GBW Fights for Better Bus Safety Regulations
On April 10, 2014, dozens of college-bound, high school students from Southern California boarded a charter bus to visit Humboldt State University. On the last leg of the ride, a FedEx tractor-trailer jumped the median on Interstate 5 in Orland, CA and smashed into the bus.
The collision sparked a gas-fueled inferno that engulfed the bus, killing 10 people. 39 survivors scrambled in terror to find an exit at the back of the bus but one didn’t exist. A quick-thinking student kicked out a window, allowing the injured to escape. SB 274, also known as “The Passenger Charter-party Carriers’ Act” was authored by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens). The new law requires all California charter bus drivers to give written or oral safety instructions before each trip, just like what flight attendants do for plane passengers. It also requires buses manufactured after July 1, 2020 to be equipped with emergency lighting that turns on in the event of an impact or collision. Today’s buses have many interior fixtures constructed with flammable plastic, which can easily catch fire in accidents. Outdated federal standards no longer apply to modern day motor coaches, which can carry up to 80 passengers. The law mandates buses to have fewer flammable materials, along with a second emergency door, push-out windows and well-lit exit signs. Greene Broillet & Wheeler represents several plaintiffs who suffered injuries or had loved ones who died in the Orland bus crash.
Watch the videos and read the articles below to learn more about Greene Broillet & Wheeler’s involvement in the Orland bus crash case and our commitment to making California roadways safer for everyone.
June 13, 2016
Partner Geoff Wells and our client, Santiago Calderon, testified today before the Assembly on Charter bus transportation: safety improvements.
Calderon is one of the survivors of the Orland, CA charter bus crash involving a FedEx tractor-trailer that slammed into the bus, sparking a fatal fire. SB247 is a bill under consideration in the Assembly that would increase safety standards for California charter buses.
Fox40 News: Coverage of Bus Safety Legislation Hearings
This article discusses our efforts at the bus safety legislation hearings and also features a video.
Morning News
Evening News
Additional Coverage
NewsConference EXTRA
NBC Los Angeles ran a NewsConference EXTRA segment featuring GBW partner Geoff Wells and his client, Santiago Calderon.
The station previously discussed the situation when a CHP report was released earlier in the year.
Helping Our Clients Tell Their Story & Get the Compensation They Deserve
Awards & Associations
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Named in Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms,” Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP ranks as Tier 1 Personal Injury Litigation- Plaintiffs in Los Angeles. -
Founding partners Browne Greene and Bruce A. Broillet are both members of the exclusive invite-only Inner Circle of Advocates, as two of the top 100 plaintiff trial lawyers in America.
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All of our attorneys are proud to be active members of the Los Angeles County Bar Association or LACBA.
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Many firm members have been honored by the Consumer Attorneys of California, including Browne Greene, Christine Spagnoli, and Bruce Broillet, recipients of the Marvin E. Lewis Award. In addition, attorneys Bruce Broillet, Scott Carr, Molly McKibben, and Tobin Lanzetta has been honored with the Consumer Attorney of the Year Award.
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All 15 of our attorneys have been selected to Best Lawyers® after an extensive peer review process.
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Our attorneys were featured in TopVerdict for having one of the Top 10 Wrongful Death Verdicts in California in 2019, with $15 million won for the plaintiff in Keck v. Bel-Air Bay Club.
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Our firm has more attorneys on the Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars lists than any other law firm in Southern California, with 15 members selected.
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Several partners are active members in the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, with attorneys Browne Greene, Bruce Broillet, and Christine Spagnoli named “Trial Lawyer of the Year."
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Firm partners Christine D. Spagnoli and Molly McKibben have both been honored by the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles and are active members.
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After winning $2.6 million for the plaintiff’s side in a head-on collision case, our victory was named in the Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in California in 2019 by TopVerdict.
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Recipients of this recognition are held up to the same standards as for The Best Lawyers in America, but only legal professionals in the first ten years of their careers qualify. Four attorneys at GBW have been recognized with this award in 2021.
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Several of our partners are members in the American Board of Trial Advocates, a national invite-only association consisting of the most experienced trial lawyers.
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Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP, was featured by TopVerdict in the Top 100 Settlements across all practice areas in California for 2019.
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Our team includes several Fellows and Associates with the invite-only International Society of Barristers in recognition of their trial advocacy.
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Bruce A. Broillet and Christine D. Spagnoli are Fellows with the invite-only International Academy of Trial Lawyers, a group of elite trial lawyers from over 30 countries.
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A preeminent trial lawyers’ organization in North America, the American College of Trial Lawyers have elected firm partners Bruce Broillet, Mark Quigley, and Geoffrey Wells as Fellows.
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Why Choose Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP?
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