15 Injured In Long Beach Bus Accident At Boujie Crab Restaurant

Bus Collides Into Long Beach Based Boujie Crab Restaurant on South Street Leaving More Than One Dozen People Injured

LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA (November 10, 2023) –  At least 15 people were injured after a Long Beach bus t-boned a vehicle on South Street and drove into the Boujie Crab restaurant. 

Long Beach officials are saying that the collision took place around 3:15 p.m. on Thursday. A sedan went through a stop sign by the intersection of South Street and California Avenue before it was hit by a commuter bus. 

The bus struck the side of the vehicle before slamming into the restaurant. Firefighters and paramedics were called to the Boujie Crab restaurant in order to help the victims. 

The sedan involved in the collision caught fire which was later put out. A total of 15 people were injured in the collision though it remains unknown if any of the victims were patrons of the restaurant. 

A full investigation remains ongoing at this time. 

Liability For Long Beach Bus Accidents 

Buses are typically very safe for passengers. But they can be very dangerous for passengers in the event of a rollover or an abrupt stop. According to the Journalist’s Resource, “on average, about 63,000 buses [of all kinds] are involved in an accident each year; about 14,000 result in an injured person, and 325 result in a fatal injury. About 50 passengers (including the driver) are killed, on average, in a given year.” There are many steps that bus companies should take in order to prevent collisions. 

• Bus companies should ensure that their vehicles are regularly inspected and properly maintained. 
• Bus companies must ensure that their drivers are properly trained. Operating a commercial bus is much more difficult than driving a passenger vehicle. 
• Bus companies must abide by all safety regulations for operating their fleet. 

Buses are considered “common carriers” under the law and their drivers are held to a high standard in terms of safety. Consider, for example, Squaw Valley Ski Corp. v. Superior Court. “This elevated standard of care for common carriers has its origin in English common law. It is based on a recognition that the privilege of serving the public as a common carrier necessarily entails great responsibility, requiring common carriers to exercise a high duty of care towards their customers.” Accordingly, bus companies are responsible for even the slightest negligence of their drivers. 

Many bus collisions occur because drivers are traveling too fast. Pursuant to California Vehicle Code 22350, no person shall operate a motor vehicle at a speed greater than what would be reasonable or safe given the prevailing conditions of the road. To that end, even driving the speed limit could be considered dangerous. Drivers should slow down during times of heavy traffic and at night when other vehicles or pedestrians might be more difficult to see. If a driver fails to slow down to avoid a collision, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. Victims of bus accidents tend to suffer very serious injuries including:

• Broken bones
• Head injuries
• Lacerations
• Spinal cord injuries

Even after a person’s physical injuries have healed, many people who survive serious car accidents often suffer from long-term psychological injuries. Any person that is injured in a bus accident may have legal recourse through a bodily injury claim. The FMCSA requires buses that can carry 16 or more passengers to have at least $5 million worth of liability coverage. Sadly, though, bus companies will typically do everything that they can to deny liability if one of their drivers is involved in an accident. This is one of the reasons it is so important to seek legal counsel early on if you’ve been injured in a bus accident. 

Getting Legal Help After A Long Beach Bus Accident

We at Samer Habbas & Associates extend our best wishes to all of the people injured in this bus crash at the Boujie Crab restaurant. It is our sincere hope that everyone is able to make a full recovery. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. 

Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a Long Beach bus accident? Our team of Orange County bus accident attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We are committed to helping accident victims get the medical and financial support that they need in order to fully recover. In fact, we have recovered over $250,000,000 for our deserving clients, including a $800,000 Bus Accident Settlement. Whether you have legal questions or are thinking about hiring an attorney we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 949-727-9300.