Re: Can I sue the Fairfax County Public School System because the bus department supervisor lied to the police?
Posted by:
What really happened....
()
Date: July 23, 2014 09:16AM
Fairfax County Mother of Two Wrote:
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> Several months ago, a bus for FCPS was driving
> along and was the cause of an accident. The bus
> driver was over the line and collided with a car
> coming the other direction. During the accident
> the bus driver slammed on the breaks, hit the
> other car, and kids on the bus were thrown all
> over the place. The FCPS bus department officer
> came out to the scene and asked if anyone was
> injured. My kid and another child told the FCPS
> bus department officer that “Yes” they were
> injured (head and neck pain). So the FCPS bus
> department officer asked if they needed an
> ambulance and children told the bus department
> officer, “No”. A police officer was on the
> scene and asked if anyone was injured and the FCPS
> bus department officer lied and told him “No”.
>
>
> Despite the bus driver being the cause of the
> accident, no ticket was written because the damage
> was considered to be under $1500.00 of damages.
> Also because the FCPS bus department officer lied
> to the police, and told him there were no
> injuries, no EMT support was called to the scene.
> None both my child and another kid riding the bus
> are recovering from a light concussion and minor
> neck injuries. All of which I am covering with my
> insurance. I believe the driver of the other car
> that hit the bus is running into problems with the
> county paying for the damage to his car.
>
> How is that a bus driver can go over the line, hit
> another car, and get kids injured but still have a
> job? How is it that the FCPS bus department
> officer lied to the police to cover the bus
> driver’s ass and still have a job?
Here's what really happened:
One day a school bus driver gets in to an accident. All the proper channels are followed and an investigation is done. During the investigation no injuries are reported by either those in charge, the person who was hit, or the children on the bus resulting in no EMTs being called. The damage was under the state mandated reporting amount of $1,500 (the only part of your story I find supports a lack of proper procedure given that its was a BUS hitting a car) so the Officer used his descretion to not cite the bus driver.
Now we have two possible paths: 1) The OP's child and the other child decide to concoct a story about how they are "hurt" in order to get out of school. Upon realizing that the attention they would get (ambulance ride, doctors, parents having to leave work/home) isn't worth a day off from school and getting in trouble for lying they decide it isn't worth it. They drop the idea and say they don't want to be seen by a doctor. This leads to path two which may or may not be a part of path 1 - 2) Upon arrival at home and relaying the information to their parents the reaction they get is clearly the one they had originally hoped for. Their parents can't BELIEVE what happened and are outraged that their sweet babies weren't given proper medical care. Once they realize this they revert to their originally concocted story of having "head and neck pain." They get the result they were looking for NOW with the full support of their parents.
Mom and/or Dad take them to the hospital. Upon hearing the source of the "pain" the doctor maintains his composure, excuses himself, steps in to the hallway and second guesses his decision to get in to medicine. He rolls his eyes, takes a deep breath, and goes back in to the exam room to tell Mom and/or Dad EXACTLY what they want to hear: Junior has "a light concussion and mild neck injuries," prescribes the bare minimum, and sends them on their way.
Lets face it: The call on scene was the right one. The only person who did a disservice to anyone was the Doctor who simply made the call to cover his ass. That supports all the people in the world who when in a fendor bender insist on being rushed to the hospital, c-spined, etc in the hopes of making a buck.
OP, kids are opportunists. Your's are no different. Let it go.
Note: The last bus accident I saw where someone crossed the line the other driver died after being flattened by the front of said bus. There were zero injuries to anyone on the bus and nobody was "thrown all over the place" either.