Florida mom fights medical bills after son injured in school bus crash

Florida mom fights medical bills after son injured in school bus crash

A fifth-grade student is recovering after a school bus carrying 37 children was rear-ended in a four-vehicle crash in Marion County, authorities said.

SILVER SPRINGS, Fla. - A Florida fifth-grader is healing up after his bus was rear-ended on its way to school. There were 37 kids onboard the bus. At least two were hurt.

The crash happened February 5th just before 7 a.m. on Highway 40, while the bus was heading to East Marion Elementary School. The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is investigating the crash.

The crash

What they're saying:

Fifth grader Gavin Wiater was napping in the back row of his school bus, head resting against the window, with two friends beside him in the seat and four friends piled in the seat in front of him. He says none of them were wearing their seatbelts.

"Next thing you know, I go boom, bang, boom," Gavin recalled.

Marion County Fire Rescue’s incident report says the bus was rear-ended – it was the last in the chain of a four-car pileup.

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"The bus shook really hard," Gavin said. "There's this little black piece that I hit my head on right here and I had a little bump and I also went like on the seat in front of me."

The impact

Gavin’s mom, Tora Solvik, picked him up from school and brought him home.

"As soon as he started crying, that was it," she told FOX 53 Reporter Marie Edinger. "I said, all right, we're going."

They wound up having to go to the hospital to get him an MRI and a CAT scan.

He’s alright – doctors said he had whiplash.

The school’s response

The message the school sent out says this was a minor accident, and the 37 kids on the bus were all evaluated and cleared by medical personnel – it doesn’t mention any injuries at all.

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However, the fire department’s incident report says one student’s nose was bleeding, and another student’s neck hurting.

That’s in reference to Gavin, his mom, Tora Solvik says.

What's next:

Now, Tora says she’s trying to figure out who’s going to cover that hospital bill.

"I haven't got a phone call yet, and that's got me a little stressed out because I shouldn't have to pay for it."

What we don't know:

The FHP is investigating the crash. FOX 35 is waiting to learn who is considered at fault and what led to the incident.