In early March, a group of teenagers geared up for a parade. For this group, it meant putting on a uniform, lacing up their boots and topping the ensemble off with a hat. It meant making sure the brass was shined, extra reeds were available and the flags were wrapped up and ready to go.
Why all the fuss? This group of New Orleans teens was part of a marching band that was going to be a part of the parade that day. The Martin Behrman Charter Academy marching band members would walk in the parade, but they still had to get there. On that Tuesday morning, they jumped on two school buses and trusted that the drivers would get them there safely.
The day didn’t go exactly as planned. At approximately 9:30 a.m., the two busses were traveling on the Pontchartrain Expressway when the lead vehicle suddenly came to a stop. The following bus wasn’t able to stop quickly enough to avoid a collision and ended up rear-ending the lead bus.
It isn’t clear whether one or both of the drivers was negligent in causing the accident, but it was clear that three students were treated at Children’s Hospital. They were taken there by Emergency Medical Services, treated and released. The rest of the band was able to continue on to the site and march in the parade.
The particulars of the bus accident detailed in this post were reported by New Orleans police spokesman Garry G. Flot.
A lot of parents wish they could be there every minute of the day to ensure their child is safe. It’s an assumption, but it is probably a safe one to make. Yet, there are certain circumstances when parents have to place their trust in the hands of another, like the driver of a school bus.
Seeking compensation with the aid of a personal injury attorney to pay for medical bills or pain and suffering is well within a parent’s rights when that trust has been violated and their child is injured.
Source: BayouBuzz.com, “3 teens injured in N.O. bus accident,” March 4, 2014
