$80 Million Settlement Reached in Deadly Hurricane Rita Bus Fire

DALLAS – The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson is announcing an $80 million settlement on behalf of the families of 23 residents of a Bellaire, Texas, nursing home who died aboard a chartered bus that burst into flames while fleeing Hurricane Rita in September 2005.

Noted Dallas attorney Frank L. Branson represented the families of three Brighton Gardens nursing home residents who died in the fire. Following the settlement, Mr. Branson praised the work of the legal team, including Richard Mithoff of Houston who represented seven victims, and several other prominent plaintiff lawyers who represented victims on the bus.

“The plaintiffs in this case were represented by many good attorneys who came together to perform this extremely important work,” Mr. Branson says. “Vital information was uncovered during this litigation that brought the defendants to the table and made possible this settlement for the families who lost loved ones in this terrible tragedy. We certainly all hope our work on behalf of these victims will contribute to the safety of the people on the highway who elect to take buses.”

The legal team’s independent investigation revealed a defect in the bus’ hub-and-axle system that was prone to failure. Defendants in the lawsuit included manufacturer of the bus and the designer and manufacturer of the hub-and-axle component, among others.

The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson represents clients in cases involving complex product liability, catastrophic injury, commercial air crashes, professional negligence, and business torts.

For more information, please contact Robert Tharp at 800-559-4534 or Robert@androvett.com.