Knoxville School Bus Accidents
Although students are 70% more likely to get to school and home safely while riding in a school bus, accidents do happen. Between 2006 and 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported over 1,100 fatal crashes involving school buses. With over 300 school buses in operation that service nearly 60,000 students, school buses are a part of everyday life in Knox County, Tennessee. Accidents involving school buses could be the result of bus driver negligence or the negligence of another driver. Either way, if you (or a child) have been injured by the negligent actions of a driver, you are entitled to recover damages for your losses. Our Knoxville bus accident attorneys are dedicated to representing injured auto accident victims. As the largest personal injury law firm based in Tennessee, we provide personalized support to each and every client we represent.
Recovering After a School Bus Accident
Knox County Schools contracts with independent transportation providers to take students to and from school. Some of the more well-known servicers include Gentry School Bus Lines, Inc., Lynch Bus Lines, Ecco Ride, and DGL Bus Lines. The Knox County Schools Transportation Department, located at 912 South Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902, oversees these contractors and sets eligibility requirements for school bus drivers. To operate a school bus in Knox County, drivers must be at least 30 years old, pass a criminal background check, pass a Department of Transportation medical examination and pre-employment drug screening test, and obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) that includes any necessary school bus endorsements.
After an accident that involves a school bus, you will typically need to prove that another person or entity acted in a negligent manner. Negligence is typically established by proving the following elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. In auto accident cases, you need to first show that the at-fault driver owed you a duty to drive safely. For example, if your child’s school bus driver rear-ended another car because he was tailgating, you could argue that the bus driver failed to drive safely by following too closely.
The damages recoverable after school bus accident vary depending on the type of injury sustained, the length of treatment, and how it affected you or your child’s life. Economic damages can be awarded based on medical bills, lost wages, and other out of pocket expenses, like prescriptions or medical devices. Non-economic damages, on the other hand, revolve around pain and suffering, mental anguish, permanent disability, and loss of enjoyment of life. For instance, did your injured child miss several days of school? Did he or she have to forego extracurricular activities such as sports and class trips because of injuries suffered in the wreck? An experienced school bus accident lawyer in Knoxville will be able to analyze the particular facts of your situation and help you pursue all damages to which you may be entitled.
Retain a School Bus Accident Attorney in the Knoxville Area Today
If your child was involved in a school bus wreck or if you were hit by a careless school bus driver, the Knoxville school bus accident lawyers of Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz can help. Severe and even life-altering injuries could result from an accident with a school bus, and a skilled attorney can be needed to protect your legal rights and identify all potential avenues of recovery. Our firm handles bus crash cases all throughout Knox County and Knoxville. Call us toll-free at 800-529-4004 or complete our online form to set up a free consultation.
