A school bus accident reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer raises the important question of who is responsible when passengers on a school bus are injured. The article titled “Driver in fatal Lehigh U-team bus Crash Identified”, speculates that a driver fleeing the police after a traffic stop caused the accident. Even in a situation where the accident was caused by the criminal conduct of another, there is still the ability to recover financially for injuries. Too often, those engaged in criminal activity are driving an uninsured or stolen motor vehicle. In this situation, the passengers of the school bus and the driver will contact their own Under-Insured Motorist Coverage.
Underinsured Motorist Coverage is coverage for individuals or their families protecting them in these types of situations. Specifically, if a driver who does not have insurance causes injuries, then the victim’s insurance steps in and compensates the injured student.
In this situation, the University likely also has their insurance, helping compensate the students for their injuries. School bus accidents are complicated tragedies. Every parent’s worst nightmare is hearing bad news about their children, but with proper investigation and diligent legal representation, at least the students will be able to be compensated for their injuries in this moment of tragedy.
