The incident occurred one afternoon in late January. According to reports, a bus jumped a curb, striking the school's principal and two students. While the principal died as a result of injuries suffered in the accident, witnesses claim that she managed to ensure the safety of other students by pushing them out of the way. The two students struck suffered serious injuries and remain hospitalized, but neither the bus driver nor any of the students on the bus were injured.
Officials are still working to determine what caused the accident. The bus driver reportedly told firefighters that she did not know what caused the bus to accelerate. Reports indicate that the bus was inspected just days before the incident, and no issues were discovered.
Those who knew the educator claim that this principal's decision to protect students at the risk of her own life are an indication of the type of person she was. Unfortunately, her family may face financial struggles as a result of her death due to funeral expenses and loss of wages. Those who are a victim of a workplace accident usually deserve workers' compensation insurance benefits. These benefits typically extend to certain family members in the event of a fatality. In order to ensure proper compensation, many in Massachusetts seek the guidance of a professional with experience with the process.
Source: wsls.com, "Bus driver: Principal pushed students to safety before dying in crash", Jan. 27, 2016