Bus Accident Attorney in Bethany, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Bethany, MO. If you or someone you care about has been injured in a devastating bus accident, take control of your recovery by calling Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or by contacting us online.

Bus accidents rarely get equal attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can frequently be similarly hazardous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Bethany, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and obey the rules. When they break that trust and break the rules it can have ruinous, sometimes permanent outcomes for you or your family. Your Bethany, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you secure the full compensation that you are entitled to for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than 20 years of experience defending the injured in Bethany and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to be held accountable for their careless behavior. Our Bethany, MO clients have put their cases and their futures in our capable hands, and to date we have gotten them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, devotion, relentlessness, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Bethany, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose work, pay for exorbitant medical costs and also deal with the emotional scars of your injury just because someone else did not respect the rules. If you or someone you care about has been harmed in a Bethany, MO bus accident, get in touch with the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary consultation. We begin working on your claim right away, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Bethany, MO because of another person's negligent actions, learn how much your claim may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Bethany, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, you are likely feeling especially vulnerable. After all, you were not the one driving and you went aboard the bus supposing that the proper safety measures were obeyed. Bethany, MO bus companies and drivers have firm rules they are supposed to respect, but sometimes they neglect those responsibilities and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is generally caused by bus accidents, injuries can take years to fully recover from, may have permanent consequences or in the worst instances can even result in wrongful death. The Bethany, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand by your side so you do not have to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we start working on your case straight away, and work tirelessly until you recover the best possible compensation you are entitled to. We have experienced with every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Bethany, MO individuals and families into accepting less money than they are owed. Those Bethany, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the hard cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, experienced and aggressive bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal procedures are complex and can be unforgiving to Bethany, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial capabilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over 20 years fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Bethany, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every aspect of your case. You can bank on a seasoned and talented bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the crash site the first chance we get. When you call us, we can have a bus accident lawyer at the site at any time during the day or night in order to acquire key evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also sustained injuries in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry a lot of passengers, there are typically a lot of people who want the same answers and compensation you do. We will conduct official depositions of eyewitnesses to aid in your case.
• Acquire further evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, police reports, in additional to key details such as how long the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and repairs were performed on the bus. Many different factors cause bus accidents, and your Burger Law Bethany, MO bus accident attorney will find out the "whys" of the accident and who needs to be held accountable.
• Work alongside our network of Bethany, MO accident and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and compute exactly how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will implement our knowledge and expertise to make sure you receive it.
• Fight back against resistant Bethany, MO insurance companies who care more about their bottom line than your well-being. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and devalue your claim. When you hire us, you can be sure those deceptive maneuvers will not work in your case.
• Take your case to trial if the insurance company does not offer a fair settlement, we will use our finely honed litigation skills to secure you a great financial recovery for your injuries.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be keeping you informed entire time. We manage all communication, documentation and litigation so that you can focus all of your energy on healing and making your family whole again. We collect no attorneys fees until you are fully compensated. If you or a family member has been hurt in a catastrophic bus accident, contact an expert and dedicated bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Since bus drivers, companies and manufacturers all have a part to play in operating a bus safely you will first need to determine the cause of the accident before determining who is liable. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Bethany, MO bus accident attorney like those at Burger Law have seen every type of car accident, truck accident and bus accident case and will be able to find out what entity needs to be held accountable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Bethany, MO Bus Accident Attorney

• Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that beginner drivers under the age of 25, as well as more experienced drivers over 55 years old were more likely to be driving when a bus accident took place.
• Driver behavior. While the same study stated that just 4 percent of bus accidents were owing to an egregious offense such as driving while intoxicated, a different study by the University of Michigan reported that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus collisions had committed driving errors, such as speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A good deal of bus drivers, especially those that drive for commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that require drivers to drive hundreds of miles at all hours of the day or night, become sleepy and can even fall asleep at the wheel. While most busing companies have rules about how many hours a driver can drive during without a break or how often they have to take a break, those regulations are often <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/23/us/greyhound-investigation/" target="_blank” rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener title="CNN"not required or followed.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ size and the awkwardness of maneuvering them, slick roads or Bethany, MO construction areas can be particularly hazardous for bus commuters. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company will be at fault. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you decide if that is true in your case.
• Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are regulated, but much less than other transportation industries. A 2011 study by the National Transportation Safety Board found that The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has only 878 people responsible for inspections of more than 765,000 trucks and buses, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews generally cannot keep up with the amount of inspections needed. Some Bethany, MO bus companies do not adequately maintain their vehicles, causing them to be dangerous. Furthermore, bus companies need to ensure that their drivers are properly trained and do not drive too long without a break.
• Dangerous roads. Hazards in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. Some common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Faulty or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the dangerous condition has been on the Bethany, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the negligent parties responsible. The liable party may be a local Bethany, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to repair the issue but either did not do so soon enough or did not adequately repair it.

Once your talented Bethany, MO bus accident attorney deduces the cause of your wreck, they will be able to confirm who is liable for your injuries and how to proceed with delivering you the best possible financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are frequently found negligent in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are deemed common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their passengers to maintain their safety. One facet of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite insisting that safety is their principal priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules concerning driver fatigue. Drivers are technically obligated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to inhibit sleepiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often obeyed as too many breaks could result in financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study found that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were caused by driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound passengers have stated that their driver was eating when the crash occurred, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making sure that Bethany, MO buses are adequately inspected and maintained and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also part of the bus company's obligation. A bus accident could be because of a bus company either neglecting to perform routine inspections or neglecting to repair a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are particularly predisposed to breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies cannot use negligent hiring practices. All drivers need to be adequately licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Bethany, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will conduct a full investigation into the bus company's hiring practices and the person who was driving when the accident occurred.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation to ensure the safety of their products and quickly issue recalls if a product is found to be dangerous. If they approve an inherently flawed design or do not recall a component that they knew or should have known was not functioning adequately, they are guilty of product liability. While they might try to place the blame on someone else, your Bethany, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure reckless parties are held responsible for their behavior.

The Bethany or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be ruinous because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they frequently transpire in metropolitan areas. While you can seek compensation from the Bethany, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in injury liability claims. If you want to make a claim against a municipality or government employee, you must file it within 90 days of the injury with the Office of Administration’s Risk Management Division. That is why it is crucial to get in touch with a Bethany, MO bus accident attorney immediately after your accident. There is no time to wait, call the trusted Burger Law bus accident injury lawyers now at (314) 500-HURT.

Missouri Revised Statute §537.600 grants sovereign immunity to government entities and employees except against a government employee who was operating a motor vehicle “within the course of their employment.” This means that you can sue or make a claim against an at-fault or careless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident owing to negligence. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or talking, did not stop the bus when they were feeling sleepy, did not pay attention to the Bethany, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the foolish decision to drive drunk, they need to be held responsible just like bus companies sometimes have to be. When you ascend a bus you trust that driver with your health and your life. If a bus driver does not take that obligation to heart and causes you injury, you can be sure that the dedicated and tenacious bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle crash, there are often two or more drivers, and in some cases they each may be responsible for a percentage of the blame. Another driver’s thoughtlessness, such as speeding, driving while intoxicated or pulling in front of the bus too quickly can injure you. If you were harmed in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and experienced Bethany, MO bus accident attorney will help you ascertain if they are responsible and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the most common type of bus crash in Bethany and Missouri. Nationally, school bus accidents account for 40 percent of all fatal bus accidents. While often the driver, bus company or bus manufacturer is responsible, a school district in Bethany, MO may also be held accountable, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were particularly dangerous or they did not conduct sufficient background checks when hiring drivers.

Below are some helpful links and frequently asked questions for bus accident injuries and other types of injuries:

• Do I have to Talk to the Insurance Company Before I Talk to a Lawyer?
• How Much to Expect in an Auto Accident Settlement
• What Happens During Litigation?
• Does My Family Have a Wrongful Death Claim?
• Proving Negligence in a Personal Injury Claim

What Compensation Can A Bus Accident Attorney in Bethany, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you collect in a bus accident case will usually be based on the severity of your injuries and how they have impacted and will affect they have on your life. You may have gotten a sprained wrist that merely needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Bethany, MO and a short time off work. Or, you may have sustained a disastrous spinal cord injury that leaves you disabled and in need of assistive devices for the remainder of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Bethany, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain that you secure a full financial recovery for all of the pain and inconvenience your injury has caused and will continue to cause. Missouri Senate Bill 239 defines the damages you can receive as:

• Economic damages, including:
  • Medical expenses, such as hospital bills, physical therapy, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We work with our team of medical and economic experts to determine the exact dollar amount you deserve, accounting for inflation for future lost earning potential or future medical expenses.

• Noneconomic damages, including:
  • pain and suffering
  • mental anguish
  • inconvenience
  • physical impairment
  • disfigurement
  • loss of capacity to enjoy life
  • loss of consortium

However severe your injuries and however much they have affected your life, Burger Law's Bethany, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively to ensure that you are awarded the best possible compensation for all of your damages.

Learn more about our various practice areas by clicking the links below:

• Truck Crash Lawyers in Missouri
• Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Missouri

Call Our Bethany, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every sort of bus accident case and know the tremendous anguish and disastrous effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your Bethany, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, honest and persistent and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have obtained over the past two decades to win you the maximum recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been harmed in a bus accident, do not delay. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a free case evaluation.