Charter Bus Accident Claims: What You Need to Know

• Dan T. Matrafajlo
• Thu May 2018
• Accident,
• 0

There’s something to be said about charter buses. The idea that you can sit back and relax while someone else drives is a welcome reprieve. For many, the idea of hitting the casinos in Atlantic City for a day trip sounds like fun.  That is, until there is an accident.

As the charter bus is traveling south down the Garden State Parkway, you hear the screech of brakes. The next thing you know, the bus is swerving out of control, then collides with a guard rail, then flips over.

While there are no fatalities, you and many passengers sustain injuries. In your case, you are severely hurt with a concussion and a neck fracture. Other passengers suffer cuts from broken glass, bruises, and broken bones.

Why did this happen? Who is to blame?

Causes of Charter Bus Accidents

Charter and tour buses are popular in New Jersey among travelers, commuters, tourists, and students. While bus accidents are infrequent across the state, they can be serious—and frightening— when they do happen.

Last September, a charter bus overturned on Interstate 280 in Roseland, New Jersey, when it crashed into a median. Two people were injured. According to reports, it was the only vehicle involved in the accident. The cause was unknown.

If there is an accident, the companies that operate these buses can be held liable.

A chartered bus crash could be the result of faulty maintenance, old buses, or defective automotive parts. The company can also be held responsible if it did not perform required inspections, installed inadequate seat belts, or did not screen drivers.

Or an accident could be caused by driver negligence, including

• Driver distraction
• Driver fatigue, perhaps from working long hours
• Aggressive driving, speeding, or not operating the vehicle properly
• Driving under the influence of a substance
• Inadequate driver training
• Inexperience driving in bad weather

Meanwhile, there’s a good chance that someone other than the bus company or the bus operator is at fault for the crash. When you consult with an experienced bus accident attorney, the case will be investigated to understand who is at fault.

Since these buses go at high speeds, passengers and their loved ones are always at risk of being injured—or at worst killed—if something goes tragically wrong. Imagine being ejected through a broken bus window as the vehicle careens down a highway.

A catastrophic bus crash may cause serious injuries to passengers, such as head trauma, broken bones, bruises, burns, internal injuries, and spinal cord injuries.

Contact Us

If you or a loved one has been injured from a charter or tour bus crash, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. Contact the Law Offices of Beninato & Matrafaljo to ensure that your claims are protected.  We have decades of experience in representing injury victims.