A Riverside County tour bus accident on the 215 Freeway the afternoon of May 2, 2009 injured 25 people and at least eight suffered critical injuries, according to an article in The Desert Sun. The Inland Empire Stages Ltd. bus was returning to Colton from a San Diego area casino when it veered to the right crossing two lanes and crashed into a cinder-block wall. California Highway Patrol investigators are looking into what caused the 56-year-old bus driver to lose control of the 2003 MCI E-Series Renaissance Coach, which was northbound on the freeway with 27 passengers.
The eight victims who were critically injured were taken to area hospitals. There is no word on how these victims are doing. This Riverside County bus crash occurred three days after a similar bus accident in Soledad took the lives of four French tourists and bus driver, 69-year-old John Agnew of Corona. That investigation is still continuing.
My heart goes out to these 25 injured victims and their families. I am however relieved that so far, no fatalities have been reported. I hope and pray that all the victims of this horrific bus accident make a quick and complete recovery. I wish them the very best and will certainly keep them in my prayers.
It is not surprising to me that bus company administrators have not commented about this incident. At this point, they are probably conducting their own investigation internally with their attorneys and insurance carriers to protect their interests in this case. But the victims and the family will have a number of questions the answers to which will not be available until the official investigation is completed.
As with the Soledad bus crash, the questions that arise here include: Was there something wrong with the bus such as a mechanical problem or a product defect? Was the bus properly maintained? Did the driver fall asleep at the wheel? Did she have some type of medical issue? If that was the case, did her employer (the bus company) know about it? Was the driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the crash? These are some of the aspects investigators may be looking into. There may be other issues that come up as the investigation progresses.
The victims of this Perris bus accident would be well-advised to contact experienced California bus accident attorneys who will explain their rights, the legal process and how to get help with medical and other expenses they will be faced with as a result of this crash. The injured tour bus accident victims will be able to file personal injury claims against negligent parties in this case–be it the bus company or the manufacturer of a defective product. The best law firms will provide a free and comprehensive consultation. Victims should remember not to give statements to anyone, talk to investigators or adjusters or sign any documents or releases until they are represented by a skilled California personal injury attorney. Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys would be pleased to provide a free consultation to any one of these injured passengers or their families.