Who is Liable if My Child is Injured in a School Bus Accident?

More than 330,000 Connecticut children ride the school bus each day of the school year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), school buses are one of the safest vehicles on the road with less than 1% of all traffic fatalities involving children on school buses. The most dangerous time for children is getting on and off of the school bus. 

Though rare, school bus accidents do occur. When they do, it is vital that parents seek immediate medical attention for their children and adhere to any follow-up care instructions given by their medical providers.

Next, parents need to discuss responsibility for their children’s medical bills and any accident-related losses with a school bus accident attorney. School bus accidents can become complicated quickly and liability for the accident may not be as straightforward as it first appears.

Liability for a New Haven School Bus Accident

Liability for a New Haven school bus accident may rest with any number of parties. Determining responsibility for an accident and its root cause requires a thorough professional investigation.

Parties who may be liable for a school bus accident include:

• School bus drivers
• Another vehicle driver or drivers
• School bus manufacturers or school bus parts manufacturers
• School bus maintenance companies
• Third-party bus companies hired by school districts
• Cities or municipalities for failure to maintain roads

A school district may also be responsible for a school bus accident.

When is a School District Responsible?

A school district may be liable for a school bus accident if it fails to follow accepted safety guidelines when transporting children.

This failure may be evidenced by a school district failing to do any of the following:

• Maintaining and repairing school buses;
• Appropriately training school bus staff; and
• Hire qualified candidates to drive school buses.

This list is not exhaustive. An experienced school bus accident attorney can investigate accident circumstances for school district negligence. 

Please note that there are special filing requirements and time limits if the party responsible for a school bus accident is a government entity.

Common School Bus Accident Injuries 

The injuries sustained in a school bus accident may range from minor cuts and bruises to more severe injuries like paralysis. 

School bus passengers may suffer any of the following injuries and more:

• Strains and sprains
• Whiplash
• Bone breaks and fractures
• Internal injuries and bleeding
• Neck and back injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Head and brain injuries, including traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Brain injuries are not always apparent to the victim or bystanders. Always have victims of head injuries and whiplash examined for brain damage.

Contact an Experienced New Haven Bus Accident Attorney Today

If your child was injured in a school bus accident, contact the attorneys at Weber & Rubano. Your family may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, and out-of-pocket costs spent caring for your child.

Weber & Rubano’s school bus accident attorneys can walk you through the injury claims process and ensure you meet Connecticut’s personal injury filing deadlines. Your first consultation is complimentary so reach out to our experienced New Haven attorneys today.