On August 28, a charter bus crashed into vehicles at the scene of a prior accident on Interstate 10 near LaPlace, Louisiana causing 3 deaths and injuries to 36 people. The bus driver was unlicensed and was in the country illegally.
The bus was transporting 40 people who were in the area to do construction work following the devastating flooding that recently hit Louisiana. The bus struck three firemen who at the scene of the prior crash, throwing them over the edge of the highway guardrail. One of the firemen sadly died, while the others were transported to nearby hospitals with injuries. Two passengers in one of the vehicles struck by the bus also died at the scene.
Companies have a legal duty to protect people on the roadways from the negligent operation of their vehicles. One way companies can do that is by ensuring its employees are competent drivers before putting them behind the wheel. Here, the charter bus company clearly breached its duty to everyone on that roadway by putting an unlicensed driver on the street. When companies fail to take appropriate action to ensure their drivers are competent-like in this case-the results are often tragic.
If someone you know has been injured in a bus accident, it is important to understand your right to recover. Contact an attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 713-222-7211.