Arizona Bus Crash Kills Seven, Injures 15
Seven Chinese tourists were killed and 15 others were injured after a tour bus overturned on a highway near the Hoover Dam in Dolan Springs, Arizona, on January 30, 2009. According to this Associated Press news report, the fatal bus accident occurred about 190 miles northwest of Phoenix. The driver of the bus apparently lost control of the vehicle. The bus was traveling north on the U.S. 93 when it veered left and then right across the median. It rolled over at least once before coming to a stop.
Arizona Department of Public Safety officials said all but one of the fatally injured victims was ejected from the bus. The bus driver was also said to be in critical condition. The tourists on the bus were Chinese nationals who had arrived in San Francisco from Shanghai. The Chinese Government is yet to release the names of the victims. There were a estimate of 15 to 20 passengers in the bus. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials are investigating the cause of the crash.
I offer my deepest condolences to the families of these victims, who were killed in this tragic bus accident. I also pray for those who were injured in this crash. I wish them the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Here was a group of people who’d come to the United States to travel and have a good time. It’s heartbreaking! Please keep these victims and their families in your prayers.
According to statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 278 buses were involved in fatal accidents in the United States in 2007. There were a total of 322 deaths and 15,888 injuries involving bus crashes nationwide.
There are many unanswered questions here? How did the driver lose control of the bus? Was it caused by a mechanical malfunction or a product defect? Bus companies – whether private or public – owe their passengers the standard of “the utmost duty of care.” That means that these carriers are responsible for the safe transportation of their passengers. Their duty to passengers supersedes everything else. So, in this case, if this bus accident was caused by the bus driver’s negligence or error or the operator’s failure to properly maintain the bus, then the driver and his employer, the bus company, could be held liable for the accident, injuries and fatalities. If the accident occurred because of a product defect, then the manufacturer of the bus could also be held liable.
It is important to note that in this case, the injured victims and the families of the deceased victims will be able to file personal injury lawsuits and wrongful death lawsuits against the negligent parties either in Arizona state courts or in federal courts even though they are Chinese nationals and are not U.S. citizens or residents.
The injured victims and the families of the deceased victims would be well served consulting with a skilled personal injury law firm to become aware of their rights and to get help with medical and other expenses they will be faced with due to this tragic accident. The best law firms will provide a free, confidential, comprehensive consultation. Victims and their families would be well-advised not to give any statements to anyone, talk to investigators or adjusters or sign any documents or releases until they are represented by a skilled personal injury attorney. We would be pleased to provide a free, comprehensive consultation to any one of the passengers or their family.
