Gault v. Norwood: 2nd largest medical malpractice verdict in history. Famous heart surgeon William Norwood performed an unauthorized surgical procedure on Stephen Gault, rendering him severely brain damaged and in permanent need of lifelong care. Norwood operated on a healthy baby's narrow aorta, but performed an unnecessary procedure, stopping the baby's heart and blood flow. Cooling the body too quickly caused irreversible brain damage, leaving the child unable to walk, talk, or care for himself. The $55 million verdict allowed Gault's family to provide him the care he needed.
School buses not only transport students to and from school each day, they also transport children to camps, sporting events, field trips, and a number of other activities. School buses are being used to transport bridal wedding parties, tailgaters, large groups, and teenagers attending prom. These vehicles are the biggest form of mass transit in the United States, providing almost nine million student trips every year. Unfortunately, according to the most recent official school bus accident statistics, approximately 1,214 fatal accidents occurred between 2004 and 2013. That trend continues through today. Our team at The Beasley Firm represents individuals and the families of individuals injured in serious bus accidents in Philadelphia. We are experienced, knowledgeable, and caring. Our reliable law firm is here to fight your battles for you-and we're here to win.
According to statistics, approximately 45% of all school bus accidents involve front-end impacts. Other common types of accidents include right side impacts, non-collisions, left side impacts, and rear impacts. Many times the school bus driver is at fault for causing an accident-but not always.
Causes of school bus accidents and injuries can include:
In the United States, most school buses are not required by law to have passenger seat belts. Instead, it is believed that the school buses provide collision protection by creating small passenger compartments in the event of a crash. In addition, they should have crush-proof roofs in case of a rollover, strong joints in between steel paneling, and seats with high backs and thick padding. However, it appears that even with these "safety features," bus riders are still thrown around the passenger compartment of the bus during an accident and, in many cases, may be seriously injured or killed.
If you, your child, or a loved one was injured in a car accident in Philadelphia involving a bus, talk with a lawyer who is experienced with complex cases and special laws regarding school buses, manufacturing defects, school transportation, product defects, and other laws. In our nearly 60 years of practice, the experienced Philadelphia bus accident attorneys here at The Beasley Firm have been successfully representing the victims of highway accidents. To date, we have had hundreds of million and multi-million dollar verdicts or settlements.
Please feel free to contact The Beasley Firm at (215) 866-2424 for a strictly confidential and free consultation.
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