Bus Accidents In NY Put Passengers At Risk
A bus transporting 49 passengers from New York to Ohio was involved in a deadly accident early in the morning on Wednesday, October 9. Bus accidents in NY are common, but this wreck was an especially serious one because of the large number of passengers who sustained injuries and who required treatment.
Victims of any motor vehicle accident should understand their legal rights and contact a New York bus accident lawyer for assistance after a crash, especially in situations where life-threatening injuries or death occurs.
Bus crash causes injuries and fatalities
The bus accident occurred at approximately 2:00 a.m. when a Greyhound vehicle struck the back of a tractor trailer. The accident occurred in White Deer Township along 1-80, which is a frequent site of bus accidents in New York.
One woman was killed in the collision and 44 others were taken to five local area hospitals for treatment. A spokeswoman for Greyhound indicated that several passengers and the driver remained hospitalized in critical condition by late afternoon, while some of the passengers had been released after treatment.
Passenger rights after bus accidents in NY
Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the bus accident, and Greyhound has indicated that the company will cooperate with law enforcement investigations as well as conduct their own internal probe of the cause.
Early reports indicate that it is unclear why the bus rear-ended the tractor trailer. The driver has more than 12 years of experience working for Greyhound and the company has refused to comment on possible reasons for the deadly incident.
In rear end accidents, the driver of the rear vehicle is almost always considered responsible for causing the accident because the laws in New York and other states require motorists to maintain a safe following distance. If the bus driver had left a larger distance between his vehicle and the tractor trailer, the bus theoretically should have been able to stop before striking the vehicle. This could mean that the driver was potentially following the tractor too closely or was not paying attention and didn’t see the front vehicle slow or stop.
There are, however, a number of other potential causes of the bus accident. Mechanical problems or poor maintenance, bad weather or the truck driver stopping short, for example, could have affected the ability of the bus driver to avoid a collision.
Determining the cause of the accident will be important to help protect the legal rights of passengers who sustained injuries or lost their lives.
A New York bus accident lawyer can help
Passengers aboard a bus who suffer injury may be able to pursue a claim for compensation from the bus company, either because the company itself was negligent or because of a rule called vicarious liability. Vicarious liability means the bus company is legally responsible for negligence on the part of its employees. The company could also be negligent in its own right if any policies or practices fell short of standard safety obligations, such as performing regular maintenance, enforcing safety rules or ensuring only qualified drivers are hired.
Determining who to make a claim against is only one of many decisions that must be made by injured bus accident passengers. A New York bus accident lawyer at The Sanders Firm can help victims understand their rights, make informed choices about their case and get the compensation they deserve. Contact us today at 1.800.FAIR.PLAY to learn how we can help.
