While school buses may be safer than driving your children to school, there is a real risk that a bus could be involved in a collision and that your child could get hurt as a result. If that happens, you, as a parent, do have options to help you collect compensation on behalf of your child, so that they can get medical care and have any other treatments that they need.
When a school bus crashes, it could be possible to pursue a claim against the driver, the school system or another party involved in the collision. Determining who will need to compensate your child will depend on who caused the collision and who is insured.
Collecting compensation after a school bus collision
After getting into a bus crash, the first thing to do is to reach out to the school to determine what happened and where your child is. Your priority should be to make sure your child gets to the hospital and is examined by a medical professional.
Even though buses are compartmentalized, children can get hurt in crashes. Glass, debris and injuries from the impact are possible. Your child should receive prompt medical treatment.
After this, you need to reach out to the school. Who was to blame for the collision? If the bus driver caused the collision, it may be in your best interests to look into starting a personal injury claim against the district and the driver, depending on if the driver was employed through the district. In some cases, the driver and district may both be liable for any damages or injuries caused.
If the other party involved in the crash, such as a truck driver or other motor vehicle’s driver, was responsible for the collision, then they should be who you make a claim against. In that case, you may still be able to pursue a claim against the bus driver or school, even if someone else was to blame for the collision. This is because the school or driver may have other insurance coverage to help cover your financial losses.
No child should have to go through a bus crash, but many are involved in them each year. If your child is hurt, don’t be afraid to start seeking compensation.
