Burbank Bus Accident Lawyers
California school systems have a responsibility to protect the children they serve. If you live a busy life, you likely have to entrust your child’s safety to a school bus driver at times. Parents and guardians never expect their child to suffer severe injuries in a school bus accident.
In reality, however, school bus accidents can and do occur. According to the California Department of Education, an average of 26,000 school bus accidents occur annually. One California school bus accident is one too many. If your child suffered severe injuries in a school bus accident caused by negligence, you may want to contact a personal injury lawyer today.
Common Causes of School Bus Accidents
School bus drivers have an enormous responsibility when it comes to transporting large groups of children. Operating a large bus along congested highways and city streets demands concentration and skill with frequent starts and stops.
California school bus drivers must obtain the following certifications to transport children:
- School bus driver certificate;
- Class A or Class B commercial driver’s license (CDL) with a P for passenger and S for school bus endorsement;
- Medical certificate; and
- First aid certificate.
Drivers must also pass a knowledge test administered by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The test covers California traffic laws, rules, and regulations. An additional driving test is given by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) also constitutes an important part of the process. The CHP also submits a driver’s fingerprints to the Department of Justice. A license remains valid for five years.
These and other requirements do not deter some school bus drivers from engaging in reckless behavior behind the wheel.
The California Department of Education cites the following as three critical contributors to school bus accidents:
- Unsafe speed
- Improper turn
- Start or backing
Other dangerous behaviors that can contribute to school bus accidents include:
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Aggressive driving and road rage
- Drowsy driving
- Distracted driving
Managing a school bus full of active children requires maintaining order and focusing on the road. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports three primary forms of distraction: visual, manual, and cognitive. Distractions inside and outside of the bus can result in a severe accident with severe injuries.
Driver errors only constitute one of many possibilities when it comes to Burbank school bus accidents. Mechanical issues, such as faulty brakes, can also contribute to your child’s injuries.
If your child’s school bus accident injuries result from a negligent driver, a poorly maintained bus, or both, consider hiring an attorney.
School Bus Accident Injuries
A school bus accident can cause children to suffer severe and life-changing injuries.
The sudden impact of a violent collision with another vehicle or a fixed object may result in one or more of these injuries for your child:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI): A bumpy, blow, jolt, or penetrating head injury disrupts normal brain function. As a result, your child may experience changes in behavior and personality, balance and coordination problems, and other challenges. A particularly severe TBI may cause your child to need extensive medical and personal care throughout his or her lifetime.
- Spinal cord injury: The ability to experience movement and sensation is a vital spinal cord function. Paralysis occurs when communication between the brain and the spinal cord slows or stops due to injury. In addition, a spinal cord injury results in a variety of expensive care needs, like that of a power chair for mobility and home modifications to accommodate the chair.
- Fractured bones: Multiple broken bones will prove painful and sometimes require surgery, therapy, and possibly amputation. Children may face a long recovery that prevents them from attending school or participating in sports. Children, like adults, can suffer a negative impact on their quality of life when it comes to severe accidents.
- Internal injuries: An internal injury may prove difficult to identify without care by a medical professional. Internal bleeding, for example, can cause organ damage and possible death if left untreated. Therefore, seeking immediate medical care following a Burbank school bus accident will prove crucial for identifying and treating all of your child’s injuries.
This list is not conclusive but does provide a look at some of the types of serious injuries possible in a school bus accident. Unfortunately, rising medical costs make treatment expensive and generally beyond the scope of what most parents can afford.
If your child suffered severe injuries in a school bus accident, you may want to pursue compensation for your damages. Most personal injury lawyers offer free case evaluations; making a phone call or online request for more information is a smart idea.
Types of Compensation Possible
No one school bus accident case is alike. The outcome of your case is impossible to determine. Success is neither promised nor guaranteed. However, fighting your case alone is difficult. Hiring an attorney can protect your best interests during this most stressful time.
A lawyer generally fights for compensation for:
- Medical costs: The responsible party should pay for the medical costs associated with your child’s treatment, not you.
- Ongoing medical costs: Medical bills for severe injuries do not always stop upon release from the hospital. Ongoing medical expenses can include rehabilitation, therapy, prescription medication, and more.
- Pain and suffering: The mental anguish your child suffered due to the negligence of the driver and school system
Pursuing civil action against a school system often proves challenging due to its position as a government entity. Issues involving sovereign immunity can confuse and overwhelm you. However, if your child suffered severe harm caused by those you trusted most with your child’s care, you should seek help.
Personal injury attorneys understand how to manage a school bus accident case, and they also understand how frustrated parents feel about their child’s unnecessary pain and suffering.
The long-term effects of your child’s school bus accident can result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The psychological and emotional impact of such an accident on children is unfair and demands justice.
If your child experienced life-changing harm due to negligence, give careful thought to contacting a Burbank school bus accident lawyer today.
How a Burbank School Bus Accident Lawyer Can Help You
A school system – whether public or private-has an insurance company on its side. It is not uncommon for an insurance company to offer accident victims a settlement before the victim hires an attorney. Insurance companies employ this strategy to settle for the least amount possible.
Young children who suffer severe injuries face a lifetime of medical challenges. Accepting less than your child deserves can prevent them from accessing affordable care in the future. An insurance company closes a claim once you agree to a settlement.
A closed claim generally leaves you with no further options for pursuing compensation. The aftermath of your child’s school bus accident may involve chaos and uncertainty. It is not the time to make a significant financial decision. Instead, you should prioritize protecting your best interests.
Dealing with aggressive insurance adjusters requires skill and experience. A California school bus accident lawyer can help you through this ordeal by managing the adjusters and other aspects of your case.
Most personal injury claims settle without going to trial. However, if your lawyer determines that a trial presents the best option for your case, he or she will keep you informed about the process.
Leaving phone calls, paperwork, and insurance negotiations in the hands of a professional attorney can provide you with great peace of mind. For example, if your child was seriously injured by a drunk, distracted driver or due to a mechanical issue, a lawyer can help you fight for compensation.
Fatal School Bus Accidents
It is difficult to think about; however, fatal school bus accidents do occur. The loss of a child is heartbreaking and something no parent should face. If you received the devastating news of your child’s fatal accident, a wrongful death attorney can help you.
Funeral and burial costs are unexpected expenses that only add to your stress. In addition, if your child initially survived the accident, you may receive medical bills for your child’s final care.
These costs, along with your losses that stem from missed time from work, can accumulate into an extreme financial burden. Your grief can make getting out of bed each day difficult, much less making decisions regarding your bills and lost income.
A wrongful death attorney can guide you through the civil process. Your attorney can stand by your side against unfair insurance settlement offers and fight for maximum compensation on your behalf.
If you lost a child in a Burbank school bus accident, you are not alone. Do not let an insurance company adjuster bully you into accepting a low-dollar settlement. Instead, consider contacting a wrongful death attorney today to learn more about your options for a civil claim and lawsuit.
Why You Should File a Claim as Soon as Possible
After you experience sudden turmoil, you may delay reaching out to an attorney while you process what happened to you. However, you must contact an attorney sooner rather than later for one key reason: the statute of limitations.
State laws limit the time allowed for filing civil lawsuits. If you miss the deadline, you generally won’t have options for pursuing compensation. A Burbank personal injury or wrongful death lawyer understands civil law and how it applies to your case. The attorney you hire can work to ensure your claim meets all court deadlines and other requirements.
It can prove exhausting trying to keep up with daily tasks after a tragic school bus accident. Days and weeks pass in a blur, causing you to lose track of time. Then, before you know it, the deadline for filing your civil lawsuit passes.
Prevent this alarming possibility from happening to you. Your child needs funds to access the best care available. Think about making your call or online contact with a Yarian Accident & Injury Lawyers today.
School Bus Accidents Really Do Happen. A Lawyer Can Help You and Your Child.
Any form of travel along California roadways can result in severe harm and possible death. When the outcome involves children, emotions can run high as parents experience anger about the accident.
When a school bus driver or someone else fails to use the same care as someone else in a similar situation, the driver has generally acted with negligence. However, perhaps most annoying is that negligence is preventable. Holding the responsible person accountable for his or her actions may prevent a future bus accident, protecting other children from the same fate.
Children constitute our nation’s most precious population. Parents entrust school systems with their child’s care every day. When school bus drivers or school systems break this trust by acting with negligence and causing an accident, parents have a right to fight for compensation.
You can afford to hire a lawyer. Most lawyers work on a contingency-fee-basis and require no money upfront. Therefore, if your lawyer does not secure compensation for you, you will not have to pay any upfront legal fees.
Seeking help with your civil case will prove imperative for your mental and financial health. Your lawyer will fight for the best possible outcome of your case. The time to act is now, as the statute of limitations clock starts ticking at the moment of injury or death.
A school bus accident will likely prove a frightening experience for children. Those who survive sometimes face a lifetime of pain, medical care, and fear. If your child suffered a life-altering injury due to a Burbank school bus accident caused by negligence, a lawyer can help you.
Consider getting help with your case today. First, gather all pertinent information relating to your child’s accident, such as photos, police reports, and medical records. Next, contact a school bus accident lawyer for a free case evaluation. These steps can set you on the path for possible compensation and justice for your child.
Yarian Accident & Injury Lawyers Burbank Office
500 E Olive Ave Suite 720,
Burbank, CA 91501
(818) 459-4999
Additional Resources
LADOT Annual Report – Visit the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation’s (LADOT) website and read their annual 2016 report. See what the city of Los Angeles plans for safety regulations, their recorded crashes from last year, and who serves on the LADOT board.
Large Truck and Bus Crashes – Visit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and see the report that they released from 2010 to 2016. View the data and statistics that FMCSA collected over the years, how the collisions have changed over the years and the damages that occurred.
Tips on keeping your kids safe when they are around buses.
American School Bus Council – Visit the American School Bus Council, a coalition of the school transportation community that are committed to providing safe, effective, and efficient transportation for more than 25 million schoolchildren. Read the inspection details and safety mandates that are regularly followed by school bus drivers.
Newport School Bus Accident – Visit the LA Time’s website and view an article of a school bus accident that occurred at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Point Point Road.
