could also be held responsible if the bus driver had a history of alcohol or drug abuse or a bad driving record and they failed to find out that information due to negligent hiring practices. The city itself could even be found liable if traffic lights weren’t functioning correctly and caused the collision.

What Damages Are Available for My Child?

On behalf of your child, you may seek economic and noneconomic damages that may include compensation for:

●     Future and current medical expenses

●     Medical assistive devices and rehabilitation costs

●     Pain and suffering

●     Disfigurement

●     Disability

●     Reduced quality of life

●     Mental anguish

●     Reduced or loss of enjoyment of life

If your child is injured in a New York school bus accident, you should contact a New York personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. School bus accident cases can be complicated when it comes to determining fault, and there are often shorter timelines due to the involvement of government entities.

The team at Greenberg & Stein has handled all types of automobile accident cases and personal injury cases, including New York City school bus accidents. Our team has a wealth of experience and knows how to gather the appropriate evidence to determine who was at fault, and how to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If your child has been injured, don’t delay in reaching out. We are standing by and ready to help.

The personal injury attorneys at Greenberg & Stein have more than 75 years of combined experience and will fight to make sure you and your family receive the compensation you need if a loved one has been injured due to the fault of another person, business, or government entity.

We offer free, 24/7 legal consultations and can walk you through what legal options are available to you in New York City. Contact us today at 888-411-3966.