Houston provides many school buses to transport children to each school which majority of schoolchildren rely on this transportation. This is a quite helpful choice. However, parents still have to be vigilant about their children’s safety while using this option although school bus accident Houston cases are rare.
Attorney Brian White informed that in 2022 there were more than 2,000 accidents in Texas resulting in seven deaths. Thus, don’t drop your guard and stay informed regarding school bus accident laws and the sundries. Read the discussion thoroughly!
Who Should Be Responsible for My Child’s School Bus Accident?
The reason why many parents rely on school buses to transport their children is because they are safe and accidents rarely occur. However, what if the school bus has an accident and your child is also a victim? Grossman Law Offices informs below that the following parties are responsible for the accident.
1. Bus Drivers and School Districts.
If a school bus accident Houston occurs, the first party who must be responsible is the bus driver. In addition, the school district is also involved in responsibility for school bus accidents. For this reason, the school district is the one who employs the school bus driver.
Hence, school districts should be held responsible if the drivers they employ are negligent in their work. Lax screening processes and low driver salaries in almost all school districts can be the trigger for accidents.
Drivers who do not meet the requirements but pass the selection have the potential to become dangerous drivers. Since many factors can trigger a school bus accident Houston, this does not rule out the possibility of a good driver having an accident.
2. School Bus Manufacturer
School bus accidents will also involve the manufacturers who produce the units. Moreover, school buses are supposed to be safe and comfortable transportation because they transport children and teenagers. In fact, according to Grossman Law Offices, many school buses do not provide seat belts.
Other than that, the average school bus is an old vehicle that already is sixty years old and has not received any safety innovations. Consequently, children are vulnerable to injury if an accident occurs so the manufacturer could be blamed for the school bus accident Houston.
On the flip side, for the past thirty years school bus manufacturers have provided many rearview mirrors to minimize blind spots. On the bright side, bus seats are made from non-flammable materials.
3. Other Motorists
Prior points mention that a good school bus driver who drives safely can have an accident. School buses could be hit by other motorists so the bus driver cannot control the vehicle properly. If the school bus accident that happened to your child was due to the motorist’s negligence, then you can sue the motorist for liability.
Since there are so many school bus passengers, compensation funds are usually limited. Therefore, you need to appoint a lawyer to get compensation that is appropriate to your child’s condition.
How Much Compensation Will You Get from School Bus Accidents Houston?
Which parent is not shocked when they find out that their child has become a victim of a school bus accident? All parents will definitely try to save their child by providing medical assistance. Ultimately, the medical costs will become a challenge because they usually cost a lot of money.
However, you as a parent can breathe easier if you file a lawsuit for compensation. So, what is the maximum compensation range that school bus accident victims will receive? Based on information from Calhoun & Meredhit, Houston, Texas government agencies will provide maximum compensation claims as follows:
- $100,000 per incident for injuries and property damage;
- $250,000 per person; and
- $500,000 per person if a school bus accident Houston victims suffer bodily injury or death.
Alternatively, if you hire a lawyer to handle a school bus accident case, they will provide the best advice and legal action that has the greatest potential for success.
For example, a lawyer will advise you to file an insurance claim. Even though the insurance company does not cover pain and suffering compensation, you still get compensation for hospital expenses.
How Will a Bus Accident Attorney Help You File a Lawsuit?
As a matter of fact, filing a lawsuit regarding a school bus accident is quite challenging because you have to know the regulations for filing a lawsuit. The following are several ways that lawyers can take to file a lawsuit for a school bus accident in Houston.
1. Sue Against the School District
The attorney you appoint will take steps to sue the school district if the bus driver is proven to be at fault. Filing a lawsuit against the school district has also been a challenge for lawyers since the government granted sovereign immunity law. This policy makes the government immune from legal responsibility.
However, there are exceptions for traffic accident cases. Even though it has to go through a long and complicated process, the lawyer endeavors to resolve the lawsuit professionally.
2. Claim Against Other Motorists
If the school bus accident in Houston happened due to the negligence of another motorist, the lawyer you appointed will sue the motorist. An attorney will help you obtain compensation from the other driver involved to cover major losses.
In other words, if more than one culpable causes an accident, then you have the opportunity to get compensation from each motorist. The amount of compensation you will receive will usually be influenced by how serious your child’s injuries are.
3. Consult Your Attorney for Private School Bus Claims
Parents who send their children to private schools can discuss school bus claims with the attorneys they hire. For this reason, many private schools in Houston provide their own buses to pick up their students. Therefore, the sovereign immunity law does not apply to private schools.
On the other hand, you can get compensation for injuries and damages by filing a claim on a private school insurance policy. Even though it’s not as complicated as filing a claim for a school district, you still need the assistance of an attorney to file a claim.
Are You Enlightened by the Post About the School Bus Accident Houston?
In a nutshell, since the Houston government has granted sovereign immunity law, it will be difficult to prosecute bus drivers who are at fault. However, you can try contacting a lawyer who will assist you in filing a lawsuit for your child’s school bus accident in Houston.
Working with the right lawyer will simplify and expand your chances of winning the case.
