Bus Accident Attorney in Branson, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Branson, MO. If you or a family member has been hurt 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 hardly ever receive the same attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can often be equally as hazardous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Branson, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and respect the rules. When they eschew their obligations and disregard the rules it can have devastating, sometimes lifelong consequences for you or your family. Your Branson, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you secure the full compensation that you are owed for your damages.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than 20 years of experience defending the injured in Branson and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who egotistically do not want to be held responsible for their reckless actions. Many Branson, MO individuals have put their claims and their futures in our capable hands, and in total we have recovered for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, devotion, resolution, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Branson, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose work, pay for sky-high medical costs and also manage the emotional trauma of your injury just because another person disregarded the rules. If you or someone you care about has been harmed in a Branson, MO bus accident, call the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case review. We start working on your claim immediately, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your case.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Branson, MO because of another person's thoughtless behavior, find out how much your injury may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Branson, 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 boarded the bus under the assumption that the adequate safety arrangements were followed. Branson, MO bus companies and drivers have strict regulations they have a responsibility to respect, but sometimes they fail in those obligations and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is often caused by bus accidents, injuries can take years to truly heal from, may have lifelong effects or in the most terrible cases can even cause wrongful death. The Branson, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand by your side so you are not required to go it alone. When you hire us we begin investigating on your case straight away, and work relentlessly until you get the best possible compensation you deserve. We have experienced with every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Branson, MO individuals and families into settling for a lower recovery than they deserve. Those Branson, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the difficult cases. Call us today and let the empathetic, experienced and relentless bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you protect your family’s future and help make you whole again.

The legal process is complicated and can be unforgiving to Branson, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial abilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over two decades standing up to bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Branson, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every aspect of your claim. You can anticipate an experienced and savvy bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the accident 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 secure vital 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 usually many passengers who want the same answers and compensation you seek. Eyewitness testimony is a important part of proving your case.
• Collect additional evidence such as tire marks, security videos, police reports, as well as important details such as how many miles the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and maintenance was done on the bus. A lot of different factors play a part in bus accidents, and your Burger Law Branson, MO bus accident attorney will determine why the crash happened and who needs to be held accountable.
• Work with our network of Branson, MO accident and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and assess precisely 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 ensure you receive it.
• Stand up to resistant Branson, MO insurance companies who are more interested in their profits than your well-being. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and devalue your injuries. 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 refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will use our finely honed litigation skills to secure you a full financial recovery for your damages.

Beyond that, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the entire time. We handle 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 we win your case. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a catastrophic bus accident, contact an expert and devoted bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Because it takes so many people to run a bus safely, from manufacturers, to bus companies to drivers, you will first need to discover the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Branson, MO bus accident attorney like those at Burger Law have seen every kind of car accident, truck accident and bus accident case and will be able to determine who needs to be held liable for your injuries.

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

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that recently licensed drivers under the age of 25, in addition to more experienced drivers over 55 years old were more likely to be driving when a bus accident transpired.
• Driver action. While the same study reported that only 4 percent of bus accidents were due to an egregious offense such as the driver being intoxicated, another study by the University of Michigan stated that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus crashes had committed driving errors, for instance, speeding, being sleepy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. Many bus drivers, particularly those that drive for commercial bus lines 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 behind the wheel. While most busing companies have regulations about how many hours a driver can drive during a day or how often they have to take a break, those rules are frequently <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/23/us/greyhound-investigation/" target="_blank” rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener title="CNN"not mandatory or obeyed.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ weight and the intricacy of maneuvering them, slick roads or Branson, MO construction areas can be especially dangerous for bus riders. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company is liable. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you determine if that is the case.
• Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are overseen by regulatory bodies, but not nearly as much as 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 only 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews generally cannot stay ahead of the quantity of inspections needed. Some Branson, MO bus companies do not properly maintain their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Furthermore, bus companies are obligated to make certain that their drivers are properly trained and do not drive too many hours without a break.
• Hazardous roads. Faults in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. Some common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Faulty or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Insufficient lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the hazardous condition has been on the Branson, MO street, the better your chances of holding the negligent parties responsible. The negligent party may be a local Branson, MO government, or a third party whom the government hired to repair the problem but either did not do so in a timely fashion or did not adequately repair it.

Once your skilled Branson, MO bus accident attorney establishes the cause of your crash, they will be able to ascertain who is at-fault for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward securing you a maximum financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are frequently found at-fault in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to look out for their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to make sure that their drivers are not being overworked. In despite of saying that safety is their foremost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules when it comes to driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically required to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to hold off fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is usually not 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 due to driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound passengers have said that their driver was eating when the accident happened, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making sure that Branson, MO buses are properly inspected and repaired and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also the responsibility of the bus company. A bus accident could be the result of a bus company either neglecting to provide routine maintenance or failing to repair a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are especially predisposed to breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies cannot use negligent hiring practices. All drivers need to be properly licensed and trained, and should only be able to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Branson, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will perform a full investigation into the bus company's hiring practices and the person who was driving when the crash happened.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to confirm the safety of their products and immediately announce recalls in the event of a malfunctioning product. If they approve an inherently defective design or do not recall a component that they knew or should have known was not functioning properly, they are guilty of product liability. While they may attempt to shift the blame to somebody else, your Branson, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure negligent parties are held accountable for their behavior.

The Branson or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be catastrophic because of the number of people who could be injured and because they frequently happen in metropolitan areas. While you can make a claim against the Branson, MO government, there are specific procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury suits. If you seek to file a suit against a municipality or government employee, you must file it within 90 days of the accident with the Office of Administration’s Risk Management Division. That is why it is necessary to reach out to a Branson, MO bus accident attorney straight away after your accident. Do not delay, 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 driving a motor vehicle “within the course of their employment.” This means that you can sue or make a claim against a negligent or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a wreck because of recklessness. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or texting, did not pull over when they were feeling fatigued, did not pay attention to the Branson, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the dangerous decision to drive drunk, they need to be held responsible just like bus companies sometimes have to be. When you board a bus you trust that driver with your safety and your life. If a bus driver does not take that obligation seriously and causes you injury, you can be sure that the devoted and tenacious bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them responsible.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle accident, two or more drivers are frequently involved, and in some instances they each may shoulder a portion of the blame. Another driver’s thoughtlessness, such as speeding, driving while intoxicated or pulling in front of the bus too quickly can harm you. If you were harmed in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and seasoned Branson, MO bus accident attorney will help you determine if they are liable and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the the category of bus crash we most commonly see in Branson and Missouri. Nationally, school bus accidents account for 40 percent of all fatal bus wrecks. While often the driver, bus company or bus manufacturer is responsible, a school district in Branson, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were especially dangerous or they did not carry out 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 Branson, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you are awarded in a bus accident case will usually depend on the severity of your injuries and the ramifications they have on your life. You may have received a sprained ankle that just needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Branson, MO and a short time off work. Or, you may have received a catastrophic 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 Branson, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure that you secure a fair 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 costs, such as hospital bills, physical therapy, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We work alongside our network of medical and economic experts to quantify 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 grave your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Branson, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly 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 Branson, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every kind of bus accident case and know the tremendous anguish and ruinous effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Branson, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, honest and persistent and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have obtained over the past 20 years to win you the full recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a bus accident, there is no time to wait. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary consultation.