Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog
In this blog, we focus a lot on Maryland truck and bus accidents caused by semi-trucks driving on Maryland highways. Anyone who has driven on a highway in the state has probably seen multiple trucks driving alongside them, and the trucks’ size makes them particularly susceptible to involvement in accidents. However, a more seemingly innocuous vehicle might be dangerous to Maryland drivers and passengers: the school bus.
While admittedly less common than accidents involving semi-trucks, school bus crashes can be incredibly dangerous, especially considering the number of children often on board. Like other vehicles, school buses are driven by people, and are on the road with other vehicles. The same factors that could cause another accident—distracted driving, failure to follow traffic signs, running a red light, etc.—can also cause a school bus accident.
For example, take a crash that occurred just this month. According to a local news report, the school bus driver, a 42-year-old man, was driving around 23 students to school one morning when the accident occurred around 7:30 in the morning. The school bus ran off the road and crashed into a tree, based on a preliminary report, however, the crash is still under investigation. Of the 23 or so students on board, six suffered injuries and were transported to receive treatment. The driver of the bus was not injured.
Fortunately, none of the injuries in this case were life-threatening, and no one was killed. Still, this accident highlights one potentially innocuous vehicle that might still be involved in major crashes. Like trucks and other large vehicles, buses are always at risk of getting into an accident, and the accidents may cause significant harm. But even when the harm is not severe, the bus driver (or, in some cases, the school district) may still be held liable under a theory of civil negligence.
Bus drivers owe a duty of care to other vehicles and the passengers on their bus, and if they drive negligently and crash the bus, those injured (or, in the case of minors, their parents) can sue them in court to recover for the medical costs incurred. Six children in the example above had to be transported for treatment of injuries. Depending on the injuries suffered, those families might incur significant medical costs—students might need surgery, for example, or continued physical therapy for weeks or months. State law allows those families to file suit against the bus driver, and, if successful, recover monetary damages to make them whole again, as if the accident had never happened.
Contact a Maryland Truck and Bus Accident Attorney
If you’re searching for a qualified, competent, and dedicated Maryland truck or bus accident attorney, search no more and call the attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC today. Our attorneys have years of experience representing Maryland accident victims and their families against negligent drivers who caused them harm. We will work tirelessly on your case to get the best possible outcome. Call us today to talk to one of our attorneys and learn more at 800-654-1949.