CHARLES COUNTY, MD - HORRIFIC BUS ACCIDENT CLAIMS THREE LIVES
LaPlata, Charles County, Maryland - A horrific bus crash in Charles County Maryland killed two passengers on Friday, morning, according to the Maryland State Police. The crash happened on Port Tobacco Road and Bowie Road , in the LaPlata area of the county.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the driver of the vehicle, Charlie Parker of Mechanicsville, lost control of the vehicle for "unknown reasons", and crossed the center line. The shuttle bus colliding with a dump truck coming in the opposite direction. No further specifics have been released as to why the driver lost control, or if he was distracted.
The shuttle bus was marked for Sagepoint Senior Living Services, but it is not clear if this facility owned the bus, or it was operated by a contract passenger provider.
The two passengers were Cassandra Brown and Darlene Burrell, both of Waldorf. The passengers of the shuttle bus, and its driver, were all tragically killed in the collision.
Blaszkow Legal extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives in this tragedy.
What Legal Claims Do the Passengers Families Have?
Bus accidents in Maryland are thankfully rare, but they do happen, and when they happen, the injuries are often severe or catastrophic, as here. Passengers and their families face an uphill battle in trying to determine who is responsible for growing medical expenses, or if someone was killed, then the families have an equally difficult time assess who is liable for their loved ones' death.
The families of passengers killed in a bus accident do indeed have claims that can be advanced, but how those cases are pursued depends heavily on the facts of the crash.
Determining Liability in a Maryland Bus Accident
In order to begin asserting a claim after a bus accident, it must be determined who was liable. In this crash, there are two obvious parties: the driver of the shuttle bus, or the driver of the dump truck. There are other possible at-fault parties, however - but this is very fact-specific.
The first step in determining who is responsible, is determining how the crash happened. This Charles County bus accident is being investigated by the Maryland State Police. MSP has an excellent crash response team. However, they are very slow in releasing their findings, even to the families of innocent people. Blaszkow Legal represents people who were injured in a catastrophic case over a year ago (as of writing), and the State Police still refuse to release the report, saying it is "pending."
The delay of responding police agencies in responding to victims' families is unconscionable, and all too common. This sometimes requires the filing of the underlying lawsuit sooner rather than later, so that subpoenas can be generated and information obtained for the civil investigation. It is important to remember that the civil investigation covers much more ground that the criminal investigation. They are looking for different things, after all.
In Maryland Bus Accidents, after the facts are understood, then you have to determine which involved party is at fault. That is, which one's actions - or inactions! - caused the collision. There are be negligence found against multiple parties, such as
Bus Driver
Other Driver Involved
Bus Company (if different than the bus owner, such as a Contract-Passenger vendor)
Mechanic/Service provider, if some defective part caused the crash
A Case Against the Bus Driver
If the passengers' families claims are against the driver of the bus, then this implicates a legal doctrine known as "respondeat superior." If the bus driver was negligent, then this means that not only is the driver responsible, but also his employer.
In shuttle bus accidents, not all bus drivers are employees of the company whose name is on the side of the vehicle. Oftentimes, the drivers work for a WMATC-licensed contractor called a "contract passenger vendor." This contractor sometimes supplies both the bus and the driver, and puts the client's name on the side for branding purposes. This is found in nursing homes, hotel shuttles, airport shuttles, and more. Other times, this vendor is hired to drive the client's own bus. In that case, there may be a claim against 1) the driver, 2) the driver's company, and 3) the owner of the vehicle, such as Sagepoint.
A Case Against the Other Vehicle Involved
Whenever a bus is involved in a crash with a truck or other vehicle, a competent bus accident attorney is going to investigate the liability and insurance coverage of all parties involved, even if others do not see it. This is often misunderstood. The evidence burden on the police to issue a traffic citation is "probable cause," which is a relatively high standard. However, the standard in a civil claim for damages arising out of negligence, the evidence burden is a "preponderance of the evidence," or more likely true than not true. Sometimes this is called the "51% rule."
Just because the police do not think a certain party is liable, does not close the door tightly. However, this is a factual question that must be investigated. A bus accident lawyer does not sue someone just because of "if," - those are frivolous lawsuits.
It all comes down to the state of the evidence. What can be proved. If we can make a case against the other driver involved, we will.
Speak to a Maryland Bus Accident Attorney Today
Loving a loved one in a bus accident is horrific, and can often result in so many questions and feelings of helplessness. While we cannot bring your loved one back, we can bring you peace of mind. We can hold the negligent parties accountable for their actions.
If you have lost a loved one in a Maryland Bus Accident, contact Blaszkow Legal today. We have been fighting for people hurt in bus accidents for over 40 years!
703-879-5910
Note: When creating these blog posts, our team of writers utilizes external sources, including local and state news sources, social media platforms, police accident incident reports, state police accident reports, and at times, eyewitness accounts. Please contact us immediately if you discover any incorrect information so that we can update the post with the most current, accurate information available.
Disclaimer: This post is not a business solicitation, and none of the information provided in this blog post should be interpreted as medical or legal advice. If you have been injured in an accident, seek immediate medical attention.
Photo Credit: NBC Washington