Cindy Evans Killed, Three Injured in Indianapolis, IN Bus Accident
Indianapolis, IN -- January 1, 2020, Cindy Evans died and three others were injured in a collision involving a public transit bus.
The events under investigation occurred in the mid-afternoon at the intersection of East Michigan Street and North Davidson Street.
While the specific events of the crash have not yet been established, it involved Mrs. Evans' passenger vehicle and an IndyGo public transit bus.
Mrs. Evans died from injuries sustained in the crash. Two others in the car were injured. Paramedics also transported a passenger onboard the bus to a local hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries.
Commentary
Given that current reports don't say much of anything about what actually happened in this case, beyond a collision between a bus and a car, I won't speculate about who might have been responsible for the injuries and loss of life that occurred. However, in the event that a further investigation implicates the bus driver's carelessness, there are some important considerations that those harmed in this wreck should know about.
Many states, including Indiana, have some combination of legislation and case law outlining what's known as sovereign immunity. In brief, this describes the limitation placed on suits against the state for negligence by its employees that aren't present for similar suits against private individuals or companies. In the state of Indiana, fortunately, these limitations are less restrictive than they are in other states, with negligent operation of vehicles specifically listed as a tort for which sovereign immunity can't be used as a defense.
However, one other regular feature of sovereign immunity is strict time limits within which victims are required to file a document called a Tort Claims Notice, notifying the state of the suit and detailing all of the injuries and damages being sought. For Indiana, this limit is 270 days, or about nine months, after a crash. Given the amount of time required to properly investigate a crash like this and properly document the full extent of injuries and losses, that time limit isn't as generous as it might seem.
In short, while those injured or killed due to a government employee's negligence still have the ability to hold them accountable, time is of the essence if they want to exercise their rights.
--Grossman Law Offices
