Legal Question in International Law in

Personal Injury

An American University in a foreign country signed a contract with a bus company. In case of an accident bus company is liable but not the university. Is this legal? What is the deal according to US Law? Should the university be liable since the students don't have any other option but using that specific bus service university provided?


Asked on 10/29/08, 9:53 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Maryam Abdallah Maryam Abdallah Law Firm

Re: Personal Injury

There's no such thing as agreeing to shift liability when it involves a criminal case (personal injuries arising from accidents are included in the penal code in most countries), as public (society's) right is involved in it & when such accidents occur, the general prosecutor usually calls on all those "involved" whether directly or indirectly, including the driver of the bus, the company he works for & the side that hired their services, to hold them liable for any remedies that might arise from the accident..

The nationality of the university is of no relevance in that case, as the local jurisdiction (place where the crime(accident in your case)was committed) is enough to set the liability in such matters.

Their collective responsibility is a standard in such matters & negligence is usually enough to determine the punishment until proven otherwise; but usually such accidents are covered by the insurance which will undoubtedly minimize the responsibility & eventually if no death or real physical injuries are there, a fine should be enough to close the file.

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Answered on 10/30/08, 11:32 am


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