Two women died and five students were hospitalized with critical injuries after a charter bus accident in New York. According to NBC New York, the bus was carrying 40 students from Long Island’s Farmingdale High School and four adults on Sept. 21 when the vehicle careened down an embankment off Interstate 84 in the town of Wawayanda, about 45 miles west of New York City.
Gina Pellettiere, 43 of Massapequa, and Beatrice Ferrari, 77, of Farmingdale were identified as the crash victims. Five students were reported to be in critical condition. Pellettiere, a music teacher at the high school, was in charge of its band and Ferrari was a retired teacher, NBC reports. We offer our deepest condolences to the family members of the deceased victims here and wish all those who were injured in this crash the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Ongoing Investigation
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said the crash was likely the result of a faulty front tire. The cause of the accident is still under investigation. The majority of the students on board the bus were transported to various area hospitals. This charter bus was one of six carrying band members to Greeley, Pennsylvania, for band camp. The bus crashed about 30 miles away from Pine Forest Camp, where the students were headed.
The U.S. Department of Transportation, which publishes detailed records about charter bus companies, shows that the charter bus company involved has a satisfactory rating. But, over the last two years, NBC’s investigation found that the company has had one crash with an injury, which occurred in 2022.
Also, federal inspectors accused one driver of falsely reporting hours behind the wheel five months ago, the report states. The company’s charter buses were inspected 41 times when inspectors found 17 maintenance issues, two of which dealt with emergency exits, according to the report. Three others involved brakes or anti-lock brakes, according to the report.
What Steps Can You Take After a Bus Accident?
Injured victims should take a number of steps in these types of cases in order to protect their rights. First, it is important to obtain a copy of the police report. Your personal injury lawyer can help you secure a copy of this report, which contains important details such as time, place, location of the incident, the parties involved and often, who was at fault.
Victims would be well advised to get prompt medical attention, treatment and care for their injuries. This establishes a record of the type of injuries they sustained and the treatment they received for those injuries. It is also a good idea to collect as much evidence as possible from the scene of the crash including cell phone photos and videos and contact information for witnesses. Immediately contact an experienced New York City bus accident lawyer who will remain on your side, fight for your rights and help you secure maximum compensation for your losses.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Injured victims of bus accidents may seek compensation from the bus company and/or other responsible parties for damages including medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families that have lost loved ones can seek compensation for damages as well by filing a wrongful death claim. Bus accidents have the potential to cause severe or even catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, multiple broken bones, internal organ damage, facial and eye injuries, etc.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (careless) driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
For over 53 years, our skilled attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and $2,000,000 in a hit-and-run accident, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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Source: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/charter-bus-crashes-on-i-84-in-ny-careening-down-embankment/4700267/