School bus accidents may be rare, but they can be devastating. When you send your child off to school, you expect your child to be safe. You expect the buses to be well-maintained and the drivers to be careful.
Sometimes, the bus driver is at fault. In a recent Wisconsin school bus accident, investigators found the bus driver ran a stop sign, collided with a pickup truck, and ended up in a ditch. Three high school bowling team members were injured.
Most of the time, collisions involving school buses in Wisconsin are not the bus driver’s fault but are the fault of the driver of the other vehicle.
You Can Sue on Your Child’s Behalf
If you are the parent or legal guardian of a child who was injured in a school bus accident, you can sue on your child’s behalf if your child is under 18. You may be able to get compensation for medical expenses and other costs related to the injury.
Who Can You Sue?
The question of who you can sue for a school bus accident may be complicated. It’s a good idea to talk to an experienced Wisconsin personal injury lawyer about what you should do in your specific situation. In general, you may be able to sue some of these people or organizations, depending on who or what caused the accident:
- The other driver. If the accident was a collision between the school bus and another vehicle, in the majority of cases, the driver of the other vehicle is found to be at fault for causing the accident.
- The bus driver. You can sue the school bus driver if the driver’s negligence caused or contributed to the accident. School bus drivers are responsible for being very careful about the safety of students riding the bus. They might also be legally responsible if a student gets hurt while getting on or off the bus.
- The school bus company. Like school bus drivers, the owners of the school bus must also use a high standard of care.
- The school district. If the school district’s negligence caused or contributed to the accident, you may be able to sue the district. However, there are special laws in Wisconsin that apply when you sue a state agency or state employees for personal injury. This is a complex area of the law, and you should consult an experienced Wisconsin personal injury lawyer to find out more.
- The manufacturer of the bus. If the bus was defective, you may be able to sue the manufacturer.
Contact Gingras, Thomsen & Wachs, LLP
It’s a terrible thing when a child gets injured in a school bus accident. Here at Gingras, Thomsen & Wachs, LLP, we are dedicated to helping parents get all the compensation they are entitled to on their child’s behalf. We want your child to have all the treatments he or she needs to have the best recovery possible. Please contact us for a free consultation in our Madison, Milwaukee, Waukesha or Eau Claire offices.
