School Bus Transportation Company Negligent in Assault

Heavens Law recently represented a minor child who was assaulted on a school bus. Our firm showed that the school district and the company with which the district had contracted were negligent in the case.

The event occurred after the district hired a third-party bus company to transport children to and from school. Their goal was to save money by hiring the company. Unfortunately, several safety standards were violated by the company, one of which was allowing unauthorized people on the bus while it was transporting children. One of the unauthorized people assaulted a minor child.

Following the assault, the bus driver allowed the child to disembark at his bus stop where he was attacked again.

The school district terminated its relationship with the third-party transport company and our client received $275,000 in compensation. The district also changed its policy to allow for safer transport of children as a result of the case.

What Should You Do If Your Child was Injured on a School Bus?

Altercations happen often among school children. Many are not serious but some are. If your child is injured as the result of an altercation on a school bus, it raises a variety of legal issues.

Whether it is another student or someone unauthorized to be on the bus who attacks your child, that person could be held liable for your child’s injuries. This is true even if the attacker is also facing criminal charges. Keep in mind, criminal charges and civil charges are handled differently in the court system. Regardless of the outcome of a criminal case involving assault, your family could be eligible for financial compensation related to the attack.

Additionally, many of these cases involve negligent supervision. This means the adult responsible for protecting children when they are in the school’s care failed to perform as expected. If that person did not take reasonable steps to supervise your child and that lack of supervision resulted in injuries, the school district and/or third-party contractor can be held accountable in court. In some cases, this is the bus driver, while in other cases, schools appoint a second adult to be present on trips so the driver can focus on road safety and driving.

Regardless of the specific details of your situation, it’s important to speak to an experienced attorney if your child has been injured on school property. To schedule a consultation or to speak to someone about your situation, contact Heavens Law at 484-467-8254. All phone consultations are free and confidential, with no obligation beyond that.