Passengers found themselves trapped after the bus they were riding in careened off the road and slammed into a building. According to reports, the bus was headed eastbound when, out of the blue, the driver swerved across the street and rode along the sidewalk for a bit before plowing into the building. The accident caused a portion of the building to collapse. The debris trapped the passengers inside. They attempted to open the door, but seeing that it wouldn’t budge, another passenger opened the emergency window and they were able to escape via that route.
The driver of the bus died and five passengers suffered injuries. The extents of those injuries were not released by police, but one woman who was riding in the bus reported that two men were bleeding from the face.
While this particular crash didn’t happen in Louisiana, bus accidents are an all-too-common occurrence here and, when they happen, the results can be devastating for passengers and other cars or pedestrians who happen to be in the area.
If you’ve been the victim of a bus crash, an attorney can use his or her expertise to break down the accident and determine if negligence was present. Was the driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol? Was he or she distracted at the time of the wreck? Was the bus well maintained and completely safe to operate? Was the driver’s training adequate? In some cases, a recreation of the crash is necessary and can reveal critical details about the cause.
If you’re burdened with medical bills or a loss of wages because of a bus accident, a Louisiana attorney may be able to help you fight for compensation.
Source: Detroit.cbslocal.com, “Driver Killed, Passengers Trapped After DDOT Bus Slams Into Building,” June 24, 2014
