A 21-year-old Alabama man was charged with 21 counts of third-degree assault and 21 more of reckless endangerment after being accused of causing an accident in November 2012 that left a Franklin County school bus overturned. The bus was carrying 29 students at the time of the accident, many of whom were injured as a result.
The accident took place on Nov. 1, 2012, at approximately 3:20 p.m. The school bus was traveling west on Alabama 172 and was in the process of turning onto Overton Farm Road. The driver responsible for the accident, who was also heading west, drove his vehicle off the highway and rear-ended the bus. The impact from the accident caused the bus to flip. According to officials, 20 students were transported to hospitals for treatment. Luckily, none of the injuries were life-threatening.
Alabama State Troopers spent months investigating the accident. They determined that the man was driving at a high rate of speed when the accident occurred. A Franklin County District Attorney stated that the arraignment for the case should be set in January.
Car accidents can result in serious injuries and even death, especially when vehicles transporting a large number of young people are involved. Injuries can include severe brain damage, broken bones and even paralysis. Even injuries that are not life-threatening can still require a long period of healing, which could keep kids out of school and parents out of work to care for their children.
In this case, luckily, no one faced life-altering or life-threatening injuries. Regardless of the severity of the injuries, however, those who were injured may still be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver in order to seek compensation. For example, this compensation may cover a wide range of damages, including medical bills.
Source: Franklin County Times, “Vina man responsible for bus crash“, Kellie Singleton, December 12, 2013
