Accidents involving school buses in Pittsburgh may require advice from legal counsel.

Pennsylvania – October 19, 2022

The driver of a school bus was seriously injured when the bus slammed into the steel support pillar of the famous welcome sign at the entrance to Forest Hills on Tuesday. The crash was first reported a little after 10 a.m. on Ardmore Boulevard, near the Taco Bell, at Kenmore and Sumner avenues. The driver of the Lincoln Coach Lines bus had just dropped off a load of students at a Pittsburgh Public School, officials at the scene said. No students were injured. However, the driver was rushed to a local hospital where he was reported to be in stable condition according to Allegheny County police.  The statute of limitations for legal claims against government entities is often shorter than individual state time limitations, making it important for bus accident victims to seek legal counsel in a timely manner.

Bus crashes.

Out of the 319 total Pennsylvania commercial bus crashes in 2020, 103 resulted in property damage only, 207 involved injury and 9 caused fatal injury.  When individuals think of the hundreds of buses traveling across United States roadways every day, these percentages do not seem as high as one would imagine, but the size of a bus impacts catastrophic outcomes when a bus is involved in an accident. Pittsburgh accident lawyers will utilize expert testimony by accident scene re-constructionists, financial professionals, and medical professionals who can convey the need for higher awards based on severe injury after a bus accident.

Common carrier duty of care.

Legal responsibility for common carriers mandates a higher level of care because of services to the public.  Non-commercial drivers are required to operate vehicles with reasonable care, but a common carrier must utilize  a higher degree of care to ensure the safety of passengers, and the public they serve.  When bus drivers, or companies do not observe the higher duty, it can be considered an act of negligence when injury, or property damage occurs.  A personal injury attorney will be able to outline the special rules that apply when someone is injured in a school bus accident.

Insurance.

An accident attorney can explain Pennsylvania’s  “modified comparative negligence” rule, where an individual can still recover damages in a personal injury lawsuit, but the amount of compensation will be reduced by an amount that is equal to their percentage of fault, but a plaintiff can only seek damages from the defendant if they are less than 51 percent at fault. The state also has a “no-fault” component where victims can access payment from their own insurance companies to cover certain expenses related to the accident.  According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), if a bus carries over 15 passengers, the bus must carry at least $5,000,000 in liability insurance coverage. Buses carrying fewer than 15 passengers must carry at least $1,500,000 in insurance coverage. While these amounts are the minimum limits, it is rare that buses will carry more than $5,000,000 in insurance.

Hire legal counsel.

Experienced accident lawyers can fight for damage recovery for victims of a school bus accident. The laws and regulations related to motor vehicle accidents can be difficult to understand without the assistance of Scanlon & Wojton Attorneys at Law,  who can assist victims of personal loss after a bus accident in Pennsylvania.

Scanlon & Wojton, Attorneys at Law

Phone:  (412) 918-1241

Fax: (412) 235-7275

The Mitchell Building
304 Ross Street, Second Floor
Pittsburgh, Pa 15219

Sources:

1. Forest Hills school bus crash mangles bus and leaves driver seriously injured – CBS Pittsburgh (cbsnews.com)
2. https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/42/00.071.002.000..HTM
3. https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/42/00.085.053.000..HTM
4. https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/docs/safety/data-and-statistics/413361/fmcsa-pocket-guide-2018-final-508-compliant-1.pdf