Result

Bus Crash | $5 Million Settlement

What Happened

Our clients were passengers on a commercial bus traveling through Kentucky when the driver, distracted by his cell phone, lost control and crashed. The impact sent passengers flying, causing severe and lasting injuries.

This wasn’t an unavoidable accident. It was the result of a pattern of reckless behavior that the bus company knew about and chose to ignore.

How We Fought for Them

From the beginning, the bus company tried to avoid facing a Texas jury. They filed motions to transfer the case to Kentucky, where the crash occurred, hoping for a more favorable venue.

We fought that attempt and kept the case in Dallas County, where the company’s corporate decisions were made and where accountability could finally take hold.

Once discovery began, we pressed hard. Through depositions, subpoenas, and a deep dive into the company’s internal records, we uncovered something shocking:

• This was the third time the same driver had been caught on company cameras using his cell phone while driving, in direct violation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR).
• Each prior time, the company had issued little more than a warning and sent him back on the road until this crash made their negligence impossible to hide.

We built the case around that pattern: the repeated violations, the ignored red flags, and the corporate decisions that prioritized convenience over safety. The evidence was so damning that the mediator called it “the clearest case of gross negligence” he had ever seen.

When the defense tried to settle for less, we refused. We turned down a mediator’s proposal of $2 million, continued pressing the case, and ultimately secured a $5 million settlement, more than double the proposed amount.

The Result

The $5 million settlement delivered justice and closure for our clients, whose lives were permanently changed by a crash that never should have happened.

It also forced a national bus company to confront its own failures and the consequences of ignoring federal safety rules meant to protect passengers across America.

Why This Case Matters

This case exposed the danger of corporate complacency. When a company catches a driver using a cell phone behind the wheel three times and does nothing meaningful to stop it, that’s not oversight, that’s indifference.

By keeping the case in Texas and refusing to accept a discounted settlement, we made sure the company’s actions were judged where they mattered most, in the light of truth and accountability.

The outcome reinforced a simple but powerful message: Safety rules only work when companies choose to enforce them.

And when they don’t, we’ll be there to hold them accountable. Every time.

Related Case Types

• Bus & Passenger Vehicle Crashes
• Gross Negligence & Punitive Liability
• Distracted Driving & Cell Phone Use Violations

If you or someone you love has been injured in a commercial or bus crash, Greenberg Streich, PLLC is here to help.

???? Call 832-583-3471 or reach out online to speak with our team in confidence.