North Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog
Sometimes an unimaginable tragedy happens, leaving the victims with catastrophic injuries and their families with devastating pain and loss. Recently, a school bus transporting 22 children was involved in a crash that left the driver dead as well as a 7-year-old occupant. There is no amount of money that can repair the families’ trauma and loss, but it can help them pick up the pieces and cover the expenses that they incur as a result. At Maurer Law, our Raleigh car accident lawyers can speak with you about your situation and whether you may be entitled to relief in a personal injury or wrongful death action. Don’t wait to seek justice on your family’s behalf; call us as soon as possible.
The school bus involved in the recent crash collided with a utility service vehicle that was traveling on a highway in eastern Tennessee, according to local reports. The police who responded to the crash reported that the bus driver did not have time to stop to avoid a collision with the service utility vehicle. Five children were taken to a local hospital by airlift while two were transported to a local hospital by vehicle. The young girl who lost her life was found deceased at the scene of the accident along with the bus driver.
If this crash had happened in North Carolina, the victims and their families could bring a personal injury claim to recover compensation for their injuries and damages. In the personal injury action, the plaintiff must show that the defendant failed to use reasonable care and skill at the time of the accident and that the plaintiff suffered injuries as a direct and foreseeable result. There are many ways that a driver can breach this standard of care, including speeding, drunk driving, or distracted driving. In a situation involving a municipal driver like a bus driver, there is also the possibility that the driver did not receive proper training on how to drive the bus safely or that the bus was not kept in good working condition resulting in an equipment malfunction.
There are some situations, however, where the driver may not be at fault, and another party may be to blame. Here, Tennessee law enforcement officials concluded that the bus driver did not have an opportunity to stop to avoid the collision with the service utility vehicle. An investigation could be done addressing whether the service utility vehicle driver acted carelessly by failing to park in a safe location, failing to use proper signals like flashers, or failing to set out signage to warn drivers that the vehicle was on the road.
This is just one aspect of your potential case that a seasoned Raleigh car accident lawyer can investigate on your behalf to determine whether you may be entitled to compensation. If you are successful in proving that the other party was negligent, you can recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. In the tragic situation that you lose a loved one, you can also seek compensation for funeral and burial expenses as well as the loss of their love, companionship, and comfort. Contact Maurer Law today for a free consultation to learn more about whether we can help you pursue the financial recovery you deserve. Call 1-888-258-1087 or contact us online to get started.