One teenager, Brandon Ugarte, was killed and six others were seriously injured, including Maggie Lee Henson who sustained a severe head injury in a bus accident that happened just outside of Meridian, MS. The bus was carrying a youth group from the FIrst Baptist Church of Shreveport to an event in Macon, GA.
A tire blew out causing the bus to roll over three times. Several of the children were ejected from the bus and the bus rolled over on top of them. A group of Alabama National Guardsmen were behind the bus and helped out after the accident. They turned the bus upright with their bare hands.
Lauren Murchison was also in critical condition at the University Medical Center in Jackson, MS.
Our prayers go out to all of the families who were involved in this accident. My 18 year old son just came home from working at a Young Life campus for three weeks in New York and i thank GOD that he has returned home safe and sound.
WHY DID THIS ACCIDENT HAPPEN? From listening to the eye witness statement, he said that they always have their buses serviced before going on a road trip. If this is true, then the company that inspected and serviced the bus, should be held liable for the accident for allowing the bus to go on the trip with a faulty tire. Maybe, they didn't check the tires too closely. Did anyone from the church have a duty to inspect and check the tires before going on a road trip? Was the tire defectively made? Did the driver have an chance to get the bus under control before it rolled over three times? Was the driver properly trained to drive a bus of that size? Did he have a commercial driver's license? I am sure that the church has insurance on the bus, but what if there is not enough insurance to cover all damages for all concerned?
These are some questions that need to be answered during an investigation of the accident.
If you know of someone who was injured or killed in a bus accident, call Paul Snow to discuss your legal rights. We offer a FREE consultation to see if you have a case. We don't charge any attorney fee unless we recover for you. We represent clients in MS and LA. Call now before it is too late, 601-969-1977 or 1-800-640-4478 or contact us online.
Information provided by Mississippi Accident Lawyer Paul Snow. For photographs from the scene go to www.toomsubafire.org
