A 2010 study revealed that on average, in the U.S., about 63,000 buses are involved in accidents each year and of those, 14,000 people are injured and 325 are killed, according to journalistsresource.org.
Recently, a former bus driver took a plea deal in the aftermath of a fatal accident in which he crashed a bus into an overhang at Miami International Airport, according to WBFS-TV. The accident happened in December of 2012 and resulted in three deaths and over a dozen injuries.
The chartered bus was carrying a group from the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, which is located in Sweetwater, to a religious conference in West Palm Beach. As a part of the plea deal, the bus driver will avoid jail time. However, the deal requires him to serve two years of house arrest, eight years of probation and have his driver’s license permanently revoked.
According to the report, prior to the wreck, the bus driver ignored signs warning him about the overhang and pleas from his passengers to turnaround.
Even after criminal litigation involving incidents such as the one above conclude, those injured in the crashes as well as the families of those who died can still pursue a civil lawsuit. A civil lawsuit allows those who are injured or the families of those killed as a result of another’s negligence to hold the responsible party accountable, including securing compensation for funeral costs, medical expenses as well as pain and suffering.
Where Does the Money From a Successful Verdict or Settlement Go?
In the video below, injury lawyer Julie Braman Kane talks about how clients use the money they receive from a successful verdict or settlement.
Did You Know: In 2009, the bus occupant fatality rate was 45 deaths per 100,000 accidents, according to journalistsresource.org.
Colson Hicks Eidson – Injury Attorneys
Source: http://miami.cbslocal.com/2014/09/03/driver-of-bus-in-deadly-mia-crash-takes-deal/