Boston Injury Lawyer Blog
A school bus carrying over 30 elementary school students experienced a wild crash in Quincy on Tuesday, Oct. 25 and is now under investigation to determine the cause of the accident. Seven people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries and returned home later the same day, including five kids, the bus driver and a driver of an SUV that was struck during the crash. During the potentially-deadly crash, the bus hit the SUV and knocked down overhead wires, a brick wall, a wooden fence, a U.S. Post Office mailbox, and sent a fire hydrant flying 100 feet into somebody’s front law as it traveled out of control for what was described as “the length of a football field.” Respondents to the scene remarked that it was incredible that nobody was seriously injured in the scary event that “looked like a tornado had touched down.”
The crash was clearly not as disastrous as it could have been, and now investigators will look into how the bus wound up so out of control for so long. Unfortunately, there were no security cameras on board the bus to provide a glimpse into the moment it went out of control.
Students likely jarred by the event
Reporters and first respondents who spoke to parents and some of the students on the bus tell stories of the fear experienced during the crash. “Everybody was screaming really loud,” said one of the students on the bus, as reported by WCVB. “I’m just thankful we didn’t have any worse injuries,” Thomas Koch, mayor of Quincy, said. “When you look at the scene here, it’s devastating; so we’re blessed.” The students involved spanned from kindergarten through fifth grade. They were either headed home or headed to an after-school music program at Quincy High School. After the crash, they were escorted off the bus safely to a local restaurant and were picked up by their parents.
Now the Quincy Public Schools are making counselors available for any students who may need them, and either the principal or assistant principal of the elementary school will ride with kids on the bus for as many days as it takes to get kids comfortable with riding the bus again. Any student involved was not expected to return to school the following day.
If negligence was involved, lawsuits are possible
Whenever there is an accident involving children, the stakes are raised in terms of who is responsible. If the bus experienced a random mechanical failure, there may be no recourse taken by any of the parents since certain accidents are simply unforeseeable. However, if there was any element of negligence involved, such as an avoidable problem like improperly-inflated tires, worn out brakes or any kind of impairment to the driver, then lawsuits are likely and warranted from any of the affected parties involved. Accidents like this one can have long-term mental health effects, especially on young children who have probably never experienced such levels of danger and fear.
At the heart of every potential negligence-caused accident is a lack of proper precaution or caring. When transporting children, the stakes are incredibly high to ensure their safety. Although the cause of the accident is unknown at this time, if it turns out to be negligence-related, any victim of the crash could be entitled to compensation for the anxiety or any injuries that they may have incurred from it. At Altman & Altman LLP, we have over 40 years of experience tackling negligence cases of all kinds, and we have an unrelenting approach in our mission to ensure that any guilty parties face the proper responsibility. A consultation with one of our experienced attorneys is totally free. Call us today at 617-492-3000 or toll-free at 800-481-6199. We are available 24/7.
