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School Bus Accidents

Do You Need a North Carolina School Bus Accident Lawyer?

school bus School buses transport hundreds of thousands of North Carolina children to school every day. In most instances, the trip is made safely. However, accidents involving school buses happen almost every day in North Carolina. In some cases, the accident is the result of bus driver’s negligence. In other cases, the accident is the result of another driver’s negligence.

A School Bus Driver Was Negligent.

As anyone who has ever ridden a school bus knows, driving a school bus is not an easy job. At the time of day when most school buses are in route, there is a lot of traffic on the roadways. Buses are not particularly easy to maneuver. Because of these challenges, school bus drivers must be extra careful.

On average, there are about 134 fatal accidents each year involving school buses. Most of these accidents do not involve fatalities of the student occupants of the school bus. However, there are about 10,000 injuries per year due to school bus accidents and about 5,000 of these injuries involve the bus occupant.

The most frequent way a child is injured due to the negligence of a bus driver are accidents involving getting on and off the school bus. Unfortunately, this can be a dangerous time for children and the school bus driver must be extra attentive when children are anywhere near the outside of the school bus.

Negligent School Bus Stop Design.

A very significant danger to children riding a school bus is the location of the school bus stop. Any instance where a child must cross a highway to access the school bus stop can be dangerous for the child. Any design of a school bus stop location should account for traffic hazards for the children involved.

How Do You Bring a Claim for a School Bus Injury?

A claim for an injury due to a school bus accident can be brought several ways. If the accident is due to the negligence of another vehicle, the claim would be brought like any other car accident injury claim. If the claim is due to the negligence of the school bus driver, the claim is different. North Carolina law brings school bus claims against a local school board for negligent operation of a school bus under the jurisdiction of the North Carolina Industrial Commission and the North Carolina State Tort Claims Act is applicable [N.C.Gen.Stat. 143-300.1]. This means you cannot file a lawsuit in a regular courthouse against the school board for injuries arising from a school bus accident. This does not mean you will not recover for your claim but your recovery is capped at $1 million under the State Tort Claims Act.

North Carolina School Bus Injury and Accident Lawyers

The lawyers at Hendren Redwine & Malone have significant experience successfully representing victims of North Carolina school bus accidents. Our lawyers have successfully represented students injured in bus accidents as well as other drivers injured due to the negligence of the bus driver.

In one recent case, we represented the family of a man killed when a school bus turned in front of him as he rode to work on his scooter. After the claim was denied, we litigated the case through trial and obtained a verdict and recovery that significantly helped his children move on with their lives. More importantly, the verdict allowed the family to understand that the wreck was not the fault of our client.

If you have a question about a North Carolina school bus wreck, call our lawyers at 919-420-7867 for a free consultation.

Client Reviews
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Mike Malone was absolutely fabulous to work with. He represented my daughter in a case and we could not have been happier! He was upfront from the beginning about expectations, honest through out the case and above all.. caring! Even though I lived 2 hours away, he was more than willing to accommodate us in any way, even if it meant driving out of his way! Mike is one of the smartest lawyers you will find. I recommend him to everyone! I have known him now over 8 years and we still keep in touch. Thanks Mike. - Christy Smith
★★★★★
Mike Malone is the attorney for an estate wrongful death claim. Mike has helped me through every single step. Mike is intelligent, trustworthy and thorough, and responds quickly and personally to questions. I would highly recommend this firm to anyone who needs an attorney. Mike Malone has proven to work diligently to assist you in every way as well as make sure you understand what is happening. - Jason
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Thank you Mike for doing an exceptional job. You were not only extremely professional but also kind,patient and understanding through an extremely difficult time. Thank you again. - Bryan
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Mike is very sharp when it comes to understanding a case and how the legal system works. He also has integrity and a strong moral conviction which you won't always find when trying to find good legal counsel. - Camp Davis
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Mike Malone was a pleasure to work with on a case involving negligence of another attorney in a real estate transaction. Mike was very eager to help us recover money lost in our case. Highly recommended! - Mariusz Stanczyk