Miami Injury Lawyer Blog
Three people were killed and twenty-six others were injured when a bus carrying teenagers returning to Indiana from a Michigan church camp crashed Saturday afternoon. The teenagers were returning from Camp CoBeAc about six hours north. According to officials, the bus was just minutes from its destination, Colonial Hills Baptist Church, when it came speeding off of Interstate 465 north of Indianapolis. The bus struck a retaining wall as it rounded a curve and flipped over. The church’s youth pastor had tweeted only hours before the crash that the group would arrive around 4:15 p.m., which was approximately when the crash occurred. Indianapolis Public Safety Director Troy Riggs said it “only adds to the tragedy” that the group had almost arrived home at the time of the accident.
Riggs said that among the dead were a man and his wife. No information was provided about the third victim. Riggs and Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard visited the accident scene, where they found pillows, seat cushions, and clothing, strewn across the ground and at least two shattered windows. According to Riggs, there is no evidence to show that the driver suffered any sort of medical episode before the crash. Investigators are currently working to determine the cause of the accident. A local TV station reported that the driver told witnesses his brakes failed. Investigators have not yet determined whether the church-owned bus had mechanical issues.
A witness said he “heard a skid” and then he looked back and saw “this bus in the air and people falling out of the bus.” The Indianapolis Fire Department had to free five people from the bus. Several onlookers stopped to help before rescue crews arrived. One of those onlookers freed the driver from the bus. At least one teenager was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Fire officials said many individuals suffered head, arm and leg injuries.
3 dead when bus carrying teens crashes in Indiana, www.palmbeachpost.com July 27, 2013
Bus accidents are often some of the most catastrophic motor vehicle accidents. The injuries people sustain in these accidents can be very severe, including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injuries, or even wrongful death, as school buses usually do not come equipped with passenger seatbelts. Passengers can get thrown into walls, tossed into the aisle, and even tossed out of the bus. Additionally, when mechanical defects are present in a bus, the results can be horrific because buses are so large and have an incredible amount of weight and power behind their movement. The Broward motor vehicle accident attorneys have been working with victims of serious accidents for over twenty years. The Coral Gables personal injury attorneys have the experience and knowledge that it takes to get you the compensation that you deserve. If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus crash or another motor vehicle accident, call (305) 661-2008 today for your free consultation.
The Miami bus accident attorneys at the Friedland | Carmona handle all types of motor vehicle accidents throughout the state of Florida, including Boca Raton, Homestead, North Miami, South Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Pembroke Pines, Hialeah, Kendall, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. The Friedland | Carmona handles all types of personal injury cases, including wrongful death, defective products, medical malpractice, slip and falls and construction site injuries. Call today and let our family take care of your family!