Mother and Baby Killed in Long Island School Bus Crash

A mother was killed and her baby critically injured in an early May automobile crash on Long Island. Their vehicle was traveling northbound on County Road 101 when they crashed into a mini school bus traveling eastbound on Express Drive South, near the Long Island Expressway. The 31-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene, while the baby succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. The bus driver and his 61-year-old passenger suffered some non-life-threatening injuries when the bus turned on its side. It is unclear what caused the crash.

Who’s liable for a school bus crash?

Although authorities were not immediately sure what caused the crash, it raises an important question: if a school bus causes an accident, who can victims hold responsible?

Liability depends on the individual circumstances of the accident. Generally, plaintiffs have a few options. First, they can try holding the school district responsible, since they have a duty to hire drivers with appropriate experience and training. Plaintiffs may be able to sue the owner of the bus, whether they’re a private company or government entity. In some cases, the bus driver may be held responsible: they have an elevated duty of care when transporting others.

Sometimes accidents are caused by circumstances out of the driver’s control. For example, if a vehicle manufacturer makes and distributes defective products, they can be held responsible for any damages which result. Finally, negligent third parties may be to blame. Plaintiffs can sue other drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and other parties if their actions contributed to or caused the accident.

Because it can be difficult to hold parties responsible for school bus accidents, you’ll need a great attorney. Reach out to the experienced personal injury attorneys at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia, LLP for a consultation.