DEADLY NEW MEXICO GREYHOUND BUS CRASH MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY BLOWN TIRE
A semi-truck tire blowout may have been the cause of a Greyhound crash that killed 7 people and injured several others in Thoreau, New Mexico Thursday afternoon. The Greyhound bus route had originated from St. Louis, Missouri with its destination being Los Angeles, California. According to the company, the bus picked up passengers from Albuquerque, New Mexico just prior to the incident.
CNN reported the Greyhound bus was travelling from New Mexico to Arizona on Interstate 40 when the eastbound semi-truck experienced a tire blowout, causing the driver to lose control of his vehicle. The semi-truck driver crossed over the median, hitting the westbound Greyhound bus head-on at around 12:30 p.m. in McKinley County.
Dozens of the 49 passengers frantically tried to escape the wreckage by climbing out the bus windows. Drivers traveling on I-40 when the crash took place got out of their vehicles to help the bus crash victims. Those with medical training helped until first responders could arrive, and many others were seen getting ladders from their vehicles to help passengers evacuate the bus. Witnesses described the scene as a “complete catastrophe.”
“It’s by far one of the worst accidents I’ve encountered. … It was horrible. You could tell that people were distressed, screams were coming from the bus,” one witness told KRQE.
Seven deaths were confirmed as of Thursday evening, but New Mexico State Police expected that number to rise. Most bus passengers were taken to area hospitals with minor to severe injuries. Twenty passengers were initially transported to the Gallup Indian Medical Center in Gallup, New Mexico with injuries ranging from bruises to serious and critical conditions. Some patients have now been transferred to other New Mexico and Arizona medical facilities.
NEW MEXICO BUS ACCIDENTS
Sadly, this is not the first New Mexico commercial passenger bus accident to take the lives of travelers this year. In July, a crash on New Mexico Interstate 25 involving a bus operated by El Paso-Los Angeles Limousine Express left three people dead and 24 others injured. The driver of the commercial passenger bus was traveling southbound when he swerved to avoid hitting a vehicle. The driver lost control of the bus, rolling it onto its right side. The passenger bus was then sideswiped by a northbound semi-truck.
NM BUS ACCIDENT LAWYERS
Typically, the liability limits on private passenger bus claims are significantly higher than those for government owned metropolitan buses. Regardless of what type of bus you were injured by, it is important to call us as soon as possible so we can comply with the relevant statutory requirements and notice provisions to preserve your case and move forward with your recovery.
Claims We Handle Involving Bus Accidents:
- Bodily Injury and/or Death
- Permanent Disfigurement
- Permanent Impairment
- Permanent Disability
- Medical Lien Resolution
- Lost Wages
- Property Damage
- Diminished Value
- Personal Injury Protection/Medical Payments
- Reimbursement of Out of Pocket Expenses
Please contact us for a free consultation to discuss your bus injury or wrongful death claim. The Potts Law Firm attorneys know how to approach every detail of your case and provide relief during life’s most challenging moments, allowing you the opportunity to focus on your recovery.
If you or someone you know was involved in the New Mexico I-40 Greyhound bus accident, contact our Albuquerque, New Mexico lawyers for your free consultation today. We will give you all the time your case deserves, and will provide an honest assessment of your case.