At least five people died and dozens were injured in an Orange County based bus accident on Highway 101 in Soledad, California, the afternoon of April 28, 2009, carrying French tourists who crashed and rolled over on a freeway overpass, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Several passengers were ejected from the bus and onto the overpass as well as the freeway below, California Highway Patrol officials said. The death toll is expected to rise as many of the injuries are believed to be critical. Traffic investigators are looking into what caused this fatal bus accident.

CHP officials said 34 of the passengers on the Orange County bus were French nationals, one was a Canadian guide and the other was an American bus driver. The French tourists were apparently on an eight-day sight-seeing trip, which began in Los Angeles. The group was headed from San Francisco to Santa Maria when the bus accident occurred. Four of the passengers were under 18. Officials are saying that no other vehicles were involved.

My heart goes out to all the victims of this horrific bus crash, which is one of the worst bus accidents this area has ever seen, according to officials. I offer my deepest sympathies to the families of the deceased victims for their tragic, sudden and heartbreaking loss. I'm praying for the injured victims who are fighting for their lives in the hospital and their families that are making arrangements to fly from France at a moment's notice to be with their loved ones. I hope and pray that these injured victims make a speedy and complete recovery.

According to statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 278 buses were involved in fatal accidents in the United States in 2007. There were a total of 322 deaths and 15,888 injuries involving bus crashes nationwide during the same year. There are numerous unanswered questions here. How and why did the driver lose control of the bus? Was he distracted, exhausted or under the influence? Was there a mechanical malfunction or product defect in the bus that caused the accident?

Bus companies--whether public or private--owe their passengers the standard of "the utmost duty of care." This means that they are responsible for the safe transportation of their passengers. If this bus accident was caused by the driver's negligence or error or the tour bus company's failure to properly maintain the bus, then the driver and the bus company could be held liable for the accident, injuries and fatalities. If the accident occurred because of a product defect the manufacturer of the bus or the defective product could also be held liable.

The injured victims and families of the deceased victims will be able to file personal injury claims and wrongful death claims against the negligent parties either in California state courts or in federal courts even though they are French nationals and not U.S. citizens or residents. The injured victims and their families would be well-advised to retain the services of skilled California bus accident attorneys who will explain the legal process, their rights and how to get help with medical and other expenses they will be faced with as a result of this tragic accident. The best law firms will provide a free, confidential, comprehensive consultation. Victims and their families would be well-advised not to give any statements to anyone, talk to investigators or adjusters or sign any documents or releases until they are represented by a skilled California personal injury attorney, Bisnar | Chase who would be pleased to provide a free, comprehensive consultation to any one of the passengers or their family.

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