Bus accident injuries typically occur whenever a quick motion of the bus throws a passenger around the vehicle. Because of the lack of proper restraints, the injuries range from minor soft tissue injury to more serious broken bones.
While thankfully bus accident are not frequent thanks to good training and adequate safety regulations, when they do occur they have a tendency to injury a large group of people, affecting them in different ways. In this blog, we explore the most common injuries that are sustained in a bus accident, highlighting key causes and effects.
Head Injury
If the bus abruptly stops while you are sitting in your seat or standing in the aisle, there is a chance that your entire body will be thrust forward at a rapid speed. There is a likelihood that you would either fall or bump your head against the metal or plastic handrails. This can be considerably worsened if the deceleration was particularly quick, resulting in powerful knocks to the head that could mean bruising and even fractured skulls.
Fractured Bones
Injuries like fractured bones occur when the rapid deceleration of the bus causes passengers to lunge forward, potentially crashing into seats or handrails found throughout the bus. As your legs and arms are particularly exposed, broken bones in these regions are very common. Injuries range from simple fractures to more complex injuries that may require surgery.
Bruising and Cuts
Depending on the seriousness of the bus accident, there is a potential of sustained injuries like bruising and even deep cuts. If a bus is involved in an accident, there is a good chance that you’ll bump into your seats and other objects in the vehicle, resulting in some bruising. There have been instances where broken glass from the windows have left passengers with cuts that required immediate medical attention.
Soft Tissue Injury
One of the most common injuries sustained during a bus accident is soft tissue injury. As the name implies, these injuries affect the soft tissues in the body rather than the harder bones. A common soft tissue injury sustained by those involved in bus accidents includes whiplash, which happens as a result of a rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck. These injuries can be very painful, resulting in many weeks if not months of discomfort.
Paschal O’Hare Solicitors have been assisting bus accidents injury victims for over 50 years. If you’re been injured while riding a bus, contact us today to speak with one of our solicitors.
