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Negligent driver crosses lanes, strikes bus; 2 dead, 17 injured

| May 2, 2017 | Car Accidents |

The Texas highways are filled with innocent people who generally are driving safely and following the rules. No one can predict which of those innocent persons will be struck down by a negligent driver who loses control of his or her vehicle. When it happens to a social or educational group traveling in a private charter bus, the tragedy may be multiplied and affect the lives of many persons.

That kind of incident occurred recently on U.S. 62/180 in Hudspeth County when a driver crossed from the eastbound lane into the westbound lane and caused a head-on crash with a charter bus carrying athletes and coaches returning from a track meet. The wayward operator was killed in the crash, along with a 48-year-old Irwin High School coach who was riding in the bus. About 17 people on the bus were taken to two El Paso hospitals.

Police have not reported what caused the driver to lose control, and it is likely that the investigation will take at least a few days. About half of the 17 patients were released later in the day, with the remainder still hospitalized. Legally, the estate of the deceased coach may bring a wrongful death action against the estate of the deceased operator who lost control of his vehicle.

Those who are seriously injured may bring personal injury actions against the estate of the seemingly negligent driver. Each injured person may make a claim for medical expenses, pain, suffering and loss of life’s pleasures. They may also claim lost wages where appropriate and lost earning capacity; obviously, those claims would pertain to the teachers and coaches who were seriously injured. Lost wages and earning capacity will also be a major aspect of damages to be claimed by the estate of the deceased coach pursuant to Texas law.

Source: elpasotimes.com, “Irvin coach dies in bus wreck“, David Burge, April 30, 2017

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