Bus Accident Attorney in Columbia, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Columbia, MO. If you or a family member has been hurt in a devastating 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 rarely get the same attention as plane or train crashes, even though the can oftentimes be equally as dangerous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Columbia, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and follow the rules. When they eschew their duty and disregard the rules it can have terrible, sometimes lifelong consequences for you or the people you care about. Your Columbia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you secure the maximum compensation that you deserve for your damages.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than two decades of experience defending the injured in Columbia and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who egocentrically do not want to be held accountable for their thoughtless behavior. Our Columbia, MO clients have put their cases and their futures in our accomplished hands, and in total we have secured for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, commitment, persistence, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Columbia, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose wages, pay for extortionate medical costs and also work through the emotional scars of your injury only because another person broke the rules. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a Columbia, MO bus accident, call the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation. We start working on your claim straight away, 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 Columbia, MO because of another person's reckless actions, find out how much your injury may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Columbia, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have sustained injuries in a bus accident, you are probably feeling especially undefended. After all, you were not the driver and you got on board the bus under the impression that that the adequate safety arrangements were adhered to. Columbia, MO bus companies and drivers have strict rules they have a duty to adhere to, but sometimes they neglect 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 fully recover from, may have lifelong effects or in the most terrible instances can even lead to wrongful death. The Columbia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight on your behalf so you are not required to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we begin investigating on your case right away, and will not let up until you recover the full compensation you are owed. We have experienced with every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Columbia, MO individuals and families into accepting a lower recovery than they entitled to. Those Columbia, 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 empathetic, seasoned and relentless 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 Columbia, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial abilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over two decades fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Columbia, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every facet of your case. You can bank on an accomplished and savvy 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 on the scene at any time of the day or night in order to secure essential evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also received injuries in the crash or were close by. As buses carry a lot of passengers, there are typically many people who want the same answers and compensation you need. We will take official depositions of eyewitnesses to aid in your case.
• Acquire additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance videos, police reports, as well as important details such as how far the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and repairs were performed on the bus. A lot of different factors cause bus accidents, and your Burger Law Columbia, MO bus accident attorney will determine why the crash happened and who needs to be held responsible.
• Work with our network of Columbia, MO crash and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and work out exactly how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are owed and we will use our knowledge and expertise to make certain you recover it.
• Stand up to resistant Columbia, MO insurance companies who care more about their bottom line than your health. 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 tricks 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 finely honed litigation skills to secure you a full financial recovery for your injuries.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be in your corner whole time. We oversee all communication, documentation and litigation so that you can spend 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 a family member has been harmed in a ruinous bus accident, contact an expert and dedicated 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 caused your injuries. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Columbia, 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 find out what entity needs to be held accountable for your injuries.

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

• Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that inexperienced drivers under 25 years old, as well as more experienced drivers over the age of 55 were more likely to be driving when a bus accident transpired.
• Driver behavior. While the same study reported that only 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by a severe 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 crashes had been cited with driving errors, for instance, speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. Many bus drivers, especially 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 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 enforced or obeyed.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ size and the intricacy of maneuvering them, slick roads or Columbia, MO construction areas can be particularly hazardous for bus passengers. 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 applies case.
• Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are overseen by regulatory entities, 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 reviews for over 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors typically cannot keep up with the amount of inspections required. Some Columbia, MO bus companies do not adequately maintain their vehicles, causing them to be dangerous. Furthermore, bus companies are obligated to make certain that their drivers are correctly trained and are not overworked.
• 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
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Malfunctioning or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the hazardous condition has been on the Columbia, MO street, the better chance you have of holding the negligent parties responsible. The liable party may be a local Columbia, MO government, or a third party whom the government hired to repair the condition but either did not do so in a timely fashion or did not correctly repair it.

Once your skilled Columbia, MO bus accident attorney determines the cause of your crash, they will be able to confirm who is liable for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward getting you the best possible financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are typically found negligent in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are regarded as common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their patrons to look out for their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not driving too many hours without a break. Despite 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 obligated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to stave off drowsiness. 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 stated that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were because of driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound customers have said that their driver was eating during the time of a crash, which constitutes distracted driving.

Ensuring that Columbia, MO buses are sufficiently inspected and repaired and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also part of the bus company's duty. A bus accident could be the result of a bus company either failing to provide routine maintenance or failing to fix a broken part or component. Older buses are particularly vulnerable 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 correctly licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Columbia, 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 crash transpired.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation to certify the safety of their products and quickly announce recalls in the event of a defective product. If they approve an inherently flawed 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 Columbia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure liable parties are held responsible for their actions.

The Columbia or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be ruinous because of the amount of people involved and because they frequently happen in densely populated areas. While you can file a suit against the Columbia, MO government, there are special procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury suits. 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 crucial to contact a Columbia, MO bus accident attorney right away after your injury. 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 a liable or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident because of negligence. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or texting, did not pull over when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the Columbia, 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 ascend a bus you trust that driver with your health and your life. If a bus driver does not take that duty seriously and causes you injury, you can be certain that the committed and aggressive bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto wreck, there are often two or more drivers, and in some instances they each may be responsible for a portion 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 harmed in a bus wreck where there was another driver or drivers involved, your skilled and accomplished Columbia, MO bus accident attorney will help you determine if they are at fault and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the the category of bus accident we most commonly see in Columbia 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 Columbia, MO may also be held accountable, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were particularly bad or they did not conduct 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 Columbia, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you collect in a bus accident case will generally be based on the gravity of your injuries and how they have impacted and will affect they have on your life. You may have received a mild concussion that merely required a quick trip to an emergency room in Columbia, 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 special equipment for the remainder of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Columbia, 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 expenses, such as hospital bills, rehabilitation, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential

  We work alongside our network of medical and economic experts to compute 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 impacted your life, Burger Law's Columbia, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly to ensure that you get the best possible compensation for all of your damages.

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

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

Call Our Columbia, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every type of bus accident case and know the immense pain and calamitous effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your Columbia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is empathetic, accomplished, trustworthy and relentless and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have acquired over the past 20 years to win you the the best possible recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a bus accident, do not wait another second. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a free case evaluation.