One person died, another is in critical condition and two more are in serious condition after a bus crashed on Route 80 in Parsippany-Troy Hills on Thursday January 24, 2019. Over 25 people were injured in the crash.
According to witnesses, the bus collided with multiple vehicles and then hit the median and went up in the air. “Seats were flying everywhere,” said one witness. “People were trying to hold on for dear life.” The New York woman who died was ejected from the bus. At the time of this article, it was not clear is she was struck by a vehicle after she left the bus.
Police at the scene said that the accident was still under investigation, and at the time of this report they are not certain what caused the crash.
Bus Crashes
Around 140 people die each year in bus accidents in the U.S., and over 24,000 people are injured, according to the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration. Fifteen percent of the injured were passengers and the rest were struck by the pus either as a occupant of a car or as a pedestrian.
A bus versus person collision is often deadly for the person as a bus weighs around 20,000 pounds empty. Bus crashes can be deadly too for the passengers of the bus. Most buses do not have seat belts, and people are often bounced around inside when the bus hits something.
Liability Issues for a Bus Accident in New Jersey:
If someone is injured in a bus accident, then they have several avenues to collect compensation. First they can make a claim against the at-fault driver, and their insurance will cover the losses. Second, the driver of the bus (if at fault) and the company that owns/operates the bus can be liable to pay. This can be done regardless of who is at fault. Finally, if the injured has their own automobile insurance, they might have a provision that pays for any medical bills regardless of who’s at fault so long as they injuries occurred in an automobile accident.
Speak to a New Jersey Bus Accident Attorney.
Many people injured in a bus accident mistakenly believe that the bus company will take care of them. Even if the company does all it can to help the injured, there may be compensation sources they aren’t aware of. Also most likely, the bus company has an insurance company, and once a claim is made against them, they will do all in their power to pay as little as possible.
You owe it to yourself to talk to an attorney who knows bus accident laws and can deal with insurance companies and their lawyers. If you or a loved one is injured in a bus accident anywhere in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, call The Pearce Law Firm, P.C. at (215) 557-8686 or text at (215) 880 6164.