Multiple Illinois Megabus Crashes Raise Bus Carrier Safety Concerns

Has a bus accident impacted your life? There are a few things you need to know about bus company liability.

2012-09-26

September 26, 2012 (Press-News.org) Megabus is a popular discount bus carrier operating in several states, including Illinois. Megabus and similar companies offer competitive fares to travelers looking to save money. But, two recent fatal Megabus accidents in Illinois raise questions about whether discount bus companies may be sacrificing safety in order to cut costs.

The first crash, which occurred on August 2, left one dead and at least 42 injured. A double-decker Megabus crashed into a concrete pillar supporting an overpass on Interstate 55. The official cause of the accident is still under investigation, but one passenger reported that the bus driver lost control after one of the vehicle's tires blew out.

In a separate incident that occurred on August 7, a Chicago woman was killed when she was struck by the side mirror of an empty Megabus. The driver had been attempting to make a turn on a downtown street, and was issued a citation for failing to yield to a pedestrian.

Following the first accident, Megabus released a statement, saying that safety remains their number one priority, that their drivers are required to have at least 105 hours of classroom and behind-the-wheel training, and that all of their vehicles are equipped with three-point seatbelts. However, given the seriousness of the two incidents that occurred in Illinois in such a short period of time, it may be that more needs to be done to encourage discount bus carrier safety.

For victims who are injured in a bus accident, or for the families of victims who are killed, a lawsuit can not only provide compensation, it also serves as an incentive for bus companies to devote more attention to safety.

Take a typical example of bus company liability: imagine that a blown tire caused a bus accident. Those injured in the accident file a lawsuit, and it's proven that the tire was worn out and should have been replaced, but it wasn't because the company failed to conduct a proper safety inspection on the vehicle. The company's negligence caused the accident, and thus, it will have to compensate victims for any losses they suffered as a result, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

These types of injury lawsuits fairly compensate victims and financially incentivize bus carriers to put more effort into preventing accidents.

Discount bus carriers are supposed to provide affordable travel -- but never at the expense of safety. If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, get the compensation you deserve and do your part to keep bus travel safe: contact an attorney today to discuss your case.

Article provided by R. Mark Maritote, P.C.
Visit us at www.maritotelaw.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Simplification Needed for Military Members Facing Custody Disputes

2012-09-26

The lengthy conflict in Afghanistan (and the years-long battle for control of Iraq before) has put many patriotic Americans -- particularly National Guard and Army Reserve troops who typically have "other" lives and are uniquely unprepared for the impact of deployment -- at risk of losing custody of their children. A group of legal experts - the Uniform Law Commission, a group of more than 300 attorneys around the country - has made recommendations regarding the handling of child custody disputes involving actively serving military men and women. The panel ...

What Are Your Rights if You Are Injured in a Car Accident at Work?

2012-09-26

There are a lot of people in New Jersey with dangerous jobs. However, the title of "riskiest profession" doesn't go to construction workers, heavy machine operators or even police officers. Rather, it is workers who spend a lot of time on the road -- like truck drivers and sales representatives -- who stand the greatest chance of being killed on the job. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that in 2011, 683 "vehicle-bound workers" were killed while performing their jobs. Overall, nearly 40 percent of all fatal work injuries were transportation-related. ...

CIA Trying to Get Past Its "Old Boys' Club" Reputation by Ending Sexual Harassment

2012-09-26

Most people know that harassment or discrimination against someone just because they are another race, religion, nationality or gender is wrong on several levels. Not only are there moral reasons to not discriminate against others, there are numerous state and federal laws in place like Title VII (prohibiting discrimination in the workplace) and Title IX (prohibiting discrimination at educational institutions) aimed at ensuring fair treatment for all. Surprisingly, one of the federal government's own organizations - the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) - has been plagued ...

Helping Your Children With the Stress of Divorce

2012-09-26

When you have kids, the decision to divorce brings a host of heart-wrenching concerns. Each phase of youth, from babyhood to adolescence and from teenage years to college, has its own requirements for healthy development. Steering children through these important times in life is challenging under normal circumstances, but divorcing parents know that the additional life changes divorce brings will require special parental attention and guidance. What We Know When it comes to shepherding your kids through a divorce, the experts largely agree on a few major points: - ...

Bankruptcy and Keeping Your House

2012-09-26

If your financial position is becoming precarious, and there never seems to be enough money anymore, a bankruptcy may be the solution. For situations that are truly desperate, a Chapter 7 may allow you to discharge practically all of your debts and start fresh. If things have not grown quite that dire, a Chapter 13 may allow you to restructure much of your debt, and regain financial stability. What If You Own a Home? Homeownership and bankruptcy is a complex scenario. Because of the variability of the circumstance, your best option is to contact a bankruptcy ...

Texas Supreme Court: In-Person Notification Mandated for TPR Cases

2012-09-26

The Texas Supreme Court recently issued a landmark ruling that could affect thousands of child protection cases annually brought by the Texas Department of Family Protective Services (DFPS). The verdict was the result of years-long legal wrangling between the DFPS and a mother who had lost custody of her children following a state-sponsored lawsuit. Background of the Case This landmark decision -- Supreme Court of Texas No. 11-0282, In the Interest of E.R., J.B., E.G., and C.L., Children -- concerns a DFPS petition to terminate the parental rights of four children. ...

Deadly Train Crash in Nevada Leads to Numerous Lawsuits

2012-09-26

A deadly train accident that occurred last year has resulted in a number of lawsuits and has left the Nevada Department of Transportation considering ways to prevent similar public transportation crashes. The accident at the center of the litigation occurred when a truck driver with a Nevada-based trucking company skidded along Hwy 95 and hit a train with 218 passengers. As a result, four people were killed, including the train's conductor, and another 101 were injured. After the deadly accident, several lawsuits were filed, naming the Nevada Department of Transportation, ...

Bankruptcy Eliminates Tax Consequences for Cancellation of Debt

2012-09-26

Cancellation of Debt In the current slow economy, many Americans are struggling to make ends meet. Individuals are over their heads in expenses and debt. The good news is that some financial institutions will discharge some payment obligations, thus eliminating one's duty to repay certain loans. However, the bad news is that generally, discharged debt qualifies as realized wealth, which is taxable income under federal law. Therefore, one must usually pay taxes on any relieved debt. In the year that the cancellation of debt occurs, the lender reports the released debt ...

How to Reduce or End Child Support Obligations When Necessary

2012-09-26

When a court hands a child support order to a non-custodial parent, he or she may feel like the financial burden will last a lifetime. However, with a court order and the help of an experienced family law attorney, there are ways to reduce or even stop one's child support commitment when it becomes financially necessary to do so. When Child Support Usually Stops In Illinois, under normal circumstances, a parent's commitment to pay child support ends by the date stipulated in the child support order. If a parent receives an order with no end date, he or she is obligated ...

Colorado Workers' Comp: Help for Employee Injury, Illness and Death

2012-09-26

Before workers' compensation, job-related injury, disease and death often devastated individuals and families financially. Most victims in the early years of industrialization had difficulty affording attorneys and lawsuits to seek damages from their employers. Those who were able to sue were often unable to show employer liability because of laws that blocked recovery when victims contributed to their own injuries in some way or were legally found to have assumed the risk of workplace injury by taking those jobs. With roots in Europe, workers' compensation systems ...

NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research

Multiple Illinois Megabus Crashes Raise Bus Carrier Safety Concerns

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: