School Bus Accidents Increasing as In Person Learning Returns
School bus accidents are likely to increase as more and more schools return students for in-person learning. While this method of transportation is usually safe for children, when school bus accidents happen, they are frightening for everyone. For parents, learning that your child was injured in an accident like this can be horrifying since you were not with them. It is incredibly important to navigate the next steps the right way to not only help your child and family recover financially but emotionally as well.
What to Do When Your Child is Involved in a School Bus Accident:
Seek Medical Attention:
While the next steps involve more than just medical attention, this is the most important step. If your child was injured in a school bus accident, you must seek medical attention immediately, even if you are not sure your child needs it. It is always better to be safe than sorry when making sure your child is physically ok after such a traumatizing accident. Shock can often make injuries feel less severe than they are, so even if your child says they are ok, still seek medical attention.
Not only is it important to prioritize your child’s injuries, seeing a medical professional immediately after the accident will ensure you have their injuries documented the day of the accident to protect yourself later down the road. For example, if you decide to file a claim for your child’s injuries, and fail to have proper documentation, this will affect your compensation.
Call Your Local Accident Attorney:
While you would think your child’s wellbeing would be the number one priority for everyone involved, this is not the case. The school district will take steps to protect itself from liability after a school bus accident. For this reason, you must not talk to anyone or sign anything at risk of forfeiting the school’s liability in your claim. You must first consult with an attorney to figure out your next steps. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you determine the next steps, who is liable for the accident, and how much you deserve to be compensated for your child's injury caused by the school bus accident.
Document Everything:
Even if your child only received mild injuries from the school bus accident, it is important that you document the entire recovery process. This is especially true if your child received major injuries as it will show how the school bus accident has impacted your and your child’s day-to-day lives. Having a substantial number of pictures and documentation of doctor’s visits will strengthen your claim should you choose to file one.
To learn more about how a personal injury attorney navigates the next steps after a school bus accident, click here.