UPDATE: One third of inspected New York buses pulled from service
New York state officials decided to launch a string of bus safety inspections that began in late September as discussed in a prior post. The inspections came in response to the call for action after a fatal bus accident killed 15 people.
The fatal bus accident occurred in March of 2011 on Interstate 95 in the Bronx. The 30 passengers were nearing their final destination on their return from a Connecticut casino when they were awaken by a sharp twist of momentum and the frightening sound of twisting metal. The mass transit driver had lost control of the vehicle and struck a sign on the side of the highway. Continue reading
What to do if you are on the scene of a bus accident in New York
You are a passenger on an MTA/NYCTA bus. The bus gets into a mass transit accident. You are thrown onto the floor of the bus. Luckily you are not that badly injured, but your friend who was sitting in the seat next to you struck his head on the pole then fell to the floor. He is unconscious. He is injured. The bus driver puts the bus out of service, walks over to your friend on the floor then begins to dispatch for help.
You know your friend is hurt. You know he has rights. You know he needs help. What do you do? You know that the bus driver was at fault for the accident because you saw him go through a red light. Is there anything you can do to help?
What happens at the scene on the accident…
Within the next few minutes, a multitude of uniformed officials arrive at the scene and step onboard of the bus, including paramedics, EMS/FDNY, police officers, MTA/NYCTA supervisors, as well as other officials who appear to be investigating the accident. You see officials interviewing the passengers as they let the ones who are not hurt off of the bus. You see the police officers at the scene question the bus driver. You feel reassured. Everything appears to be under control. But is it? … The answer is not what you would expect.
Here’s how we can help…
At the law offices of Omrani & Taub, P.C., we have handled numerous claims against various bus companies, including the MTA, NYCTA, MABSTOA, Metropolitan Bus Company, Bee Line Bus, Liberty Lines Express, Greyhound, Peter Pan Bus, Trans Express Bus and many more. Our experience has revealed that in accidents involving city buses, the response teams dispatched to the scene are carefully assembled by the bus companies and consist of individuals particularly trained in the field of loss control. In other words, these officials are specifically trained to limit and control the amount of liability that the bus company might face from the accident; therefore, contrary to what you might expect, the responders are not interested in preserving or documenting evidence that would help establish the victims’ claims. Rather, the only evidence they look to preserve is evidence that would limit a victim’s ability to recover for the full extent of damages.
If you are ever at the scene of a bus accident take the time to do the following:
– Obtain the names and telephone numbers of as many of the passengers as you can
– Take video or photographs of everyone at the scene, including the bus driver, the passengers, members of the response team, etc.
– Take video or photographs of the bus and other vehicles involved in the accident showing the damage sustained by each vehicle together with relevant evidence such as skid marks, scattered debris.
– Offer this information to the injured victims.
Anyone injured in a bus accident should contact a lawyer experienced in bus accident litigation. The personal injury attorneys at Omrani & Taub, P.C., have successfully handled numerous claims against various bus companies and are acutely familiar with the intricacies of bus accident litigation. Interested clients should contact the office at 212-714-1515 or 212-529-7848 (that’s 212-LAW-SUIT).