On Sunday night, a devastating bus accident left at least 10 people with injuries in the Bronx neighborhood of West Farms. ABC reports that around 7:15 p.m., a black minivan violently rear-ended an MTA bus at the intersection of East 180th Street and Crotona Parkway. One witness told CBS that the van appeared to be going 80-95 miles per hour before the impact. Initial reports have not reached a consensus on the exact order of events following (and preceding) the crash; a complete investigation is underway. However, multiple sources confirm that the collision caused the van’s engine to catch on fire. According to CBS, the impact also triggered the bus to collide with a four-door Nissan sedan.
At least three people received treatment for injuries on site, while another seven were transported to local hospitals, according to FDNY (New York City Fire Department) officials. Gratefully, each person is expected to survive. We wish them strength on the road to recovery.
The minivan had a TLC (Taxi & Limousine Commission) license plate, and was reportedly driven by a man who lived in the area. Approximately five blocks away from the location of the crash, he lost control of the vehicle. He had been regularly using this minivan to transport senior citizens and people with disabilities, but fortunately, no passengers were inside his vehicle when the crash occurred. As his family and friends stated, he had a medical condition linked to a history of seizures; it is unknown if a seizure led to the accident on Sunday.
New York State has very specific laws when it comes to crashes after a medical emergency. An individual involved with a crash who is seeking to use a medical emergency as a liability defense must prove that the medical emergency was sudden and unexpected. An experienced attorney should investigate the medical history of the driver. The seasoned lawyer should be focusing on whether the driver has a medical condition that caused the crash and whether the driver was on notice about the medical condition. If the defendant is unable to prove that the medical condition was unanticipated and that the crash was caused by the condition, then the victim will prevail. For example, if a driver is a diabetic and knows that not carefully monitoring his insulin levels can lead to a diabetic episode. If that driver then has a diabetic episode, he or she will be hard-pressed to maintain that defense.
The Perils of Bus Accidents
Bus accidents are a significant cause for concern in New York. Even when another vehicle causes the crash, as in the accident on Sunday, many innocent people are at risk of injury, including bus passengers, pedestrians, and drivers of nearby vehicles. While MTA buses have a weight advantage when it comes to many collisions, no passenger can be prepared for the force of a high-speed impact with another vehicle. In 2021, The National Safety Council found that rear-end accidents in particular accounted for nearly 18% of deaths caused by motor vehicle crashes.
If the driver of the minivan had a TLC license, and the accident was caused by a medical condition such as a seizure, it is notable that anyone seeking a TLC driver license must obtain medical approval from a physician.
Delivering Justice for Victims of Bus Accidents
Anyone involved in a multiple-vehicle collision may find that on top of their physical injuries, navigating the legal process is a major challenge. Determining liability can be a complex matter, and it requires the perspective of an experienced attorney. The lawyers at Block O’Toole & Murphy have a distinguished track record of securing maximum financial compensation for people harmed in such accidents.
Some results we’ve obtained for victims of bus accidents include:
- $9,500,000 settlement for a man who was struck by a NYCTA bus in Brooklyn
- $6,000,000 settlement for a bus passenger who suffered multiple injuries following a collision with another vehicle
- $3,500,000 settlement for a bus driver who required surgeries after a truck rear-ended his bus
To speak with one of our bus accident attorneys, call 212-736-5300Â or fill out our contact form online. We serve New York and New Jersey.