On behalf of Strom & Associates, Ltd. posted in Mass Transit Accidents on Wednesday, September 3, 2014.
An accident involving a bus that was carrying more than a dozen passengers occurred on Aug. 29 near O’Hare Airport. According to the report, a shuttle bus was traveling on Interstate 190 crashed into a median near Terminal 1 around 6:30 a.m.
The driver became pinned in the bus and had to be extricated from the wreckage by an off-duty firefighter and an airport employee. The off-duty firefighter suffered injuries while rescuing the driver, but his injuries did not appear to be life-threatening. A second firefighter who was at the scene assisted the passengers on the shuttle bus.
The passengers who were sitting near the front of the bus suffered injuries that were more severe than the passengers who were sitting in the back. The report stated that four passengers suffered critical injuries with the remainder of the passengers suffering injuries that varied from serious to minor. Two of the passengers chose not to seek treatment.
The accident caused extensive delays on the interstate; many individuals left their vehicles and began walking along the shoulder of the freeway in order to make their flights, but this kept emergency vehicles from being able to reach the injured passengers. The driver of the bus received a citation for failing to remain in her lane and failing to provide a driver’s license.
Those who have suffered injuries in an accident that was caused by a reckless or negligent driver may be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit. In addition to naming a negligent driver as a defendant, plaintiffs may also be able hold accountable the company that employed the driver if the driver was acting in the course of his or her employment. This would allow the injured to seek compensation for any damages that they sustained, such as the cost of medical bills.
Source: NBC Chicago, “Driver Cited in O’Hare Bus Crash That Injured 15 “, August 29, 2014
