Who will have to pay out for injuries caused by an airport shuttle in Chicago?
Major cities like Chicago need buses operating on a daily basis to help people get around. However, having lots of buses and traffic on the roads also increases the likelihood that there will eventually be a collision.
An airport shuttle bus caused numerous problems when it crashed into a Chicago Police patrol car and injured several people.
Shuttle crashes into police car and causes three vehicle accident
The accident happened in the middle of rush hour traffic on a Tuesday right near the O’Hare Airport on North Bessie Coleman Drive. Chicago Police confirmed that one of their officers was stopped in the area and issuing a traffic citation to another driver when it was struck in the rear by the bus. The police car then went forward into another vehicle and caused an additional collision. There were several recorded injuries, including one person in the car that was struck by the police vehicle, one police officer, and at least four passengers on the bus. They were all transported to Resurrection Hospital with injuries that did not appear to be severe or life threatening.
The potential for mass injuries
The main concern with bus accidents tends to be the potential for injuries to multiple passengers. This is because of the large volume of people that ride on buses every day. It is not uncommon for dozens of people to be hurt at once when a bus collides with another vehicle due to a mistake of the driver. Transportation works also need to stay on the roads for hours at a time, which makes accidents more likely. If the drivers are violating Department of Transportation regulations by working more hours than allowed by law, this may also be factored into a lawsuit as evidence of negligence. Keep in mind that each individual injury can also result in its own lawsuit, and the bus company will need insurance or have to pay legal fees to cover these costs for each case.
The company who owns the bus is responsible
In a situation such as this, the transportation company that provides shuttle services to the airport will bear the burden of the lawsuit. This is because of a legal doctrine that makes employers strictly liable for the torts committed by their employees during the course of their regular job duties. This means that the company who owns the bus and their insurance company will likely end up paying for injuries to the passengers, rather than the individual driver who made a mistake and caused the accident.
Get more specific information following a bus accident
Regardless of any general information you can find about lawsuits online, you will always need to speak with a lawyer to determine how to proceed with your particular case. Every bus accident is unique, and your attorney always needs to create a strategy based on the facts surrounding your injuries and the cause of the collision.
Speak with an attorney about your situation
To learn more about the possibility of filing a lawsuit after an accident in Chicago, contact Budin Law Offices. You can talk about a litigation strategy that will create the best chance of success.
