What Happened
Multiple passengers of a MetroBus suffered injuries and were taken to the hospital when the bus they rode was struck by a police officer’s vehicle on March 23, 2013. The accident took place near the intersection of Stanton Road and Suitland Parkway in Washington D.C. According to a Metro spokesperson seven passengers onboard the bus were taken to a local hospital to get checked out. The police officer also suffered injuries and was also taken to the hospital. Police have launched an investigation to determine what caused the officers vehicle to strike the bus.
This map shows the approximate location of Metrobus accident.
The Virginia Personal Injury Lawyers’ Perspective
No one is above the law, even the men and woman responsible for upholding it. Police officers are not allowed to run stop signs, speed, or to crash into the cars of innocent bystanders. Police have a duty to act with due care for the safety of others. However when duty calls and police must respond to a situation, accidents sometimes occur. Almost 50 percent of all police chases end in accidents, which can lead to serious injury or even death. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 360 people are killed every year in police pursuits and one third of those killed are innocent bystanders.
If an officer failed to serve their duty of care and caused injury or death to an innocent bystander the officer’s actions may be found negligent. If a loved one has been involved in an accident caused by a police officer do not hesitate to contact a Virginia (VA) personal injury lawyer. These are intricate and often challenging cases that require the attention of experienced trial lawyers who know how to pursue recovery from city and government agencies. With over 100 combined years of legal experience our Virginia (VA) personal injury lawyers have the resources, knowledge, and experience to handle such a case.
In 2008 our firm represented a husband and wife that were struck head on by a police officer. During a pretrial investigation we found that one year prior to the accident, the defendant police officer had been diagnosed with sleep apnea and had been noncompliant with his doctor’s recommendation for treatment. The case was settled in mediation shortly before the scheduled trial and our clients received appropriate restitution.
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