If your child sustained injuries in a school bus accident, your family might struggle to get the medical care your child needs to recover. You may miss work to care for your child, leaving you with no source of income to pay your bills.
If a school bus injury accident occurs due to negligence, you may have a legal claim for financial compensation. In Port St. Lucie, Florida, the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine help clients get the fair financial compensation they deserve for injuries resulting from school bus accidents.
To schedule a free consultation and case evaluation, contact us today.
Common Causes of School Bus Accident Injuries in Port St. Lucie
School bus injuries can cause severe injuries to young passengers, most of whom ride to and from school each day without the protection of seatbelts. Kids get hurt when their bus collides with another motor vehicle or strikes an immovable object such as a construction barricade or roadway obstruction.
School bus accidents may also occur as a result of driver distraction. Drivers often look back to monitor potentially unruly passengers. Others, however, glance away from the road to send a text or check their phone. Bus crashes can occur due to poor road conditions or extreme weather.
Children can sustain injuries on the school bus due to the malfunction or failure of defective components on the vehicle as well as improper repair and maintenance practices.
Other people, including children, sustain injuries when they get hit by a school bus while walking or riding their bicycles.
School Bus Accident Injuries May Lead to Catastrophic Injury
Children and adults alike can sustain significant injuries related to school bus accidents, including life-threatening and fatal injuries.
The most common injuries that result from school bus accidents include:
- Cuts and bruises
- Fractures and dislocations
- Soft tissue injuries
- Burns
- Concussions
- Head and neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Amputation
Victims of school bus accidents can sustain permanent disabilities, including paralysis, paraplegia, and quadriplegia. Substantial head injuries can leave victims with neurological or cognitive disorders. In cases of this nature, the young victim may require medical treatment and constant care throughout their lives.
A School Bus Accident Lawyer Will Fight for You
Although no sum of money no matter how large, can make up for the pain you or your child is experiencing, a financial settlement will help ensure that the victim will get the treatment they need to recover from their injuries.
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine will fight for you and your family, to help ensure the best possible outcome in your case. We will protect your legal rights and provide the support you need to get your life back on track.
Building Your School Bus Accident Claim
We will start by investigating every aspect of the school bus accident, to identify the at-fault party and relevant factors that contributed to the crash. We may obtain photos or videos of the collision and scene and interview witnesses to understand what took place. We will call on our network of safety experts and medical professionals to obtain testimony that substantiates your claim.
Negotiating a Fair Financial Settlement
Once we submit your claim to the at-fault party’s insurance company, we will push to begin negotiations. In the majority of bus injury accident cases, we succeed in negotiating an acceptable settlement for our clients without having to go to court. That is always our goal, so we can get a check into your hand as quickly as possible.
Pursuing Legal Action if Necessary
If we cannot negotiate effectively with the at-fault party or their insurer, we may recommend taking your case in court. In that case, we will file a lawsuit in the appropriate venue and prepare your case for trial.
Throughout this process, we will protect your legal rights and ensure you get the treatment and resources you need. Our legal team will be there to answer your questions and make sure you understand all your options. We will not stop fighting for you until we achieve the best possible results for you.
Calculating the Value of a School Bus Accident & Injury Claim
The amount of your accident claim will depend on the type of injuries and actual damages the victim sustained. However, our legal team will include some or all of the following items as appropriate.
- Medical care and treatment costs to date
- Lost wages (potentially for a parent caring for their child)
- Future medical treatment & rehabilitation costs
- Future loss of income
- Pain and suffering
The amount of your claim may vary based on the identity of the at-fault party. If a school district is responsible for an accident, the Florida statutes limit some aspects of legal claims.
To determine the specific value of your school bus injury claim, contact our office today at 1-800-747-3733.
A Higher Standard of Care Applies to School Bus Accidents
When proving negligence in a standard personal injury case, we must demonstrate that the at-fault party owed a duty of reasonable care to the victim. In the case of a school bus accident, however, school districts and bus companies owe the highest possible degree of care to vulnerable young passengers.
The standards of negligence include these four elements:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Actual damages
Once we demonstrate that the at-fault party owed a duty of care to the victim, we must illustrate how they breached that duty. For example, a school bus driver breaches their duty of care if they drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol or disregard the posted speed limit.
We could demonstrate causation if the at-fault party’s breach of duty led to your or your child’s injury accident. To prove actual damages, we will provide copies of medical bills, wage statements, and other documentation to substantiate your losses.
Free Case Review with a School Bus Accident Lawyer in Port St. Lucie
At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, we understand your challenges and fears for your family and future. To help you decide what to do next, we provide a complimentary consultation and case review for bus accident clients in Port St. Lucie.
Florida’s statutes of limitations may apply to your case, so call an Port St Lucie injury lawyer today to protect your right to seek compensation.
To meet with a school bus accident lawyer in Port St. Lucie, call our office today.