What To Do If Your Child Is Injured In An Alabama School Bus Accident

Sep 30, 2021 - Bus Accidents, Personal Injury by Cross & Smith

According to the United States Department of Transportation, riding the bus to school is 70 times safer than traveling by car. Even so, school bus accidents do occur, with 126 occupants killed while riding school transportation from 2010-2019. If you are a parent or guardian whose child has been injured in a school bus accident, you need to know how to protect your child’s right to recover the compensation they are owed. Our Tuscaloosa auto accident attorney explains below. 

Seek Medical Care Immediately

First and foremost, seek appropriate medical care for your child. This may mean calling emergency services as soon as the accident happens, or it may mean obtaining care at a later date. Remember, not all injuries are immediately visible. Follow through with all recommendations made by your child’s health care provider, and be sure and attend all scheduled medical appointments. Failure to do so may reflect badly on you when you are seeking compensation for the injuries received by your child. 

Obtain and Safeguard Documentation

When the accident occurs, there will more than likely be an official police report issued regarding what happened. There will also be many more documents that are important to hold onto, such as medical records or a school district report of what happened. In addition to these documents, it is a good idea to obtain the names and contact information of anyone else that witnessed what happened, such as other children that were present when the accident occurred. Photographic evidence of your child’s injuries, the vehicles involved, and the scene of the accident may be helpful in obtaining compensation as well. 

Maintain a Timeline

Along with the important documentation, keep a timeline of everything that happens related to the accident. In particular, take notes on your child’s healing process and any symptoms they are experiencing as a result of the accident. 

Protect Your Rights – Contact a Tuscaloosa Auto Accident Attorney

After the accident occurs, you may be contacted by various parties asking for information. These parties may include representatives from the school district, a third-party bus company, insurance companies, or an attorney representing any other involved party. They may reach out to you via the telephone or by mail. No matter how they contact you, keep in mind they are not looking out for the best interest of your child, and do not provide them with any official statement. Instead, you will need to refer them to your Tuscaloosa auto accident attorney.

Speak With A Tuscaloosa Auto Accident Attorney Today

If your child has been injured in a school bus accident, you need the guidance of an experienced Tuscaloosa auto accident attorney at Cross & Smith, LLC. Our lawyers are dedicated professionals that are devoted to obtaining the best results possible for our clients. They can be reached via our contact page or by calling 1-877-791-0618. We recommend contacting our firm as soon as possible after the accident as there are timelines that must be adhered to.