5 Steps to Take if Your Child was in a School Bus Accident
As parents, we like to think sending our children to school on the bus is safe. In reality, school bus accidents occur every year, often resulting in catastrophic injuries and wrongful death. In these moments it is difficult to think about involving a lawyer, however the sooner you engage a qualified lawyer, the sooner your child and family’s legal interests are protected and you can focus solely on your child and families well-being.
If your child is injured or if you have lost a family member in a school bus accident, there are steps you should take to help ensure your family’s legal rights are protected and in the event your child is injured, that they receive the best medical treatment available.
- Engage the best medical specialists possible, including those specializing in the grieving process. Attorneys who are qualified to handle these types of case have spent decades assisting families through this process. At McEldrew Purtell, we consider this level of assistance to be one of our prime responsibilities and will not stop until you and your loved ones have the best care that they require.
- Preserve any information you have about the accident. As a parent of a child involved in a bus accident, you will most likely receive information from the school (facts about the accident and what steps to take). Keep a file of this information in a safe place for future reference.
- Talk to other parents whose children were involved in the accident. From a legal perspective, these cases often come down to “accident recreation” in order to identify all of the responsible parties. Start by identifying anyone who witnessed the accident and engage other parents in discussion – every detail matters. Eyewitnesses often have relevant information that no one else has, and it is best to document as much as possible while it is still fresh in the witnesses mind.
- Monitor and document your child’s healing process. Document any specific ways the bus accident has affected your child; both physically and mentally. Some common things to watch out for are: insomnia, nightmares, feelings of depression and/or anxiety. Document the issues you notice and take pictures of your child’s injuries during the healing process.
- Contact a qualified catastrophic injury and wrongful death lawyer. McEldrew Purtell specializes in representing families who have been effected by tragic events such as the East Brook Middle School bus crash. We do not handle a large volume of claims, we do however have decades of experience handling serious medical injuries and wrongful death. We treat every client as if they were our only client, and our knowledge, experience and expertise will make a difference for you and your family. If you would like us to provide a free consultation regarding your potential legal case, please contact us at (215) 545-8800.
