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In late December of 2012, the New York Times
wrote about a devastating bus accident that occurred about 3 ½ hours outside of Portland. The bus accident resulted in nine deaths and at least three dozen people were injured. The incident happened on Interstate 84 when the bus went over a guard rail.
Our Portland bus accident attorneys were especially distressed to hear that speeding and a lack of seat belts on the bus may have contributed to the high number of injuries and fatalities. We believe that the accident is an important reminder to bus companies and bus drivers of the importance of placing passenger safety as the first priority.
Oregon Bus Wreck Troubles Rescuers
According to the New York Times, the bus accident presented many challenges for rescuers. The location of the wrecked bus, which was along the side of a steep slope, was difficult for rescuers to access. The challenge was compounded by the ice at the time and by the fact that many of the people aboard the bus spoke only Korean.
To attempt to cope with the challenges and to try to rescue those who were onboard and who were trapped on the bus, first responders and emergency response personnel came from 10 different ambulance companies around the greater Portland area.
All of these rescue workers worked together, setting up a triage and taking injured passengers up the slope on stretchers. The New York Times also reported that there were challenges in notifying the families, many of whom lived in Canada. The bus, in fact, was operated by a tour company in Vancouver and was returning to Canada from a trip to Las Vegas when the crash occurred.
Speeding & Lack of Seat Belts Contribute to Injuries
According to the Times, the investigation into the cause of the accident is still underway. However, two survivors of the crash reported to local Oregon newspapers that many on the bus were concerned that it was going down the mountain too quickly prior to the accident. The bus subsequently went out of control, going over the guard rail and tumbling down the steep slope.
If the bus was speeding, this can be viewed as negligence on the part of the bus driver. Commercial drivers are held to a high standard of care since they are responsible for the safety of passengers and since they are required to have special commercial driver’s licenses. The driver in this case was seriously injured in the accident, but when he recovers he could find himself facing lawsuits brought by the families of the deceased and by the surviving victims. The bus company could also potentially face lawsuits, although the legal issues in this case are complicated because the bus company and the bus driver are Canadian rather than American. Another likely cause of the crash is mechanical failure. If bad brakes led the bus to careen out of control going down the mountain, the busing company and/or the maintenance service company may be found negligent.
The absence of seat belts on the bus, likely also a contributing factor in the number of injuries that occurred, can also be seen as negligent since the passengers had no ability to stay secure on the bus.
If you or a loved one was injured in an accident, contact the Portland injury attorneys at Zbinden & Curtis. Call (503) 287-5000.
