Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed By Victims’ Families

Sylvia Garay, Vanessa Gonzalez, and Stephanie Cordoba were among the victims killed in the deadly bus crash on Highway 99. The victims sustained fatal injuries “when a streaking bus plowed into” their SUV. Their families filed a wrongful death claim in Fresno County Superior Court, but the jury voted 10-2 in favor of Greyhound Lines, Inc. Reports indicate that the jury deliberated “less than three hours after a six-week trial, then left without speaking to attorneys in the case.”

The families had sought at least $6 million from Greyhound, but given that the jury found in favor of the bus company, the families of the deceased victims will not receive any financial compensation. Prior to the outcome of this case, Greyhound reportedly “spent more than $3 million to settle with the two dozen injured bus passengers,” as well as the families of two of the bus passengers who sustained fatal injuries. However, Greyhound didn’t offer any compensation to the families of the young women who had been passengers in the SUV that was struck by the bus.

What evidence existed in favor of the plaintiffs? According to the article in the Fresno Bee, the bus driver, James Jewett, caused the accident by driving aggressively. Indeed, the plaintiffs’ attorney argued that “the evidence clearly showed he was speeding in the fast lane and wasn’t wearing his eyeglasses when he slammed into the overturned SUV.” In other words, the SUV had already overturned when the bus crashed into it. The plaintiffs also presented evidence that “Greyhound’s own mechanics said Jewett’s bus had bad brakes, but supervisors wanted the bus on the road.”

Contradictory Evidence from the Defense

Why would the jury decide in favor of the defense if Greyhound didn’t properly maintain its bus and if the Greyhound driver hadn’t been obeying the rules of the road when the accident took place? The defense relied on information supplied by the California Highway Patrol, which “blamed the deadly crash on Garay, saying she was drunk when she overturned the SUV.”

In addition, the California Highway Patrol indicated that Jewett had in fact been wearing his glasses and, even with them on, he “couldn’t see the dark undercarriage of the SUV.” The defense also presented evidence showing that Jewett had been driving Greyhound buses for 32 years and maintained a clean driving record.

While it can be difficult to prove that a big company is liable for injuries in an accident, it is important to seek compensation when you have been injured because of another person’s negligence. Bus accidents often result in serious and fatal injuries. If you or someone you love has recently been injured in a bus crash, you may be eligible to file a claim for compensation. Contact an experienced San Diego bus accident lawyer at the Walton Law Firm today to learn more about how we can assist with your case.

Photo Credit: Jasperdo via Compfight cc See Related Blog Posts: School Bus Safety in California California Bus Crash Report

Are children safe when they board a school bus headed toward home after a long day in the classroom? With news of the deadly school bus crash involving a FedEx truck, it’s not surprising that parents would be more concerned about school bus safety. But a recent bus accident in the Anaheim Hills isn’t doing much to allay concerns.

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, the bus accident in the Anaheim Hills left six people injured. The school bus had been carrying a total of 12 people, including the driver and 11 middle-school students, from an after-school activity at El Rancho Charter School. Residents of the Anaheim Hills could hear students screaming for help just moments after the accident, and according to the news story, many “Good Samaritans rushed to free them from the wrecked vehicle.”

One witness, who had been driving in the opposite direction of the school bus, saw it “drive up and fly up and crash” as students inside screamed, “help me!” Of the injured students, two suffered critical injuries, although officials indicated that none of the injuries looked to be life-threatening. The driver also sustained critical injuries. The California Highway Patrol indicated that three other students suffered minor injuries. A report from ABC News indicated that “part of a tree went into the bus and cut a girl’s leg,” and witnesses observed “gas pouring out the back.”

The California Highway Patrol is looking into the cause of the crash. According to ABC News, investigators have interviewed the driver but “still don’t know what caused the bus to veer out of its lane, over a curb and into trees and a lamp post.” Authorities haven’t determined how many of the students had been wearing seat belts.

School Bus Safety Statistics

A recent article in WebMD emphasized that, despite the intense news coverage of school bus accidents, “taking a bus to school is the safest way to go.” According to Eric Bolton, a spokesperson for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), school transportation has some of the best statistics in terms of the total number of injuries and number of passengers. Specifically, school buses carry about 24 million students each year and travel “more than 4 billion miles,” and these vehicles only have a death rate of .2 per 100 million miles traveled.

However, the article in WebMD emphasized that statistics aren’t always so comforting. When we think about the likelihood of an accident on a school bus compared to other modes of transportation, the numbers might look good. However, there’s another way to think about school bus accidents: “over a span of 11 years, from 1994-2004, a total of 71 passengers on school buses died in crashes.” And nearly all of these deaths were preventable.

Has your child been injured or killed in a serious bus crash? In many school bus accident cases, it may be possible to file a claim for financial compensation. When bus drivers or school districts behave negligently, children can suffer severe and sometimes fatal injuries. At the Walton Law Firm, we are dedicated to helping California residents who have been injured in school bus crashes. Contact one of our experienced San Diego bus accident attorneys to discuss your case.

See Related Blog Posts:

School Bus Accident Cases

California Bus Crash Report

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