One person was killed yesterday after a double-decker Megabus crashed into a concrete pillar on Interstate 55 between Chicago and St. Louis. There were close to 70 people on the bus at the time. Nearly half of the passengers were transported to area hospitals to be treated for injuries and 5 of the passengers sitting closest to the front had to be extricated from the bus. Other passengers suffered various injuries to to the legs, neck, and head. It was determined later that a blown tire caused the driver to lose control and crash into the pillar supporting an overpass on the highway near the town of Litchfield, Ill. Personal injury lawyers may be necessary to help earn victims compensation for the cost of their injuries.
There are about 360 million bus passengers every year. Bus accidents can occur as a result of faulty equipment, improper operation, or some other type of negligence on behalf of a bus company or its driver. In these cases, passengers may experience catastrophic injuries and the bus company may be held liable.
Personal Injury Lawyers Report Growing Concern over Bus Accidents for Curbside Pickup Buses
Megabus is a “curbside” bus operator in the U.S. The company operates more than 250 buses in 80 cities, and picks up its passengers on the street instead of at a bus depot. However, concern over the safety in picking passengers up from the curb has begun to grow following recent bus accidents. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the rate of fatal accidents involving curbside bus operators is seven times that of Greyhound.
In September 2010, four passengers died after a Megabus driver missed an exit and crashed near Syracuse, N.Y. Twenty-six bus companies were also shut down in May after the Department of Transportation launched surprise inspections in 13 states and the District of Columbia following a string of deadly bus accidents.
Personal Injury Lawyers in Philadelphia and New Jersey
The Philadelphia personal injury lawyers at Messa & Associates are experienced at handling cases involving bus accidents, including accidents that occur on a public mass transit bus, charter bus, tour bus, or school bus. Our extremely skilled team of personal injury lawyers and medical experts is dedicated to ensuring you receive proper compensation for your personal injuries. If your child has suffered an injury as a result of a bus accident, truck accident, other motor vehicle accident or any other type of personal injury, contact the personal injury lawyers of Messa & Associates for a free consultation. Call toll free at >strong>1-877-MessaLaw, or submit a free online inquiry.
