14 People Injured After MTA Bus Collided With Construction Vehicle on the Upper West Side
UPPER West SIDE, NEW YORK (August 11, 2023) – Fourteen people were injured after an MTA bus collided with a construction vehicle in the Upper West Side.
New York City police officials are saying that the accident took place around 11:20 a.m. Thursday. An M11 bus was headed down the road when it collided with a construction vehicle.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help the victims. Numerous people complained about shoulder pain and other injuries.
One witness said that the construction vehicle swerved into the lane of the bus prior to the collision. A full investigation into the collision remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Upper West Side MTA Bus Accidents
Far too many people are seriously injured every year in MTA bus accidents. According to Journalist’s Resource, “on average, about 63,000 buses [of all kinds] are involved in an accident each year; about 14,000 result in an injured person, and 325 result in a fatal injury. About 50 passengers (including the driver) are killed, on average, in a given year.” There are a number of factors that could contribute to an MTA bus accident.
- Drivers may turn into the path of commercial buses.
- Bus drivers may fail to slow down to hit vehicles.
- Inclement weather may obscure a person’s vision and contribute to a crash.
All drivers have a legal obligation to exercise due care in order to avoid collisions. Many bus accidents are due to speeding or unsafe lane changes. According to New York Vehicle & Traffic Law § 1128(a), drivers may not move from a single lane on the roadway until such a movement can be made with reasonable safety. If a driver makes an abrupt turn in front of another vehicle, this could form the basis of a negligence claim.
If a driver was working at the time of a collision, their employer could be held at fault. Generally speaking, companies are liable for the negligent actions of their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. For example, a construction driver may have ben transporting materials when they crashed. Victims of bus accidents tend to suffer very serious injuries including:
- Broken bones
- Head injuries
- Lacerations
- Spinal cord injuries
The FMCSA requires buses that can carry 16 or more people to have at least $5,000,000 worth of liability coverage. Any person that is injured in a bus accident may have legal recourse through a bodily injury claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover many of the expenses that come with a serious accident. A bus accident attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating New York MTA Bus Accidents
We at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. extend our best wishes to all of the people injured in this Upper West Side MTA bus accident. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. It is our sincere hope that the victims will be able to make a full recovery.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in an Upper West Side MTA bus accident? You may have legal recourse. Our team of bus accident attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. You can reach out to us anytime at (516) 908-9792.
