What Should You Do After a School Bus Crash?

May 7, 2026

Video Transcript: 

We entrust school buses with our most precious cargo – our children – but thousands are injured in school bus accidents every year. What should you do after a school bus crash? Hi, I’m speaking on behalf of Hensley Legal Group, a personal injury law firm based out of Indiana. I’d like to discuss the steps to take when a child is hurt in a school bus accident. Notify the police about the crash if the school bus driver has not already done so and be sure to give them detailed information, since an accurate police report is pivotal for any claim. Your child’s health comes first, so take your child to an emergency room, an urgent care center, or a doctor after the accident. It is always preferable to rule out an injury instead of leaving it alone until it becomes impossible to ignore. Take pictures and shoot videos of your child’s injuries throughout the healing process. Try to keep a written record too, such as a pain journal tracking your child’s progress, which could be more effective for injuries that are less visible. Injuries are not the only things that pictures and videos can record. Older students who have smartphones or tablets could use them to capture their surroundings in the aftermath of a school bus crash. While your auto insurance liability policy will probably not apply directly to the school bus accident, that does not mean that you could not access some of your other benefits, including uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage if you have it. This could be a potential avenue of recovery if the liable parties do not have any insurance at all or if that insurance is not equal to your child’s losses. Speaking of the liable parties, representatives from their insurance companies, the school district, or anyone else with a financial stake could reach out to you, but it may not be in your interest to talk to them yet. These organizations have an incentive to minimize their exposure, and even the most innocuous comment could give them the ammunition they need to do it. Instead… …Talk to an attorney, who can answer your questions, educate you about your rights, and put you in a much stronger position if your case moves forward. If you found this video useful, please hit the “like” and “subscribe” buttons. And if your child has been injured in a school bus crash, turn to Hensley Legal Group, where we have been fighting for hardworking Hoosiers like you since 1998.