Schools and School buses are supposed to keep children safe, but too frequently children are hurt in school bus accidents in Clark County. Such was the case again today, as reports are being posted and updated about a 7 year old hit by a Clark County School District Bus. The incident occurred shortly before three o’clock this afternoon in the Southern Highlands area. The child was not reported to have been seriously injured. While the youngster was brought to the hospital, they were said to have suffered non life threatening. That could mean a broken arm or leg or bad bruising or scraping or any number of things. It could also mean less serious injuries. It is standard practice to err well on the safe side when it comes to public school children, and bring them to a hospital if there’s any chance they might need it. The bus was coming from Ries Elementary School carrying around 25 students. No one else was injured in this Clark County School District bus accident. The school bus injury crash happened near the intersection of June Flower Drive and Haleh avenue, that’s in the little neighborhood just to the west of South Jones Boulevard, accessible either from West Pyle Avenue or West Haleh Avenue.

School bus accidents are also very common. In fact, each year about 17,000 children are injured in school bus related accidents. These injuries happen most often when a school bus is involved in an accident with another vehicle or while children are boarding or getting off a bus.

In Nevada, when a child is injured or killed in a school bus accident, as the result of a bus driver's negligence, the child and his or her parents have a limited claim against the bus driver. Similar restrictions apply to the drivers of other vehicles and pedestrians who are injured due to the negligence of a school bus driver. Because the driver is a government employee, under the principle of sovereign immunity, he or she has immunity from lawsuits for his or her acts of simple negligence. They can, however, be held liable for acts of gross negligence: a degree of negligence that shows complete indifference and utter disregard of caution resulting in complete neglect of another’s safety. Gross Negligence can also be known as recklessness.

In contrast, the school board itself is not warranted the same defense of sovereign immunity as are its drivers. A school board may be held liable for acts of simple negligence committed by a bus driver. Thus, it may be easier to file a claim against a school board rather than the school’s negligent bus driver. Clark County has a cap on damages through NRS 41.035 that limits awards up to $100,000.00.

The attorneys at Benson and Bingham law firm can help you work through the legal steps applicable to your specific case. If you believe a school or school board is responsible for your child’s injuries, they should be held accountable. Our experienced Clark County school bus accident attorneys are here to help you hold those at fault for your child’s injuries accountable for the physical injuries and emotional trauma caused. You be entitled to compensation for the following:

·         Hospital bills

·         Loss of income for having to take time off work

·         Tutoring for your child due to missing school time

·         Special devices (e.g. crutches, wheel-chair, etc.)

·         Counseling

Because evidence disappears quickly, and there are time limits to filing claims, it is important that you contact our office to learn about your legal options.