Bus Accident Liability for Bus Crash on Highway 99 – Who Should You Sue?
On November 9, 2022, a northbound Greyhound bus crashed on Highway 99 and Bardsley Avenue, causing injuries to passengers. Let’s explore the details of the news with Ehline Law and our personal injury attorneys.
Tulare Greyhound Crash Causes Traffic Delay on Highway 9 and Bardsley Avenue
According to the California Highway Patrol, the Greyhound bus driver first rear-ended a Freightliner truck towing two or three big rig tractors before swerving into a steel guardrail that separated the northbound and southbound lanes. The bus came to a halt after striking the center divider.
Passengers on Greyhound Bus Sustained Minor Injuries, Police Report Confirms
The California Highway Patrol ruled out alcohol as the cause of the accident and reported multiple passengers suffered minor injuries. Some passengers bumped their heads while a couple of them complained of experiencing pain.
The first responders administered first aid to the passengers while transporting two passengers immediately to a nearby hospital.
Passengers Wait for Another Bus after Greyhound Bus Crashed on Highway 99
The Tulare Fire Department helped passengers get out of the damaged bus. Since the accident decommissioned the Greyhound bus, Tulare County School District sent their bus over to keep the passengers warm until Greyhound arranged for a second Greyhound bus to finish the trip.
Police Will Review Camera Footage to Determine the Cause of Accident
The California Highway Patrol will review the bus’s camera footage as part of an investigation into the accident. Northbound lanes remained open, while the southbound lanes remained closed until Caltrans fixed the center railing.
Who Is Liable for the Greyhound Bus Accident?
No further information is available about the bus accident or how it happened. However, most accidents occur due to negligence. In some cases, the injured passengers may hold the bus driver responsible for the accident. While in others, another driver’s negligence could have caused the accident.
It could be possible that either one or multiple parties could be responsible for the Greyhound bus accident.
Greyhound Bus Company
The accident mentioned above was the second in the last two months. In the first one, another Greyhound bus ended up on its side when it left Highway 99 in Tulare County, resulting in injuries to 17 passengers.
It could be possible that the Greyhound bus company is not maintaining their buses properly. A bus company must exercise reasonable care to ensure its passengers are safe from harm. This responsibility includes background checking of drivers before hiring them, conducting routine inspections, and carrying out regular maintenance.
Failure to carry out its responsibility is negligence on behalf of the bus company, and injured passengers can hold them responsible for their loss.
Manufacturer
A bus manufacturer is responsible for ensuring the safety of its buses before selling them to its customers. Tire manufacturers must ensure that their tires are adequately tested and safe for use before the sale. It could be possible that the buses sold to Greyhound or the tires installed were defective.
Any negligence on behalf of the manufacturer, whether it is the bus manufacturer or tire manufacturer, injured passengers can pursue claims against them to recover compensation.
Government Agency
Since both accidents in two months occurred on Highway 99, it could be possible that the highway was poorly maintained or there was a hazard on the road that resulted in the two accidents. Although it is unlikely that there were any hazards on the highway as there would be more accidents, it is possible.
Caltrans is responsible for maintaining the California freeways and state highways. Failing to do so can lead to liability, for which injured passengers can hold Caltrans accountable for the damages.
In the incident “Tulare Greyhound crash causes traffic delay on highway 99”, there could be one party or multiple responsible for the Greyhound bus crash, which is why injured victims need to speak to an experienced personal injury attorney.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Ehline Law Bus Crash Lawyers
If you suffered injuries in a bus or a big rig crash, contact us at (833) LETS-SUE for a free consultation, as you may be eligible for compensation.
