A recent car accident between a bus and a pickup truck on Orange Blossom Trail between 37th and 38th resulted in the injuries of at least 14 people. The bus crash occurred on the 7th at about 1:10pm. The bus driver, a Winter Garden resident, was busy helping passenger on and off of the Lynx bus when an Apopka man, 20, lost control of his white pickup and barreled into the rear of the bus.
The driver of the pickup was about the only one not injured in the crash: 12 passengers on the bus were transported to various hospitals. The bus driver and the passenger in the pickup were both sent to the hospital in critical condition.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Bus Crash?
After being injured or losing a loved one in a bus crash, it’s completely natural to want to know who is responsible. A personal injury attorney can help you find the liable party and pursue damages for medical expenses and pain and suffering. There are a number of potentially liable parties in bus accidents ranging from the driver to the bus manufacturer.
- Bus Driver – If the accident that injured you or resulted in the wrongful death of a loved one was the result of negligence on the part of the bus driver then you may be able to sue them for damages.
- Third Party – If the bus accident was caused by a third party driver, then they may be held responsible for your injuries. For example, the pickup driver in the accident discussed above could be sued by all injured parties for damages.
- Bus Owner – You may be able to file a lawsuit against the company that owns the bus in the event of an accident. The company is often going to be liable for injuries incurred while a passenger on their bus.
- Maintenance Company – The bus owner may not handle the maintenance on their own vehicles. If a bus breaks down because of lack of maintenance, the mechanics could be held liable.
- Manufacturing Company – If the accident is due to a manufacturing defect such as a steering malfunction or a brake failure, then they could be sued for medical expenses and other damages.