CHICAGO BUS ACCIDENT ATTORNEY: BUS ACCIDENTS CAN BE DEADLY
At least two bus accidents were reported by Chicago newspapers last week. It is always concerning to hear of any accidents in the news; however, as Chicago bus accident attorneys we know that bus and motorcoach accidents can lead to severe injuries since buses typically are not equipped with safety belts. As a result, bus passenger injuries can include head trauma, internal bleeding, paralysis and even death.
One of the accidents that occurred last week involved a semi-truck driver who caused a collision with an elementary school bus on the Eisenhower Expressway near Forest Park, Illinois. The bus carried 4th, 5th and 6th graders. According to the Chicago Tribune, police issued the semi- truck driver a citation for following too closely and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. Thankfully, no major injuries were reported.
A few days later, the Chicago Tribune reported that a CTA bus that crashed into a light pole on Chicago's south side resulted in 26 passenger injuries. Seven of the injured were reported to be in fair-to-serious condition, and 19 in good-to-fair condition.
The Center for National Truck and Bus Statistics (CNTBS) has tracked bus accident statistics since 1999. In 2008 (the most current year reported), its Buses Involved in Fatal Accidents Factbook 2008, (Factbook 2008) documented various trends related to buses involved in fatal accidents. One trend noted that from 2004 through 2008, approximately 310 buses were involved in fatal traffic accidents yearly. (Factbook 2008, page 5.) School buses, owned and operated by school districts, accounted for 39.3% of all fatal bus crashes, with the number of school bus crashes increasing to 120 in 2008 from 111 in 2007. (Id.) California, New York, and Florida saw the largest amount of fatal bus accidents. 77 pedestrians and 16 bicyclists were also killed during 2008 in bus accidents. In 2008, there were twelve fatal bus accidents in Illinois, which constituted 4.1% of national fatal bus accidents. (Id.) The report provides a plethora of information related to bus crashes and fatalities.
In Chicago, buses are a common form of transportation for students and workers. The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and Chicago Transportation Authority (CTA) operate hundreds of buses daily. Pace buses also service Chicago and its suburbs. Thousands of children ride on school buses each day. In addition, many commercial bus lines, including Greyhound, Megabus and CoachUSA operate tour buses around Chicagoland area.
People injured in bus accidents may sue the bus driver and/or the commercial bus company for damages, including pain and suffering, medical costs, loss of income, disability and disfigurement. Under most state laws, common carriers have a higher level of responsibility to drive with care and protect passengers and other vehicles sharing the road. It is important to keep in mind that there may be a statute of limitations for filing a claim for injuries sustained as a result of a bus accident. This means that in some cases, if you do not file a claim within a certain time period after the accident, you permanently waive your right to seek financial compensation.
If you or someone you love has been involved in any type of motor vehicle, trucking, bus or motorcoach accident, it is important to contact an experienced bus accident and injury attorney. The Chicago bus accident and injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Jeffrey J. Kroll have seen firsthand the devastation caused in automobile, bicycle, pedestrian, trucking and busing accidents. We have secured multi-million dollar personal injury settlements and verdicts for our clients that have been victims of Greyhound accidents, CTA and Pace bus accidents, dozens of mass transit bus accidents, trucking accidents and railroad collisions. If you have been injured in an automobile or trucking accident, contact us at 312-676-7222, or fill out our contact form.
