Eight passengers injured in Flint church bus crash
Eight passengers were injured Sunday when a church bus was hit in an intersection in Flint.
Flint Police Department officers responded at about 11:06 a.m. Aug. 23 to Ann Arbor and West Fifth streets.
The collision occurred when the bus, heading east on West Fifth Street, was hit by a red Chevrolet Malibu heading north. Two women riding on the bus were taken to a local hospital in critical condition. Police said Monday that one woman had improved to good condition.
Six other bus passengers were evaluated at the scene for injuries that police described as not life-threatening. Investigators ruled out alcohol and drugs as contributing factors.
Police asked anyone who witnessed the crash or has information to call 810-237-6816. Anonymous tips may be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-422-JAIL (5245).
Michigan no-fault benefits and injury claims for bus passengers
Michigan law separates personal protection insurance benefits from a fault-based injury claim. Under MCL 500.3114, the insurer that may owe benefits to a bus passenger can depend on the passenger’s household coverage and how the bus was operated. The statute contains a specific exception for a bus operated by or serving a nonprofit organization, so the bus’s use and the available policies can affect insurance priority.
Those benefits do not establish fault and are separate from a possible claim against a driver. MCL 500.3135 generally limits noneconomic damages, such as pain and suffering, to cases involving death, serious impairment of body function or permanent serious disfigurement. Fault, injury severity and insurance coverage must be evaluated separately.
Michigan Legal Center’s guide to passenger injury claims after a Michigan car accident explains how these two claim paths differ.
Get help from Michigan Legal Center
Michigan Legal Center: the Law Offices of Christopher J. Trainor & Associates handles bus accident, no-fault and serious injury matters.
People hurt in a bus or car crash can contact Michigan Legal Center to ask whether the matter falls within Michigan Legal Center’s practice areas.
There is no attorney fee unless money is recovered for you. Case costs and fee terms are governed by the written fee agreement.
Michigan Legal Center’s Michigan car accident claims page explains how medical benefits and fault-based claims can differ after a crash.