Bus Accident Attorney in De Kalb, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in De Kalb, MO. If you or a loved one has been harmed 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 get the same attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can oftentimes be just as harmful and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust De Kalb, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and obey the rules. When they break that trust and do not respect the rules it can have devastating, sometimes lifelong effects for you or your loved ones. Your De Kalb, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you get the full compensation that you deserve for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over 20 years of experience defending the injured in De Kalb and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who carelessly do not want to be held accountable for their careless actions. Many De Kalb, MO residents have put their cases and their futures in our trustworthy hands, and to date we have recovered for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, commitment, resolution, knowledge and experience to help secure justice in personal injury cases and help De Kalb, MO residents become whole again. You should not have to lose wages, pay for pricey medical bills and also handle the emotional scars of your injury only because another person did not respect the rules. If you or someone you care about has been injured in a De Kalb, MO bus accident, contact the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case review. We start working on your case at once, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.

If you were injured in a bus accident in De Kalb, MO because of another person's careless behavior, learn how much your claim may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a De Kalb, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have received injuries in a bus accident, you are likely feeling especially vulnerable. After all, you were not the one driving and you went aboard the bus supposing that the appropriate safety arrangements were obeyed. De Kalb, MO bus companies and drivers have strict laws they have an obligation to respect, 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 really heal from, may have permanent consequences or in the most tragic instances can even lead to wrongful death. The De Kalb, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight by your side so you are not required to go it alone. When you hire us we get to work on on your case straight away, and work tirelessly until you are awarded the full compensation you are owed. We have seen every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured De Kalb, MO individuals and families into settling for less compensation than they deserve. Those De Kalb, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the hard cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, veteran and aggressive bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you protect your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal proceedings are convoluted and can be difficult to comprehend for De Kalb, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial experience of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have more than 20 years of experience fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our De Kalb, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every facet of your case. You can expect a seasoned and skilled 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 vital evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are generally a lot of passengers who want the same answers and financial recovery you seek. We will conduct official depositions of eyewitnesses to help in your case.
• Collect additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance 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 repairs were performed on the bus. Many different factors cause bus accidents, and your Burger Law De Kalb, MO bus accident attorney will find out why the crash happened and who needs to be held accountable.
• Work alongside our network of De Kalb, MO accident and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and put a figure on precisely how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are owed and we will utilize our know-how and expertise to make certain you recover it.
• Fight back against resistant De Kalb, 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 devalue your claim. 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 does not offer a fair settlement, we will use our finely honed litigation skills to secure you a full financial recovery for your damages.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be keeping you informed entire 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 you are fairly compensated. If you or someone you care about has been harmed 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 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 is liable. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled De Kalb, MO bus accident attorney like those at Burger Law have seen every category 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? | De Kalb, MO Bus Accident Attorney

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that beginner drivers under 25 years old, in addition to more experienced drivers over the age of 55 were more likely to be driving when a bus accident happened.
• Driver behavior. While the same study found that only 4 percent of bus accidents were owing to a serious offense such as drunk driving, a different 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 fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A large portion 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 behind the wheel. While most busing companies have rules about how many hours a driver can drive during without a break 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 enforced or followed.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ weight and the awkwardness of driving them, icy roads or De Kalb, MO construction areas can be particularly hazardous for bus commuters. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company will be at fault. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you understand if that is the case.
• Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are overseen by regulatory bodies, 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 over 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews frequently cannot keep up with the number of inspections required. Some De Kalb, MO bus companies do not adequately inspect their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Furthermore, bus companies need to make certain that their drivers are correctly 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. Some typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Defective or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the dangerous condition has been on the De Kalb, MO street, the better chance you have of holding the at-fault parties responsible. The liable party may be a local De Kalb, MO government, or a third party whom the government hired to fix the problem but either did not do so soon enough or did not adequately repair it.

Once your skilled De Kalb, MO bus accident attorney confirm the reasons behind your crash, they will be able to confirm who is liable for your injuries and how to go forward with getting you a full financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are often 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 maintain their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not driving too many miles without a break. Despite saying that safety is their highest priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules when it comes to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically obliged to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to inhibit fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is usually not followed 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 owing to driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound customers have stated that their driver was eating during the time of an accident, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making sure that De Kalb, MO buses are adequately inspected and repaired and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also the responsibility of the bus company. A bus accident may be the result of a bus company either neglecting to provide routine inspections or neglecting to fix a broken part or component. Older buses are especially predisposed to breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies need to be diligent in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be correctly licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing strict background checks. Your De Kalb, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will carry out a complete investigation into the bus company's hiring practices and the person who was driving when the accident took place.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a duty to verify the safety of their products and swiftly announce recalls if a product is found to be faulty. 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 place the blame on someone else, your De Kalb, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure reckless parties are held accountable for their actions.

The De Kalb or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be catastrophic because of the number of people involved and because they generally happen in densely populated areas. While you can seek compensation from the De Kalb, 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 tort claims. If you want 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 De Kalb, MO bus accident attorney immediately 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 negligent or careless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a wreck due to driving mistakes. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or texting, did not stop the bus when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the De Kalb, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the terrible decision to drive drunk, they need to be held responsible just like their employers sometimes have to be. When you get on 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 aggressive bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto collision, there are frequently two or more drivers, and in some cases they each may be responsible for 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 injure you. If you were hurt in a bus wreck where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and veteran De Kalb, 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 type of bus accident we most typically see in De Kalb 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 De Kalb, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were especially bad or they did not conduct adequate 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 De Kalb, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you recover in a bus accident case will typically be based on the seriousness of your injuries and the consequences they have on your life. You may have gotten a mild concussion that only needed a quick trip to an emergency room in De Kalb, MO and a short time off work. Or, you may have sustained a devastating 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 De Kalb, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure 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, physical therapy, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We use our team 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 De Kalb, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly to ensure that you recover maximum 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 De Kalb, 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 your loved ones. Your De Kalb, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, honest and tenacious and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have acquired over the past 20 years to secure you the maximum recovery you are rightfully owed. If you or a loved one has been harmed 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.