New Orleans, in large part, is a town that relies on tourism as the engine of its economy. Every year, people flock to the Big Easy to eat Po’ Boys, visit the French Quarter and hear some of the best jazz and blues in the world. Because of this, tour buses are ubiquitous; you see them all over town — the big, red double-deckers that cart the sightseers around town in style. It’s a great way to see a large swath of the city from the comfort of a bus.
Naturally, with this glut of tour bus activity, bus accidents are bound to happen. It’s the responsibility of the tour company to make sure their buses are well-maintained, their drivers are sufficiently trained and that their passengers have everything they need to stay safe as they enjoy the sights and sounds of the city. This includes making sure everyone is educated about the potential dangers of the bus.
While outside of New Orleans, a woman was taking a tour on a double-decker bus in Los Angeles and happened to stand up as the bus was passing a tree. From her own account, a branch slammed into her face, shattering her eye socket and doing damage to a lower muscle in her eye. The accident also fractured her skull. One surgery wasn’t enough to fix the damage and the woman will have to undergo another, according to the lawsuit she filed.
Even though this accident didn’t happen in Louisiana, an attorney would look at an incident like this in the same way: Did the bus company have proper signage? Did they warn the sightseers to stay seated? How fast was the bus going?
If a company in Louisiana acted negligently, an accident attorney may be able to help the bus accident victim get compensation.
Source: losangeles.cbslocal.com, “Hollywood Woman Sues Starline Tours For Bus Accident That Damaged Her Face,” July 16, 2014
