Sometimes, the cause of an accident isn’t immediately known. Accident investigators are left to try to determine whether the cause was due to some sort of negligent action on the part of a driver or whether the accident occurred due to a defective product. This was the case recently with a bus accident on Interstate 95.
The accident took place when the left rear wheels of the bus separated from the axle. The loss of the wheels caused the bus, which had been southbound in the right lane, to cross the left lane, onto the shoulder and a grass embankment. It was not immediately clear to police why the wheels would have come off vehicle.
Two adults riding on the bus were taken to the hospital by ambulance. The 27 children on the bus were also evaluated in the emergency room. Some suffered minor injuries. The group was from a Philadelphia day camp and was on its way to a party center in Middletown. The bus was owned by a Philadelphia company.
Auto parts, including wheels or tires, are sometimes found to be defective. Defective auto parts can be dangerous and may result in personal injury to others. Even a minor injury resulting in medical treatment can be expensive. An injury to a child can result in lost work time for his or her parents. Additionally, being in an automobile accident can cause emotional distress and other consequences that aren’t always easy to put a dollar amount to. A personal injury claim may be filed in order to receive compensation to cover both economic expenses, such as medical bills, as well as noneconomic expenses, such as pain and suffering.
Source: Phillyburbs.com, “29 children, adults taken to hospital after I-95 bus accident,” Jo Ciavaglia, July 9, 2013