“My son, who works for an insurance firm and knows Frank very well recommended that we talk to Frank about our car accident.”
– Barbara Aschenbrenner, former client
Wisconsin Bus Accidents
Wisconsin bus accidents are not very common, but when they happen they can be quite serious. According to the Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration most recent statistics, there were nearly 350 bus accidents in Wisconsin and those bus accidents caused nearly 200 injuries, which included deaths. The Wisconsin Rules of the Road govern liability for Wisconsin bus accidents.
Bus accidents happen for a variety of reasons, but certain problems are frequently associated with bus crashes including:
- faulty brakes and the failure of brakes to comply with federal safety standards causing a crash;
- driver alertness and fatigue problems including the abuse of stimulants like over-the-counter drugs and prescriptions;
- excess driver blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or driving under the influence of alcohol; and
- driving a bus without the proper driver's license.
There is a critical need to collect of the evidence after a bus crash, which may be missed by police despite their best efforts. Investigations should include: inspection of faulty brakes for failure to comply with federal safety standards and thorough review of bus driver timesheets and personnel information. Such materials are necessary to sustain a claim against a bus company for negligence due to the failure to properly maintain a bus or due to the driver's lack of alertness or fatigue. For all of these, those seriously injured or killed need an advocate and investigation that looks out for their interests whenever there is a Wisconsin bus accident.