The Iowa State Patrol has reported that a West Delaware School District bus was struck by an SUV earlier today causing the bus, with 32 students on board, to rollover. The children on board the bus ranged from kindergarten through 12th grade.
At first blush, it appears that none of the children or involved drivers sustained serious injury but they were nevertheless transported to area healthcare providers as a precaution.
According to the State Patrol, Monte Alan Klink, of Arlington, was driving the SUV and Mark Patrick Wiley, of Manchester, was driving the bus. No charges have been filed as the investigation into the bus crash is continuing.
Hopefully, the initial report of no serious injuries is accurate. Unfortunately, time and again, initial police and media reports claim that there were no serious injuries when the reality proves to be quite different. Often times, injuries don’t reveal themselves until a day or two (or more) following an accident. Delayed onset injuries can be quite severe and, therefore, it is important to be seen by a qualified healthcare professional following a crash of any type.
Bus accidents present several unique legal questions not commonly encountered in a car accident. These questions include:
• Was the bus driver an employee of the school district or a private company?
• Does the school district have any type of “immunity”?
• Are there any contractual obligations between the school district and the bus company that have been breached?
• How many different insurance policies are in play and what are the respective limits of those policies?
These are just a few of the questions that require an answer when handling personal injury cases that stem from bus crashes. As always, the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer can prove to be invaluable when dealing with any type of injury claim. If you or a loved one has been injured, contact DesMoinesinjurylaw.com today at 651-493-4878 for a free consultation.
