CHARTERED BUS ACCIDENTS IN TEXASWHY THESE ACCIDENTS OCCUR AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR SURVIVORS

What is a Chartered Bus?People hire chartered buses to take tours, travel, shop and go to sporting events. As opposed to public transit buses, chartered buses are owned and maintained by private companies. Many of these buses offer special amenities and services, while others are basic transportation methods used by those who want to get to their destination affordably. When these buses are involved in road accidents, the results can be disastrous for passengers and for any other vehicle occupants or pedestrians involved.

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Bus Accident Statistics• In 2015, there were 21 fatal bus crashes in Texas. • In 2014, there were 234 bus crashes in the United

States.• In 2014, there were 281 fatalities in bus crashes,

44 of which were occupants of the bus. • In 2014, there were 22,000 injuries in bus crashes.• In 2014, there were 78 pedestrian fatalities and 14

bicyclist fatalities in bus crashes.

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Common Causes of Bus Accidents

Like most types of vehicle accidents, bus accidents are often caused by human error. More often than not, it is the fault of a driver. In some cases, the company who owns the bus fails to properly maintain the vehicle, leading to serious injuries or even fatalities of occupants. A bus accident may be caused by:

• Distracted Driving• Drowsy Driving• Reckless Driving (Speeding, Improper Lane Shifts, Ignoring

Traffic Laws, etc.)• Impaired Driving• Driving Improperly for Weather Conditions• Defective Vehicles• An Improperly Maintained Bus.

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Injuries in Bus AccidentsBus accidents can cause devastating and fatal injuries, both to bus occupants and to occupants of other vehicles involved in a collision. Some of these injuries include:

• Fractures• Internal Organ Damage• Spinal Cord Injuries• Paralysis• Traumatic Brain Injuries• Wrongful Death

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Who is to Blame For Bus Accidents?

Determining fault for bus accidents can be a much more complicated process than one might assume. A bus driver or other drivers involved in a crash might hold some of the responsibility. If the condition of the bus was also a factor, the owner of the bus might be held responsible. In many cases, there are multiple factors leading to a vehicle accident, and blame can be attributed to a number of parties.

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The Laredo Chartered Bus Accident

One of the biggest chartered bus accidents in recent years occurred in May of 2016, when a bus rolled over on northbound Highway 83 in Webb County. Eight people died and 44 more were injured after the bus driver lost control of the vehicle, according to a trooper responding to the scene. While investigators still aren’t sure of the cause of the accident, it is known that the bus company that owned the vehicle has had previous inspection problems with other buses.

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Other Examples of Bus Accidents

• In 2015, 10 passengers were killed in a prison bus accident in Odessa when the vehicle slid off an icy road and collided with a passenger train.

• Another Texas bus accident occurred in 2008 in Sherman, when a bus driver lost control of the vehicle, which then turned on its side, killing 17 passengers. Investigators found that the bus was operating illegally, and the accident was believed to be caused by a blown tire. It is also suspected that the driver of the bus had a criminal record.

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Watch Out For Chameleon Carriers

While most commercial motor vehicle companies try to comply with regulations and respond to the citations that they receive, others simply close up shop and reopen under a different name in an attempt to skirt regulations entirely. These businesses are known as “chameleon carriers,” and they typically have a much higher crash rate than their law-abiding counterparts. The Government Accountability Office says that up to “18 percent of the applicants with chameleon attributes were involved in severe crashes compared with 6 percent of new applicants without chameleon attributes.”

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Challenges for Bus Accident Survivors

Survivors in bus accidents can face a number of obstacles stemming from the injuries they’ve suffered, including pain, suffering, medical bills, ongoing treatment costs and loss of income or work capacity. For those that have lost loved ones in bus accidents, challenges include coping with the death of a family member, in addition to end-of-life costs, such as funeral or burial expenses.

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We Can HelpIf you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident in Texas, the attorneys at Guajardo & Marks can help. Our bus accident attorneys will investigate your case to determine who is at fault for the accident. We will provide you with aggressive representation to ensure that you get the compensation that you deserve. Contact us today to learn more about how Guajardo & Marks can help you.

We earn no fee unless we win. http://www.guajardomarks.com

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