A recent accident between a school bus and a pedestrian is under investigation by Las Vegas police. According to reports, a Clark County School District bus apparently hit a pedestrian somewhere in the area of Misaki Horse Avenue near Theme Road very early in the morning. It is unclear if there were children on the bus at the time. Police continue the investigation into the situation and have reported that “minor” injuries were sustained by the victim. The pedestrian, described only as male, was transported to an area hospital but his injuries are confirmed to have been non-life-threatening. It is also unclear if the victim was in a crosswalk at the time of the accident.
SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENT RATES
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an average of 142 people die in school bus-related crashes each year. However, only 20 percent of these are pedestrians; nearly three-quarters are occupants of other vehicles. By far the largest number of pedestrians killed by school buses are adults. Victims over the age of 19 account for 118 of the 267 pedestrian deaths in school bus crashes between 1998 and 2008. The next largest group of pedestrian victims are children aged five to seven; these victims accounted for 70 of the 267 pedestrian fatalities in that decade.
PERSONAL INJURY ISSUES: SUING A GOVERNMENT ENTITY
Most school buses are owned by public school systems and most drivers are employees of these school systems. This means that recovering monetary damages when a pedestrian is struck by a school bus may be a complicated process. The attorneys at High Stakes Injury Law understand the complicated processes involved in suing a government entity such as a school system. It may be necessary to pursue a case against the school system as well as individuals such as bus drivers, mechanics or others who may have contributed to the accident. If another driver was involved in the accident while operating a privately-owned vehicle, that person may become a defendant as well. High Stakes Injury Law is ready to work with victims of school bus injuries. A victim may be entitled to payment of medical bills, sums for pain and suffering and other expenses such as lost wages or increased living expenses as well as permanent disability. If a child is the victim, the parents may be able to claim damages on behalf of the child.