Two people died as a result of a head-on collision between Lame Deer and Ashland in Eastern Montana. The passenger car and school bus were traveling on US Route 212.
The victims are not from the school bus, but from the passenger car involved in the crash as reported by Rosebud County Sheriff Allen Fulton.
Victims Pronounced Dead at Accident Scene
The victims were adults and described as Montana residents. They were called dead at the scene of the accident by first responders. According to an update, the sheriff’s office is working hard with another county to identify the deceased and their family.
Fulton said that the bus driver, bus monitor, and a student sustained injuries in the bus crash and were being transported for medical treatment. The collision is being investigated by Montana Highway Patrol.
Roads Were Slick
The crash took place around 6:46 am on US Route 212 before the 51 mile marker as per MHP’s online incident tracker. There were only three passengers on the bus including the driver and all three were taken to the hospital as a precautionary move.
Sheriff’s office claimed in a Facebook post that southern Rosebud County roads were exceptionally slick at that time of the morning. Ashland Fire, Ashland QRU, Lame Deer Ambulance, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Lame Deer Disaster and Emergency Services, Montana Motor Carrier Service, the Montana Highway Patrol, the Rosebud County Coroner, and the Rosebud County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash.
The authorities are yet to ascertain which school district the bus belongs to. Calls made to Rosebud County dispatcher referred all questions to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Determining Liability in Bus Lawsuits
Filing an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit following a bus accident can be complex. There can be multiple parties involved depending on the type and circumstances of the bus accident. It may become necessary to hire a reliable coach accident attorney to ascertain the parties involved.
Everybody including the bus company, the bus driver, government agencies, parts manufacturer, school district, and insurance companies can be held liable.
Time Limit to File a Bus Accident Claim in Montana
A claim needs to be filed with the civil court within 3 years of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. The courts shall not hear the case if the claim is not filed within this period. Jury tends to hear arguments from all involved parties to determine the amount of compensatory damages to be awarded to a victim. This makes it important to retain the services of an experienced coach accident lawyer.