Thousands of children ride the bus to and from school every day. School buses offer convenience to busy families that might otherwise struggle with transportation issues. For the most part, school buses are statistically safe. However, due to their large size, they can pose a danger both to the children on board and pedestrians in the area.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), between four and six school-aged children die each year in school bus accidents. Thousands more injuries result. Many of these are serious and involve brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, and other catastrophic damage.
If your child suffered injuries in a Florida school bus accident, whether as a passenger or pedestrian, you have rights. A school bus accident lawyer in Miami, FL, can help you protect them.
At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, we offer free case evaluations to accident victims. We will review the details of your child’s crash, answer all your questions, and give you straightforward advice about your legal options.
To set up an appointment to meet with a member of our team, call us today at 1-800-747-3733.
How Are School Bus Accident Claims Different From Other Auto Accident Cases in Miami?
Several factors make school bus accidents unique among motor vehicle crashes. For one, a school bus’s substantial size, weight, and occupancy create the possibility of many more victims than in a typical Miami car accident.
School buses are usually owned and operated by school districts, which are government entities. Regarding liability, the government plays by different rules than private individuals and businesses do.
Government entities at the federal, state, and local level enjoy something called sovereign immunity. This is a type of legal protection that shields them from many lawsuits. Since the government gets funding from taxpayers, sovereign immunity laws keep frivolous lawsuits from wasting our tax dollars.
Unfortunately, the law also makes it harder for legitimate victims to seek compensation for their injuries. On the bright side, Florida waives sovereign immunity in certain situations, such as when a government employee’s negligent, reckless, or malicious actions cause injuries to a child.
You must follow a specific process to receive a waiver and thus be eligible to sue for your child’s school bus injury. An attorney from the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can help you meet these requirements so you can pursue your case.
No Matter the Factors That Caused Your Child’s School Bus Accident, Our Lawyers Can Help
Several factors might cause or contribute to a school bus crash. Some of the most common are:
- Driver error;
- Dangerous road conditions;
- Failing to adjust to bad weather conditions;
- Faulty vehicle components, such as malfunctioning brakes or a defective tire; and
- Improper maintenance.
In each above scenario—and in many others as well—there is a good chance that another party is responsible for the crash and, thus your child’s injuries. Our job is to investigate the accident, identify all parties who might bear responsibility, and gather evidence showing how and why those parties are liable. Once we have a strong, evidence-backed case, we can negotiate with the responsible parties and their insurance companies for a fair settlement. If we cannot reach a fair settlement for your insurance claim, we can file a Miami personal injury lawsuit and take your case to trial.
The responsible party or parties for your child’s school bus accident injuries might include:
- The bus driver’s employer, which is usually a school district;
- The manufacturer of the bus or one of its components;
- The municipality is responsible for maintaining safe road conditions and functioning traffic signals; or
- The driver of another vehicle was involved in the crash.
More than one party might be responsible. Our legal team will determine this information in the course of investigating the crash. If, for instance, both the bus driver and the driver of another vehicle were at fault in the accident, we can pursue an exemption to the school system’s sovereign immunity while also seeking damages from the other driver through a private settlement or lawsuit.
We Fight for the Full Damages You Need to Cover Your Child’s Bus Accident Injuries
Injuries suffered in school bus accidents are often severe. They can include:
- Head trauma;
- Spinal injuries;
- Broken bones;
- Cuts and bruises;
- Internal injuries;
- Loss of limbs; and
- Paralysis
A serious injury can require months or years—or perhaps a lifetime—of treatment, which leads to substantial medical bills. You and your child should not have to face these costs on your own. Whether the responsible party was a government employee working for the school system—such as the bus driver—a vehicle or parts manufacturer, or another driver, they should shoulder these costs, not you.
That is why the legal team at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine fights so aggressively on behalf of our clients. We know the costs of a serious injury and want to be sure the correct party pays for those expenses.
Based on the circumstances of the crash and your child’s injuries, we might pursue some or all of the following damages:
- Your child’s current and expected future medical bills;
- Any time off work you had to take to tend to your child;
- Compensation for your child’s pain and suffering; and
- Punitive damages to punish the responsible party for any malicious or excessively reckless behavior.
Call Today for a Free Case Evaluation With a School Bus Accident Lawyer in Miami
The team at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine wants to help you win the compensation you deserve for your child’s school bus accident injuries. To set up a free case evaluation right away, call our office at 1-800-747-3733.
We Can Help.
