Bus Accident Attorney in Carrollton, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Carrollton, MO. If you or a loved one has been injured in a disastrous bus accident, take the first step in 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 frequently be similarly harmful and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Carrollton, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and respect the rules. When they eschew their responsibilities and break the rules it can have devastating, sometimes lifelong consequences for you or the people you care about. Your Carrollton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you get the full compensation that you are entitled to for your damages.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over two decades of experience defending the injured in Carrollton and throughout Missouri and standing up to bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who carelessly do not want to be held accountable for their reckless actions. Our Carrollton, MO clients have put their cases and their futures in our knowledgeable hands, and in total we have gotten them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, devotion, tenacity, knowledge and experience to help secure justice in personal injury cases and help Carrollton, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose work, pay for extortionate medical bills and also manage the emotional trauma of your injury only because someone else did not respect the rules. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a Carrollton, MO bus accident, contact the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case evaluation. We begin working on your claim straight away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your case.

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

Do I Need a Carrollton, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have experienced injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially undefended. After all, you were not the driver and you got on board the bus supposing that the adequate safety protocols were followed. Carrollton, MO bus companies and drivers have strict laws they have an obligation to adhere to, but sometimes they neglect those responsibilities and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is generally exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to truly heal from, may have lifelong consequences or in the worst instances can even cause wrongful death. The Carrollton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight by your side so you do not need to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we get to work on on your case right away, and work relentlessly until you are awarded the full compensation you deserve. We have experienced with every type of bus accident claim and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Carrollton, MO individuals and families into settling for less compensation than they deserve. Those Carrollton, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the tough cases. Call us today and let the passionate, 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 convoluted and can be difficult to comprehend for Carrollton, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial skills of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over two decades fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Carrollton, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every facet of your claim. You can expect a veteran and knowledgeable bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the crash site immediately. When you call us, we can have a bus accident lawyer on the scene at any time during the day or night in order to obtain key evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also experienced injuries in the crash or were close by. As buses carry many passengers, there are typically many people who want the same answers and compensation you need. We will perform official depositions of eyewitnesses to aid in your case.
• Collect further evidence such as tire marks, security footage, police reports, in additional to key details such as how many miles the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and repairs were conducted on the bus. A lot of different factors cause bus accidents, and your Burger Law Carrollton, MO bus accident attorney will find out the "whys" of the accident and who needs to be held responsible.
• Utilize our network of Carrollton, MO crash and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and put a figure on precisely how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will utilize our know-how and expertise to make certain you receive it.
• Fight back against resistant Carrollton, MO insurance companies who are more interested in their profits than your health. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and avoid their responsibility to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those deceptive maneuvers will not work in your case.
• Take the fight in front of a judge and jury if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will use our expert litigation skills to win you a great financial recovery for your injuries.

Beyond that, our bus accident attorney team will be keeping you informed whole 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. You owe us no attorneys fees until you are fairly compensated. If you or a loved one has been harmed 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 in a safe manner you will first need to determine the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Carrollton, MO bus accident attorney like those at Burger Law have seen every variety of car accident, truck accident and bus accident case and will be able to determine what entity needs to be held responsible for your injuries.

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

• Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that inexperienced drivers under the age of 25, as well as more experienced drivers over the age of 55 were more likely to be driving when a bus accident occurred.
• Driver behavior. While the same study stated that just 4 percent of bus accidents were because of a grave offense such as drunk driving, a different study by the University of Michigan stated that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus crashes had been cited with driving errors, for instance, speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A large portion of bus drivers, particularly those that work for commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that necessitate drivers to drive hundreds of miles at all hours of the day or night, become fatigued and can even fall asleep behind the wheel. While most busing companies have regulations about how many hours a driver can drive during without a break 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 required or followed.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ weight and the difficulty of steering them, slick roads or Carrollton, MO construction areas can be especially dangerous for bus passengers. Occasionally a third party such as a construction company is 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 overseen by regulatory bodies, but not close to 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 personnel responsible for inspections of more than 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors often cannot stay ahead of the number of inspections needed. Some Carrollton, MO bus companies do not properly repair their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Additionally, bus companies need to ensure that their drivers are properly trained and are not overworked.
• Hazardous roads. Hazards in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. Some typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Faulty or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the dangerous condition has been on the Carrollton, MO street, the better chance you have of holding the negligent parties accountable. The at-fault party may be a local Carrollton, 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 sufficiently repair it.

Once your experienced Carrollton, MO bus accident attorney deduces the reasons behind your wreck, they will be able to ascertain who is at-fault for your injuries and how to go forward with securing you full compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are frequently found negligent in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their riders to look out for their safety. One facet of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not being overworked. In despite of insisting that safety is their utmost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not following its own rules concerning driver fatigue. Drivers are technically required to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to stave off fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often obeyed as too many breaks could lead to financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study reported that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were caused by driver fatigue. Additionally, many Greyhound passengers have said that their driver was eating during the time of an accident, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making certain that Carrollton, MO buses are sufficiently inspected and repaired and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also part of the bus company's responsibility. A bus accident could be the result of a bus company either neglecting to carry out routine inspections or neglecting to fix a broken part or component. Older buses are particularly predisposed to breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.

Finally, bus companies need to be mindful in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be properly licensed and trained, and should only be permitted to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Carrollton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will carry out a full investigation into the bus company's hiring practices and the person who was driving when the crash occurred.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a duty to verify the safety of their vehicles and swiftly announce recalls in the event of a defective product. If they approve an inherently unsafe design or do not recall a component that they knew or should have known was not functioning correctly, they are guilty of product liability. While they may try to place the blame on somebody else, your Carrollton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure negligent parties are held responsible for their actions.

The Carrollton or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be calamitous because of the number of people involved and because they usually transpire in densely populated areas. While you can seek a financial recovery from the Carrollton, MO government, there are special procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in tort suits. If you want to make a claim 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 call a Carrollton, MO bus accident attorney straight away after your injury. 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 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 negligence. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not stop the bus when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the Carrollton, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the horrible decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable just like their employers 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 to heart and causes you injury, you can be certain that the dedicated and tenacious bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them responsible.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle crash, two or more drivers are often involved, and in some cases 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 injure you. If you were hurt in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and seasoned Carrollton, MO bus accident attorney will help you confirm if they are responsible and if you can make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the most common type of bus accident in Carrollton 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 at fault, a school district in Carrollton, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were particularly dangerous or they did not perform 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 Carrollton, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you collect in a bus accident case will typically depend on the gravity of your injuries and the repercussions they have on your life. You may have gotten a mild concussion that just required a quick trip to an emergency room in Carrollton, MO and a week or two off work. Or, you may have experienced a disastrous 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 Carrollton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will ensure that you receive 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, rehabilitation, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential

  We use our team of medical and economic experts to calculate 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 impacted your life, Burger Law's Carrollton, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly to ensure that you recover 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 Carrollton, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every type of bus accident case and know the tremendous anguish and calamitous effect it can have on your and your family. Your Carrollton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, straightforward and persistent and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have gained 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, there is no time to wait. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary consultation.