I was right. A few days ago I wrote about a charter bus accident near San Marcos that injured everyone on board including a 4-year-old girl who had to have her leg amputated. At the time, all we knew about the accident was that the bus, owned by Dallas-based Mares Bus Lines, swerved off Interstate 35 and flipped over around 4 a.m. on Friday, July 3.
Working as a Fort Worth personal injury and bus accident attorney for the last 20 years, I know that bus wrecks like this don't just happen. My initial response to the story was that the driver must have fallen asleep at the wheel and sure enough, the San Marcos police department confirmed my belief in their police report released on Wednesday. According to authorities, the bus driver, Jesus Basio-Ramirez of Dallas, had fallen asleep when the vehicle hit a highway sign, swerved and overturned on Interstate 35 in Central Texas. No charges have been filed against the driver or the bus company, but an investigation is still ongoing.
Accidents like this really get under my skin. Bus drivers are professional drivers - it's what they do for a living and because of that, their driving is held to a higher standard than that of a regular motorists. When you get into a bus or a taxi, you are literally putting your life in that driver's hands. It is their JOB to get you where you are going safely. But what's even more disconcerting is that this isn't the first time this bus company has gotten in trouble for bad drivers. In the last two years Mares Bus Lines has received 12 violations for driver fatigue from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
I'm sure all of the people injured in this bus accident are outraged that their pain and suffering was all because of someone's negligence. The passengers that were on this bus and any bus that gets in an accident because of a driver falling asleep at the wheel have the right to pursue a personal injury claim for their medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering. Contacting a local personal injury lawyer is one of the first steps to getting justice for your bus wreck injuries.
If you have been injured in a charter bus accident in Dallas or Fort Worth, please don't hesitate to call my accident and injury law firm at 817-294-1900. Besides our main office in Fort Worth, the Anderson Law Firm has offices in Dallas and Keller. Contact us today if you are injured and are interested in learning more about your legal options.
