Bus Accident Attorney in Butler, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Butler, MO. If you or someone you care about has been injured in a destructive 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 equal attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can often be similarly harmful and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Butler, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and obey the rules. When they eschew their responsibilities and disregard the rules it can have devastating, sometimes lifelong outcomes for you or your family. Your Butler, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make certain that you get the full compensation that you are owed for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over 20 years of experience defending the injured in Butler and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who egocentrically do not want to be held responsible for their negligent actions. Our Butler, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our knowledgeable hands, and to date we have won them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, dedication, persistence, knowledge and experience to help find justice in personal injury cases and help Butler, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose wages, pay for pricey medical bills and also manage the emotional toll of your injury just because someone else did not respect the rules. If you or a loved one has been harmed in a Butler, MO bus accident, call the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case review. We begin working on your case straight away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win you the financial recovery you are entitled to.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Butler, MO because of someone else's reckless behavior, discover how much your injury may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Butler, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially unshielded. After all, you were not the one driving and you got on the bus supposing that the appropriate safety protocols were obeyed. Butler, MO bus companies and drivers have firm rules they have a duty to follow, but sometimes they fail in those obligations 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 heal from, may have lifelong consequences or in the most tragic cases can even lead to wrongful death. The Butler, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand in your corner so you do not have to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we begin working on your case right away, and work tirelessly until you receive the best possible compensation you are owed. We have experienced with every type of bus accident claim and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Butler, MO individuals and families into accepting a lower recovery than they entitled to. Those Butler, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the complicated cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, seasoned and aggressive bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

The legal process is convoluted and can be unforgiving to Butler, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial capabilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over two decades standing up to bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Butler, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every facet of your case. You can expect a seasoned and knowledgeable bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the accident site as soon as possible. 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 key evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were close by. As buses carry many passengers, there are typically other passengers who want the same answers and compensation you need. Eyewitness testimony is a essential part of proving your case.
• Obtain further evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, police reports, in additional to key details such as how far the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and maintenance was done on the bus. Many different factors give rise to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Butler, MO bus accident attorney will find out the "whys" of the accident and who needs to be held responsible.
• Work alongside our network of Butler, MO auto wreck and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and put a figure on exactly how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will utilize our experience and expertise to make sure you recover it.
• Fight back against resistant Butler, MO insurance companies who are more concerned for their bottom line than your well-being. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and avoid their duty to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those ploys 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 damages.

Furthermore, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the whole time. We take control of all communication, documentation and litigation so that you can spend all of your energy on healing and making your family whole again. You owe us no attorneys fees until we win your case. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a devastating bus accident, contact an expert and devoted bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Because it requires so many people to operate a bus safely, from manufacturers, to bus companies to drivers, you will first need to determine the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Butler, 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 discover who needs to be held accountable for your injuries.

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

• Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that inexperienced drivers under 25 years old, in addition to more experienced drivers over 55 years old were more likely to be driving when a bus accident transpired.
• Driver behavior. While the same study found that just 4 percent of bus accidents were because of a serious offense such as the driver being intoxicated, another study by the University of Michigan reported that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus accidents had committed driving errors, such as speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A large portion of bus drivers, especially the ones that work for commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that require drivers to drive hundreds of miles at all hours of the day or night, become drowsy and can even fall asleep behind the wheel. While most busing companies have rules about how many hours a driver can drive during a day or how often they have to take a break, those regulations are frequently <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/23/us/greyhound-investigation/" target="_blank” rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener title="CNN"not enforced or complied with.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ mass and the difficulty of maneuvering them, slippery roads or Butler, MO construction areas can be particularly hazardous for bus riders. Occasionally a third party such as a construction company will be at fault. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you determine 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 personnel responsible for inspections of more than 765,000 motor carriers, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors often cannot stay ahead of the amount of inspections needed. Some Butler, MO bus companies do not properly inspect their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Additionally, bus companies are obligated to ensure that their drivers are sufficiently trained and do not drive too many hours without a break.
• Dangerous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can lead to a driver losing control and causing an accident. A Few typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Defective or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the dangerous condition has been on the Butler, MO street, the better chance you have of holding the negligent parties accountable. The negligent party may be a local Butler, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to repair the problem but either did not do so in a timely fashion or did not sufficiently repair it.

Once your talented Butler, MO bus accident attorney determines the cause of your crash, they will be able to determine who is responsible for your injuries and how to proceed with getting you full compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are generally found at-fault in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are deemed common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their passengers to look out for their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to make sure that their drivers are not driving too many miles in a day. In despite of insisting that safety is their foremost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not following its own rules when it comes to driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically required 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 followed as too many breaks could lead to financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study found that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were caused by driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound passengers have said that their driver was eating when the accident occurred, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making certain that Butler, 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 a consequence of a bus company either failing to provide routine inspections or failing to repair a broken part or component. Older buses are especially predisposed to breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Finally, bus companies need to be mindful in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be sufficiently licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Butler, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will perform a complete investigation into the bus company's hiring practices and the person who was driving when the accident happened.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation to guarantee the safety of their vehicles and immediately announce recalls in the event of a faulty product. If they approve an inherently unsafe 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 place the blame on somebody else, your Butler, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure at-fault parties are held responsible for their actions.

The Butler or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be calamitous because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they often transpire in metropolitan areas. While you can file a suit against the Butler, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury cases. If you seek 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 necessary to get in touch with a Butler, MO bus accident attorney right away 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 reckless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a wreck owing to driver error. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not stop when they were feeling overly tired, did not pay attention to the Butler, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the foolish decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable just like their employers sometimes have to be. When you go on board 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 confident that the dedicated and tenacious bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.

The Other Driver

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

School Districts

School bus accidents are the the type of bus crash we most typically see in Butler 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 Butler, MO may also be held accountable, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were especially 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 Butler, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you recover in a bus accident case will typically depend on the severity of your injuries and the repercussions they have on your life. You may have received a mild concussion that only needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Butler, MO and a week or two off work. Or, you may have sustained a devastating spinal cord injury that leaves you disabled and in need of assistive devices for the rest of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Butler, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will ensure that you are awarded a great 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 use our network of medical and economic experts to calculate the exact dollar amount you are entitled to, 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 serious your injuries and however much they have affected your life, Burger Law's Butler, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly to ensure that you get full 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 Butler, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every type of bus accident case and know the immense pain and disastrous effect it can have on your and your family. Your Butler, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is empathetic, accomplished, honest and tenacious and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have obtained over the past two decades to get you the maximum recovery you are rightfully owed. If you or a loved one has been hurt 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 review.