Figuring out bus routes for any school district can be complicated. To help make transportation and pick-up faster, many school districts will designate a specific spot for a group of children. But when your child has to leave your personal property to catch a bus, there are a number of incidents that may occur. If your child is injured at the bus stop location, you may consider looking into a personal injury case based on a premises liability claim. These claims are often filed when the property owner is proven to be negligent and the injury could have been avoided if responsible actions were taken. Cases like these can become complicated, and this is why it's important to contact a lawyer to help guide you through them. Breaking down the following elements is a good starting point to help build evidence and showcase different negligent factors.
Bus Stop Location
The location of the group bus stop can have a big impact on your case and who is held liable. The school itself may be held liable for choosing a location that is deemed unsafe. These locations are typically public areas. A lawyer can determine the exact property owners—it is typically either the town or state. Figuring out these basic details can help build evidence. For example, if the bus stop location features a missing sewer grate that causes an injury, a lawyer can complete research to see when the sewer was last repaired or if any reports were sent in about the sewer issues. This can help showcase negligence and create a valid claim for your child's injury.
Sidewalk & Road Conditions
One of the more common types of injuries that can occur at a bus stop are slip and fall incidents. Sidewalk and road conditions can have a huge impact on your child's daily use of the group bus stop. They may get injured walking to the bus stop by tripping on a small pot hole or broken piece of sidewalk. As the child goes to get on the bus, the road conditions are important as well. Large bumps or bad road conditions can easily lead to a trip and fall incident. A lawyer can use photo and video evidence to show negligence in the case and help reach a settlement.
Weather Conditions
A good part of the school year takes place during winter months. Bad weather conditions can lead to slip and fall incidents when traveling or waiting at a group bus stop. If enough work is not done to help create a safe bus stop area for your child, then the property owners may be held liable. For example, ice and snow can create slippery conditions on sidewalks and streets. These areas may not be cleared out or salted down to help get rid of the ice. Along with holding the property owner liable, a lawyer may seek damages from the school for forcing the child to travel through these dangerous conditions to reach the group bus stop. Other injuries and incidents from other children can also help add extra evidence for your case.
Personal Safety & Security
A premises liability claim is not just about slip and fall accidents. The protections under this claim may also include poor security and safety for children at the bus stop. If the school knows about any bullying or assault claims at the school bus stop, they may be held liable if your child is injured from another child. This can include group bullying, pushing, or any other type of physical attack. If there has been a pattern of this behavior and the school did not take proper action or adjust the group bus stop situation, then a lawyer may be able to move forward with your case.
Gathering evidence and showcasing different conditions is the best way to represent your case. Getting views from your child's perspective can also help in these situations. For more information, it is best to contact lawyers, such as those at Wolter, Beeman & Lynch.
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