Yesterday, January 5, 2015, a school bus failed to stop at a railroad crossing and was hit by a Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) freight train in North Dakota. The accident happened near Larimore, ND, about 30 miles west of Grand Forks.
Preliminary Investigation Points to School Bus Driver Error
The preliminary investigation at the scene of the accident found evidence suggesting the accident was caused by the bus driver. Investigators do not think bad brakes were a factor. However, a lawyer should be hired to determine if the family can sue the railroad for wrongful death at a railroad crossing.
These findings are preliminary, and much more needs to be done to determine what caused this accident. A massive amount of evidence will need to be gathered and analyzed. It is possible the accident was caused, even in part, by mechanical problems with the bus and/or BNSF.
The bus is in heated storage awaiting inspection for mechanical problems, and repair records for the bus will also need to be analyzed.
One of our accident cases involved the tragic wrongful death of a father and two of his children when a vehicle crossed the center line and hit them head-on. It was not until our lawyers poured over the servicing record and inspected the vehicle that a servicing error was found. Our lawyers hired accident reconstruction specialists to help prove that this error caused the at-fault driver to lose control of the vehicle and swerve into oncoming traffic. This meant the family could seek additional compensation from the company that negligently serviced the vehicle, holding that company accountable for its role in the accident.
Preliminary findings are just that. If you need help and want our lawyers to conduct an independent investigation of the accident, use our free consultation form (click here now) or call 1-888-377-8900 for a free consultation.
The accident killed 2 people, the school bus driver and a 17-year-old student who was a passenger on the bus. 12 other passengers were injured, 3 critically. The ages of the injured students ranged from 5 to 16.