Bus Accident Attorney in Clinton, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Clinton, MO. If you or a family member has been hurt in a disastrous 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 the same attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can often be just as dangerous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Clinton, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and obey the rules. When they eschew their duty and do not respect the rules it can have ruinous, sometimes permanent outcomes for you or your family. Your Clinton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you get the best possible compensation that you are entitled to for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than two decades of experience defending the injured in Clinton and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who carelessly do not want to be held accountable for their negligent actions. Many Clinton, MO individuals have put their claims 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 hard work, dedication, tenacity, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Clinton, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose wages, pay for expensive medical costs and also deal with the emotional trauma of your injury only because another person broke the rules. If you or someone you care about has been harmed in a Clinton, MO bus accident, contact the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case review. We get started on your claim immediately, and you do not owe us any fees until we win you the compensation you are entitled to.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Clinton, MO because of someone else's careless actions, discover how much your claim may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Clinton, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have received injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially unprotected. After all, you were not the one driving and you got on the bus presuming that the proper safety measures were adhered to. Clinton, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent laws 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 truly recover from, may have permanent consequences or in the most terrible cases can even result in wrongful death. The Clinton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand in your corner so you do not have to go it alone. When you hire us we begin investigating on your case right away, and work relentlessly until you win the maximum compensation you are entitled to. We have seen every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Clinton, MO individuals and families into settling for less money than they entitled to. Those Clinton, 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, veteran and tenacious bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal proceedings are complex and can be difficult to comprehend for Clinton, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial abilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over 20 years fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Clinton, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every aspect of your claim. You can anticipate a seasoned and skilled 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 of the day or night in order to acquire essential evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also experienced injuries in the crash or were close by. As buses carry a variety of passengers, there are usually other people who want the same answers and financial recovery you do. Eyewitness testimony is a important part of winning your case.
• Acquire further evidence such as tire marks, security footage, police reports, as well as key details such as how many miles the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and maintenance was conducted on the bus. A lot of different factors give rise to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Clinton, MO bus accident attorney will discover the "whys" of the accident and who needs to be held accountable.
• Utilize our network of Clinton, MO accident and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and calculate precisely how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will utilize our know-how and expertise to ensure you receive it.
• Stand up to resistant Clinton, MO insurance companies who are more concerned for their profits than your well-being. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and weasel their way out of their obligation 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 refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will use our constantly trained litigation skills to win you a great financial recovery for your injuries.

Furthermore, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the entire time. We handle 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 family member has been injured in a ruinous bus accident, contact an expert and devoted bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Because it necessitates so many people to run a bus safely, from manufacturers, to bus companies to drivers, you will first need to find out the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Clinton, 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 determine who needs to be held liable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Clinton, 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 the age of 55 were more likely to be driving when a bus accident transpired.
• Driver error. While the same study found that a mere 4 percent of bus accidents were owing to a grave offense such as the driver being intoxicated, a different study by the University of Michigan stated that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus collisions had been cited with driving errors, for instance, speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A good deal of bus drivers, particularly the ones that drive for commercial bus lines 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 at the wheel. While most busing companies have rules about how many hours a driver can drive during a day or how frequently 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 mandatory or complied with.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ size and the awkwardness of steering them, icy roads or Clinton, MO construction areas can be particularly hazardous for bus commuters. In some cases a third party such as a construction company will be liable. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you understand if that applies 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 frequently cannot keep pace with the amount of inspections needed. Some Clinton, MO bus companies do not properly inspect their vehicles, causing them to be dangerous. Furthermore, bus companies are obligated to make sure that their drivers are properly trained and do not drive too long without a break.
• Hazardous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can result in a driver losing control and crashing. A Few typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Defective or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The longer the hazardous condition has been on the Clinton, MO road, the better your chances of holding the negligent parties responsible. The negligent party may be a local Clinton, MO government, or a third party whom the government contracted to eliminate the condition but either did not do so quickly enough or did not adequately repair it.

Once your accomplished Clinton, MO bus accident attorney ascertains the reasons for your crash, they will be able to establish who is responsible for your injuries and how to proceed with getting you the best possible compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are typically found liable in bus accident cases.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are considered 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 certain that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite insisting that safety is their highest priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not following its own rules regarding driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to inhibit fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is rarely followed 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 owing to driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound passengers have reported that their driver was eating during the time of an accident, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making certain that Clinton, MO buses are sufficiently inspected and maintained and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also part of the bus company's duty. A bus accident might be because of a bus company either failing to provide routine inspections or failing 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 cannot use negligent hiring practices. All drivers need to be sufficiently licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Clinton, 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 wreck occurred.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation to confirm the safety of their vehicles and quickly issue recalls in the event of a malfunctioning product. If they approve an inherently faulty 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 attempt to shift the blame to someone else, your Clinton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure at-fault parties are held accountable for their actions.

The Clinton or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be catastrophic because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they frequently happen in densely populated areas. While you can seek compensation from the Clinton, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in injury liability claims. If you want to file a suit 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 vital to contact a Clinton, MO bus accident attorney at once 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 a wreck due to negligence. If they became distracted by eating or texting, did not stop when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the Clinton, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the terrible decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable just like bus companies sometimes have to be. When you go on board a bus you trust that driver with your well-being and your life. If a bus driver does not take that obligation seriously and causes you injury, you can be certain that the dedicated and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto crash, there are often two or more drivers, and in some instances they each may shoulder a percentage of the blame. Another driver’s recklessness, 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 accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and accomplished Clinton, MO bus accident attorney will help you establish if they are responsible 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 Clinton 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 at fault, a school district in Clinton, MO may also be held responsible, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were especially dangerous or they did not perform proper 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 Clinton, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you recover in a bus accident case will generally be based on the gravity of your injuries and how they have affected and will impact they have on your life. You may have received a mild concussion that merely required a quick trip to an emergency room in Clinton, MO and a short time off work. Or, you may have received 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 Clinton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure that you collect a maximum 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, rehabilitation, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We work with 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 grave your injuries and however much they have affected your life, Burger Law's Clinton, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly to ensure that you receive 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 Clinton, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every variety of bus accident case and know the incalculable pain and disastrous effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your Clinton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is empathetic, accomplished, trustworthy and determined and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have gained over the past 20 years to win you the the best possible recovery you are rightfully owed. If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, do not delay. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary consultation.