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Pennsylvania student injured in bus collision

An aspiring Pennsylvania high school track star may have had his career cut short following a bus collision in which 35 other passengers were injured, 3 of whom sustained serious injuries.

The family has now sued both the bus driver and the bus company, alleging that the bus driver’s negligence caused the crash and the injuries that resulted.

The bus was transporting students and some adults back to Pennsylvania after a tour of a major college in another state. According to the lawsuit, the driver took a route that was off limits to trucks and busses. Instead of correcting his course, the driver continued, ignoring warnings about an approaching overpass with low clearance.

The driver slammed the bus in to the overpass, peeling off the roof of the bus. The injured track star experienced a blow to the head and got crushed under the weight of the collapsed roof. He suffered several broken bones and nerve damage in his spinal area. He required a prolonged surgery and a stay in intensive care.

The owner of the bus company was also named in the lawsuit. The family accuses the owner of not properly training the bus driver. The official investigation in to this accident continues.

When one thinks of a truck accident, one may most often think of an 18-wheeler. However, buses, like other large trucks, are vehicles that present special dangers and challenges to those operating them. To ensure safety, a bus driver needs to exercise the same heightened care that a truck driver would. This is particularly true because a bus, unlike a truck, will usually be transporting several passengers. In all situations, though, an inattentive bus driver can cause the same amount of damage as an inattentive truck driver.

In this case, it is possible that the driver’s negligence seriously and permanently injured a young passenger. Even if the family gets financial compensation, it is possible that the young man will not be able to continue his dream of pursuing track and field.

Source: Boston Herald, “Family sues over bus wreck,” Feb. 17, 2013

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