Two women were killed and at least 16 others have been injured after a Megabus collided with a pickup truck on the New Jersey Turnpike the evening of Aug. 9. According to an NBC New York report, the two fatally injured victims have been identified as Cheryl Johnson, 59, of the Bronx and Cecilia Kiyanitza, 66, of Woodbury. A total of 16 people were injured in this bus accident including the driver when the bus collided with a pickup truck and flipped on its side.
Fatalities and Major Injuries
The double-decker bus, with a driver and 22 passengers, had departed 34th
Street in Manhattan and was on its way to Philadelphia. Officials say based on preliminary investigation that the bus driver lost control of the wheel and veered into the pickup truck and then off the road and into a guardrail before the bus flipped over. The 56-year-old bus driver was among the two people seriously injured.
Kiyanitza suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to an area hospital where she died from her injuries. Footage from the scene shows the bus on its side and people climbing out of windows or the roof hatch to escape. Firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to cut into the vehicle and extricate any remaining victims. We offer our deepest condolences to the families of the two deceased victims and wish the other who have been injured the very best for a speedy and full recovery.
Common Causes of Bus Accidents
There are a number of reasons why major injury bus accidents occur. In this particular case, officials are still looking into what caused the bus driver to veer off, strike the pickup truck and crash. There are a number of questions that investigators may ask in these types of cases, including looking into whether the bus driver was fatigued or falling asleep at the wheel when the crash occurred.
Did distracted driving play a part in the crash? Was the bus driver under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs at the time? Did the driver suffer a medical episode that caused him to lose control of the vehicle? The answers to these types of questions often reveal the cause of the collision, and also who should be held liable for the injuries, damages and losses when negligence (carelessness) is involved.
Who Can Be Held Liable?
In bus accident cases — whether they involve private carriers or mass transit companies — a number of parties may be held liable. If an accident occurred due to a bus driver’s negligence (carelessness), the driver and his or her employer can be held liable for the injuries and damages caused. Employers/owners must screen their drivers by checking their driving records and verifying their credentials and can be held responsible for negligent (careless) employee hiring and retention. Bus accident victims often suffer serious injuries including major lacerations, broken bones, head injuries, spinal cord injuries and neck and back injuries. Injured victims in such cases can seek compensation from the at-fault parties for medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, cost of hospitalization, surgeries, physical therapy, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
A bus accident victim should take a number of steps to protect his or her rights. 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 bus accident lawyer who will be able to remain on your side, fight for your rights and help you secure maximum compensation for your losses. Also, make sure you get 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.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
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 50 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. 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 and/or medical malpractice 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.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/2-women-now-confirmed-dead-in-megabus-rollover-crash-on-nj-turnpike-16-hurt/3819176/