As many as 10 people were taken to the hospital on Monday, March 2nd when a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus struck a school bus right after crashing into a vehicle. The initial reports by the Fire Department claimed that 10 schoolchildren were injured. However, the department later corrected that no schoolchildren were injured and only adults were taken to the hospital.
CTA Bus Driver Held Liable
Preliminary reports claim that the CTA driver is liable since the bus crashed into a private vehicle before ramming into the school bus. The accident happened in Chatham on the South Side of Chicago near 79th Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue around 4:00 pm.
Witnesses told the police that the CTA bus had struck a black sedan dead center after which the bus driver still did not hit the brakes in time and crashed into the school bus.
There have been no further reports made though investigation is still on. Few injured adults were taken to Jackson Park and South Shore hospitals while others were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center as told by the Fire Department.
The CTA bus and school bus did not appear to be severely damaged as per CBS Chicago. A CTA bus arrived on the scene later to tow away the damaged bus.
Bus Accident Victims Can Pursue Personal Injury Lawsuit
Victims of a bus crash have the legal remedy to pursue a claim of personal injury. However, it will take an experienced bus accident attorney to determine whether there is a case or not. It is vital to hire a bus accident lawyer to carry out negotiations with the insurance company.
Most insurance companies try to pressure victims to settle quickly and unfairly for a far less payout than they deserve. It will take a knowledgeable and qualified attorney to build a case against the owner of the bus, driver, people responsible for maintenance, or the parts manufacturer.
In order to prove liability, it may be necessary to bring forth claims of product liability, negligence, and breach of warranty or contract.
Standard of Care
There have been numerous cases against major transportation providers such as Greyhound, CTA, Megabus, and PACE. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there were at least 11,000 bus accidents that resulted in injuries each year between 1988 and 2018.
Mass transit buses carry thousands of passengers every day. Bus companies and drivers owe all passengers a standard of care. In case of an accident, the passenger may be in a position to hold all or any wrongdoer accountable.