Thirty-two people were injured early Friday morning after a rear-end collision between two NJ Transit buses occurred when they attempted to enter the center tube of the Lincoln Tunnel.
A New Jersey Transit official stated that the accident was caused after one bus, which was carrying 37 people, rear-ended another bus, which was carrying another 25 passengers. Of the thirty-two people harmed as a result of the accident, eight were seriously injured.
Both buses came from New Jersey-the bus with 37 passengers, from Oradell, and the one with 25, from Wayne. The actual collision had taken inside the tunnel, but the buses were able to back out so that emergency services could attend to the injured passengers.
Stephen Russo, FDNY deputy chief for EMS, said that specialized buses had been utilized to transport multiple victims at a time so as not to use all the available ambulances at once. This was due to the large amount of injured passengers. It’s further reported that 23 of the injured passengers were taken to Bellevue Hospital, while eight of the victims who were seriously injured were taken to Lenox Hill and Mount Sinai.
The tunnel, which runs under the Hudson River and connects Manhattan to New Jersey, is very busy during rush hour with commuter traffic. This accident led to serious delays for morning commuters, although the tunnel has since been re-opened.
Raymond Bryan of the Port Authority Police Department indicated that “we are conducting an investigation [and] reviewing video tape” in order to ascertain all of the facts surrounding the collision.
Many of the injured passengers reported back and neck pain following the accident. If not managed properly, injuries such as these can be debilitating and life-changing. This is because these types of injuries may not be immediately painful and may go initially undetected, thus making them worse.
Our thoughts go out to all those involved in this distressing incident.
The lawyers at Block O’Toole & Murphy are experienced in representing victims harmed as a result of bus collisions. Year after year, Block O’Toole & Murphy attains top verdicts and settlements in large vehicle accident cases, including those involving public buses.
Notable results for bus accident victims include:
- $6,000,000 recovery for a passenger on a public bus that crashed with another vehicle
- $3,500,000 settlement for a bus driver who suffered injuries to his back, shoulder, and neck after the bus was rear-ended by a truck
- $3,000,000 settlement for a driver who had the green light at an intersection and was seriously injured when he collided with a public bus
- $2,270,000 jury verdict for New York City Transit Authority bus passenger who suffered spinal and knee injuries after a bus accident
- $2,200,000 settlement for a pedestrian who was hit by a transit bus while she was crossing the street
Bus accident cases are complex. Vehicles owned and operated by government entities have their own set of rules, so it’s important for crash victims to understand which laws apply to them after an accident. New Jersey Transit is a state-owned transportation system with over 800 bus routes that serve New Jersey and portions of New York and Pennsylvania.
The attorneys at Block O’Toole & Murphy offer free legal consultations to injury victims in New York and New Jersey. If you’ve been harmed as a result of a bus or other vehicle accident, you can speak with a lawyer to better understand your legal rights. Simply call 212-736-5300 or fill out our Contact Form.