Published on:

What Should be Done if a Child is Assaulted on a School Bus?

By Robert Chaiken, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

education%20school%20day%20care%20yellow%20school%20bus%20toy%20antique%20side%20view.jpg

Children, being transported on school buses, should be safe and well supervised. At times, children suffer personal injuries while being transported on school bus. Some are injured as a result of a school bus accident that is the fault of the school bus driver, another driver, or both drivers. In addition to traffic accidents, children are, at times, injured as a result of being assaulted on a school bus by another student, an aide, and, yes, even the driver. School bus video surveillance is a helpful tool in determining and investigating the course of events that take place on a school bus. It certainly is not an easy job to drive or work as an aide on a school bus. However difficult it is, the school bus driver, aides, and employees need to have patience with children, who will at times misbehave and be otherwise defiant.

In Cedar Park, Texas, a former Leader ISB school bus driver was recently arrested and charged with injury to a child. It was reported that former driver – Helmut Derer – was charged in connection with an incident that took place on the school bus involving a 9 year old student. There was a video that at least showed part of the incident that took place. You can read more about this incident at Former School Bus Driver Arrested for Incident that Took Placed on Texas School Bus.

As noted in the above story, a video can be quite powerful evidence as part of a school bus incident or investigation. If a child has been injured on a school bus, a parent should immediately request an incident report and also request that any surveillance video be preserved and maintained as part of the investigation into the incident.

When a child is injured, a parent is often faced with many issues and challenges. David Wolf is a child injury lawyer and child safety advocate who has authored four books focusing on child safety and injury matters. One book is titled – The ABCs of Child Injury – Legal Rights of the Injured Child – What Every Parent Should Know. This book has chapters on Automobile Accidents, School Injuries, Day Care Center Injuries, Medical Care and Treatment, and other topics. You can get this book for free at The ABCs of Child Injury. Another good resource for parents is the book – When the Wheels Stop Spinning – Legal Rights of the Injured Child – What Parents Need to Know After the Accident. This book has chapters on Insurance Coverage, Automobile Accidents, School Bus Transportation, and other topics. You can get this book for free at When the Wheels Stop Spinning.

Contact Information