Bus Accident Attorney in De Soto, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in De Soto, MO. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a catastrophic bus accident, take control of your recovery by calling Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or by contacting us online.

Bus accidents almost never get the same attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can oftentimes be just as harmful and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust De Soto, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and obey the rules. When they break that trust and break the rules it can have devastating, sometimes lifelong outcomes for you or your loved ones. Your De Soto, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you receive the maximum compensation that you are entitled to for your damages.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than 20 years of experience defending the injured in De Soto and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who egotistically do not want to be held responsible for their negligent actions. Many De Soto, MO residents have put their cases and their futures in our trustworthy hands, and in total we have won them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, devotion, relentlessness, knowledge and experience to help deliver justice in personal injury cases and help De Soto, MO residents become whole again. You should not have to lose wages, pay for extortionate medical bills and also manage the emotional toll of your injury only because another person disregarded the rules. If you or someone you care about has been harmed in a De Soto, MO bus accident, contact the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation. We get started on your claim immediately, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your case.

If you were injured in a bus accident in De Soto, MO because of somebody else's thoughtless behavior, discover how much your claim may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a De Soto, 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 driver and you went aboard the bus under the impression that that the correct safety arrangements were obeyed. De Soto, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent laws they are supposed to obey, but sometimes they neglect those duties 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 cause wrongful death. The De Soto, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight on your behalf so you do not need to go it alone. When you hire us we begin working on your case right away, and work relentlessly until you are awarded the maximum compensation you are entitled to. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured De Soto, MO individuals and families into settling for less money than they deserve. Those De Soto, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the complicated cases. Call us today and let the empathetic, veteran and tenacious bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you protect your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal proceedings are complicated and can be unforgiving to De Soto, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial capabilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have over 20 years of experience fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our De Soto, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every detail of your claim. You can expect a veteran 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 during the day or night in order to obtain vital evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry a variety of passengers, there are generally other passengers who want the same answers and compensation you need. Eyewitness testimony is a vital part of winning your case.
• Collect further 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 maintenance was conducted on the bus. Many different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law De Soto, MO bus accident attorney will determine the "whys" of the accident and who needs to be held responsible.
• Work alongside our network of De Soto, MO crash and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and compute exactly how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are owed and we will implement our experience and expertise to make sure you recover it.
• Fight back against resistant De Soto, 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 weasel their way out of their duty to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those tricks will not work in your case.
• Take your case 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 win you a full financial recovery for your injuries.

Beyond that, 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. We collect no attorneys fees until we win your case. If you or a family member has been harmed in a calamitous bus accident, contact an expert and committed bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Since bus drivers, companies and manufacturers all have a role to play in running a bus in a safe manner you will first need to learn the cause of the accident before determining who is liable. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled De Soto, 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 responsible for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | De Soto, MO Bus Accident Attorney

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that novice drivers under 25 years old, as well as more experienced drivers over 55 years old 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 because of 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, for example, speeding, being sleepy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. Many bus drivers, especially the ones that are employed by commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that require drivers to drive hundreds of miles at all hours of the day or night, become sleepy 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 frequently they have to take a break, those rules 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’ size and the awkwardness of maneuvering them, slick roads or De Soto, MO construction areas can be especially risky for bus riders. In some cases a third party such as a construction company will be negligent. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you understand if that is true in your 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 reviews for more than 765,000 motor carriers, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews often cannot stay ahead of the quantity of inspections needed. Some De Soto, MO bus companies do not adequately maintain their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Additionally, bus companies are required to make sure that their drivers are correctly trained and do not drive too many hours without a break.
• Hazardous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can lead to a driver losing control and crashing. Some common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Malfunctioning or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The longer the hazardous condition has been on the De Soto, MO road, the better your chances of holding the at-fault parties responsible. The at-fault party may be a local De Soto, 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 correctly repair it.

Once your accomplished De Soto, MO bus accident attorney ascertains the reasons behind your crash, they will be able to establish who is liable for your injuries and how to go forward with winning you a maximum financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are frequently found liable in bus accident cases.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are deemed common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their patrons to maintain their safety. Part of that duty of care is to make sure that their drivers are not being overworked. In despite of 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 hold off fatigue. 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 reported that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were due to 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.

Ensuring that De Soto, MO buses are adequately inspected and maintained and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also the responsibility of the bus company. A bus accident might be the result of a bus company either neglecting to perform routine maintenance or neglecting to repair a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are especially at risk of breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.

Finally, bus companies cannot use negligent hiring practices. All drivers need to be adequately licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your De Soto, 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 wreck happened.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a duty to verify the safety of their products and quickly announce recalls in the event of a faulty product. If they approve an inherently dangerous design or do not recall a component that they knew or should have known was not functioning adequately, they are guilty of product liability. While they might attempt to shift the blame to somebody else, your De Soto, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure at-fault parties are held accountable for their actions.

The De Soto or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be disastrous because of the number of people who could be injured and because they typically take place in densely populated areas. While you can file a suit against the De Soto, 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 tort cases. If you seek 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 crucial to reach out to a De Soto, MO bus accident attorney straight 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 a liable or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident through negligence. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not pull over when they were feeling fatigued, did not pay attention to the De Soto, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the dangerous decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable just like their employers sometimes have to be. When you get on a bus you trust that driver with your health and your life. If a bus driver does not take that responsibility to heart and causes you injury, you can be certain that the devoted and aggressive bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto collision, two or more drivers are frequently involved, and in some cases 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 skilled and accomplished De Soto, MO bus accident attorney will help you ascertain if they are at fault and if you can make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the the type of bus accident we most commonly see in De Soto 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 liable, a school district in De Soto, MO may also be held responsible, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were particularly dangerous 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 De Soto, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you are awarded in a bus accident case will typically be based on the severity of your injuries and the ramifications they have on your life. You may have received a mild concussion that just needed a quick trip to an emergency room in De Soto, MO and a week or two off work. Or, you may have experienced 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 De Soto, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure that you secure a fair 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 potential

  We work alongside 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 grave your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's De Soto, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively to ensure that you are awarded 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 De Soto, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every variety of bus accident case and know the tremendous pain and ruinous effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your De Soto, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, honest and persistent and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have acquired 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 harmed 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.