Bus Accidents

Thirteen passengers were tragically killed and another 31 were injured when a charter bus operated by USA Holiday was traveling westbound on I-10 in California crashed into a tractor-trailer on Sunday morning.

The crash occurred at 5:17 a.m. in Desert Hot Springs when the bus was carrying 44 passengers who were returning to Los Angeles County from a casino. The bus was traveling so fast that the impact crushed the front third of the bus.

Federal and local authorities are investigating the cause of what looks to be one of deadliest bus crashes in California’s history.  Preliminary reports indicate that the bus rear-ended the tractor-trailer, and was traveling at a significantly higher rate of speed than the 18 wheeler immediately before the crash.

Although the name of the bus driver has not yet been officially released, reports have identified the driver as Elias Vides and have stated that he was one of the 13 who was killed in the crash.

Insurance will Likely Limit the Total Funds Available to Compensate the Bus Accident Victims and their Families

In connection with our independent investigation into the crash, our Bus Accident Lawyers have obtained USA Holiday’s Financial and Insurance Reports from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The filings show that the company may only maintain $5 million in insurance coverage, an amount that would substantially limit the funds available to compensate the families of the 13 passengers who were killed and the 31 or more who were injured during the crash.

As a result, it’s critical that family members of those who were killed and passengers who were injured contact an Experienced Bus Accident Attorney as soon as possible to ensure that their claims are protected.

USA Holiday Charter Bus Crash Hotline: 1-888-854-8989

Having successfully handled more bus accidents than almost any other law firm in the United States, our Bus Accident Attorneys understand how critical it is to obtain evidence from the crash scene as soon after the crash as possible.

As a result, we’ve launched a USA Holiday Crash Hotline, where our team of Bus Accident Lawyers will answer any questions about what we’ve learned about the crash, the passengers’ rights, and what passengers should do to preserve their rights moving forward.

We’ve also assembled a team of independent accident reconstruction and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation experts to begin investigating the crash to determine what went wrong and how it could have been avoided.

We’ve already learned, for example, that USA Holidays has already had their DOT Number and License to operate a commercial bus company revoked once already and that the company likely maintains a maximum of $5 Million in Insurance Coverage.

We will continue to make the results of our investigation available on our website as soon as possible.

Questions about the Crash or What to Do Moving Forward? Call 1-888-854-8989 or Click Here For a Free Consultation with our Bus Accident Attorneys

If you have any questions about what we’ve learned from our investigation so far, your rights as a passenger, or what you should or shouldn’t do moving forward, don’t hesitate to call our Bus Accident Attorneys at 1-888-854-8989 or by sending us an email through our Contact Form.

All of your Calls and Questions will be Answered by Our Experienced Bus Accident Lawyers for Free.  There are no costs or charges involved whatsoever.

Winning Bus Accident Lawyers: Over $75 Million Won for Bus Accident Victims Across the United States in the Past 5 Years Alone

Our Bus Accident Lawyers have won more in settlements and verdicts for bus accident victims in the past 5 years alone than any other law firm in the United States, including the #1 Largest Verdict in Greyhound’s Corporate History on behalf of a passenger who injured her lower back when the bus rolled over.

Earlier this year, for example, our Bus Accident Attorneys successfully negotiated a $6 Million settlement on behalf of several Greyhound passengers who were injured when the bus driver fell asleep at the wheel.

Our law firm was also the first in the United States to successfully obtain a Court Order requiring a Greyhound driver to complete an overnight Polysomnograph test (i.e., a sleep study), which proved that the driver was suffering from Moderate to Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea at the time of the crash and, as a result, should not have been permitted to drive the bus.

Just several years earlier, our Bus Accident Lawyers won $18.8 Million on behalf of a bus passenger who injured her lower back when the bus rolled over while traveling on icy roads.

Call 1-888-854-8989 or Click Here for a Free Consultation with our Winning Bus Accident Lawyers

If you or a loved one were injured or tragically killed in the USA Holiday Bus Accident, it’s important that you start protecting your and your family’s rights as soon after the crash as possible.

Our Bus Accident Lawyers will discuss your rights, help you decide your best options moving forward, and answer any questions you have.

All Consultations are Free and there’s no Commitment involved.

Simply Call 1-888-854-8989 or Click Here to send us a Confidential Email.

Greyhound Bus Lines is the largest intercity bus company in North America. Its drivers transport 18 million passengers over 5.4 billion miles per year, according to its corporate website.

While most Greyhound passengers reach their destinations safely, a small number of them may not. These accidents may be caused by reckless  or tired bus drivers, lack of vehicle maintenance or negligence. Throughout its long history, Greyhound Bus Lines has been involved in many accidents, and the company has often been found at fault. 

Here are some recent examples of Greyhound accidents: 

• 2005: A Greyhound bus en route from Los Angeles to San Francisco crashed, killing two and injuring many other passengers. One of the deceased was a 23-year-old pregnant woman. Authorities cited driver fatigue, then later identified an epileptic seizure as the cause of the crash.
• 2013: During a trip from Cincinnati to Detroit, a driver fell asleep at the wheel of his Greyhound bus due to untreated obstructive sleep apnea, which led to a serious crash that injured five. A month before the crash, the U.S. Department of Transportation had recommended the driver be tested for sleep apnea, but Greyhound neglected to do so. Greyhound tried to avoid responsibility by claiming the driver had lost consciousness by choking on his coffee. In 2016, after the driver was subjected to the first ever court-ordered sleep apnea test, a Texas jury awarded $6 million to five plaintiffs in the lawsuit over a 2013 Greyhound bus accident. The bus accident lawyers at Zehl & Associates represented the five plaintiffs.
• 2013: A Greyhound bus crashed into a semitrailer when the driver fell asleep. One woman was killed, and dozens others were injured. An Ohio man who was a passenger in the bus would end up losing a leg, and had to endure 30 different surgeries to treat his wounds from the accident. In 2016 a jury found Greyhound at fault, and awarded the victim $23 million in compensatory damages along with $4 million in punitive damages. 
• 2014: In Fairview, Tennessee, a Greyhound driver fell asleep at the wheel, causing the bus to veer wildly across the highway. Police had to pursue, and passengers had to wake him up. Thankfully the police officers were able to pull the driver over, and no one was hurt. 
• 2015: A Texas woman died near Arlington when the SUV she was traveling in was disabled, and then struck by a Greyhound bus as police were trying to move it. A $1 million lawsuit claims that the Greyhound driver was traveling at an unsafe speed and failed to make evasive maneuvers in time to avoid the broken down vehicle. 
• 2016: In San Jose, California, a Greyhound bus ran into a safety barrier, killing two passengers and injuring 18. The driver admitted to fatigue, and passengers reported seeing him dozing off moments before the bus drifted into the wrong lane. 

How do these bus accidents happen?
The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has rules and regulations in place to ensure the safety of all commercial drivers and passengers. However, when a transportation company is negligent, serious accidents can occur. An ongoing CNN investigation has shown that many Greyhound drivers are working longer hours than they're supposed to, and Greyhound isn't regulating this. That means overworked drivers falling asleep at the wheel, putting everyone else in the bus and on the road in severe danger. 

Have you been in a bus crash? If you or a loved one was injured in a bus accident and you believe it's the result of a reckless or tired driver, you deserve to know your rights. Our undefeated bus accident lawyers have delivered the #1 largest verdict ever received against Greyhound Bus Lines. Our attorneys go to court and win. 

For a free consultation, call 1-888-603-3636 or click here.