Bus drivers and bus companies must adhere to extremely rigorous standards of safety. When bus companies or operators cause accidents by acting negligently, their victims may be entitled to compensation. If you or one of your family members was injured in a bus accident on I-95 in Pennsylvania, the parties who caused the crash could be responsible for your losses, including medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, property damage, lost earning potential, and other damages. However, due to the complex regulations surrounding commercial bus accidents and school bus accidents, it is important to seek legal guidance from a skilled and experienced attorney.
At the Reiff Law Firm, we are award-winning Pennsylvania injury lawyers with more than 35 years of experience representing accident survivors and wrongful death victims in claims and lawsuits against charter bus companies, school bus companies, bus drivers, and others. To discuss filing a bus accident claim in a free legal consultation, contact our law offices online today, or call the Reiff Law Firm at (215) 709-6940.
Pennsylvania I-95 Bus Accidents
Multiple bus accidents have taken place along various sections of I-95 over the years, highlighting the dangers of this hectic, congested highway. Also known as the Delaware Expressway, Interstate 95 has been the site of serious crashes in recent years. In 2017, more than two dozen children were injured when a Pennsylvania charter bus crashed on I-95 in Maryland. According to police officers who responded to the scene, the vehicle veered off the road after the driver lost control, overturning after colliding with a tree to the side of the highway. Though the accident occurred in Maryland, the vehicle involved was operated by a Phoenixville, Pennsylvania-based charter bus company, Werner Coach.
Common Injuries in Bus Accident Claims
Bus accidents can result in a range of serious injuries. Some injuries are caused when passengers are struck by unsecured objects inside of the bus, such as handbags or glass debris from windows. Other injuries occur when passengers fall inside of the bus due to excessively violent stops, or because the vehicle has lost control, such as the injuries sustained in a rollover accident. Non-occupants, such as pedestrians and cyclists, tend to suffer some of the most devastating injuries of all, due to the size difference and lack of protection surrounding them. Unfortunately, accidents involving motorcyclists or pedestrians often have fatal or permanently life-altering outcomes.
As personal injury lawyers with decades of experience, we are highly familiar with all types of injuries and their long-term effects. We will fight to ensure that your medical expenses are properly compensated, including future and anticipated expenses resulting from long-term impairment or disability. Types of injury claims we handle involving I-95 bus crashes in Pennsylvania include:
- Back and spinal cord injuries
- Bone fractures
- Bruises and contusions
- Bulging and herniated disc injuries
- Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries
- Cuts and lacerations
- Facial injuries and permanent scarring
- Hand and wrist injuries
- Hip, knee, and shoulder injuries
- Foot and ankle injuries
- Soft tissue injuries (sprains and strains)
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
Why Do Charter and School Buses Crash?
Bus accidents have many different causes, but most of them share one factor in common: human error. In most cases, either the bus driver or another motorist makes a serious mistake that causes the crash, such as speeding through a red light or driving while intoxicated. Human errors can also occur on the factory floor, causing dangerous defects in the bus before it ever reaches the road. Common safety issues that cause or contribute to bus accidents include the following:
- Automotive defects, such as manufacturing errors or design errors that result in unsafe vehicles
- Distracted driving
- Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Failure to check mirrors for bus passengers or other motorists
- Failure to come to a complete stop at a stop sign
- Failure to slow down in poor weather or low visibility
- Failure to use turn signals or blinkers properly
- Failure to yield to other vehicles
- Fatigued or sleeping drivers
- Road defects, such as problems with the design of an intersection or left-hand turn
- Running through red lights
- Speeding, which is especially dangerous in poor weather or with limited visibility, such as in heavy fog or when turning around sharp corners
I-95 Bus Accident Injury Lawyers in Pennsylvania
At the Reiff Law Firm, we have over 35 years of experience fighting against school bus manufacturers, charter bus companies, negligent bus drivers, negligent mechanics, and other parties involved in Pennsylvania bus injury lawsuits. We also have experience handling claims involving state agencies, such as Pennsylvania school districts, which are subject to different regulations and shorter deadlines. If somebody’s careless mistake or dangerous actions caused the crash that injured you, we will fight hard to hold them accountable, working to maximize your recovery in the process. To set up a free legal consultation, contact our I-95 bus accident lawyers online, or call the Reiff Law Firm at (215) 709-6940 today to speak with an attorney.
