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Bus Accident Attorney in El Dorado Springs, MO
Bus Accident Attorney in El Dorado Springs, MO. If you or a family member 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 rarely get the same attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can oftentimes be equally as harmful and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust El Dorado Springs, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and obey the rules. When they break that trust and disregard the rules it can have ruinous, sometimes permanent outcomes for you or your family. Your El Dorado Springs, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you recover the full compensation that you are owed for your damages.
At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than two decades of experience fighting for the rights of the injured in El Dorado Springs and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like deceptive insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to take responsibility for their negligent behavior. Many El Dorado Springs, MO families have put their cases and their futures in our accomplished hands, and to date we have recovered for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, dedication, resolution, knowledge and experience to help find justice in personal injury cases and help El Dorado Springs, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose work, pay for pricey medical costs and also work through the emotional impact of your injury just because somebody else did not respect the rules. If you or a family member has been hurt in a El Dorado Springs, MO bus accident, reach out to 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 immediately, and we do not charge any fees until we win you the financial recovery you are owed.
If you were injured in a bus accident in El Dorado Springs, MO because of another person's reckless actions, learn how much your damages may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.
What's The Process to Settle My Personal Injury Claim?
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Do I Need a El Dorado Springs, MO Bus Accident Attorney?
If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially undefended. After all, you were not the one driving and you got on board the bus presuming that the correct safety arrangements were adhered to. El Dorado Springs, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent rules they are supposed to follow, but sometimes they fail in those duties 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 heal from, may have lifelong effects or in the worst cases can even result in wrongful death. The El Dorado Springs, 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 begin working on your case immediately, and work relentlessly until you receive the best possible compensation you deserve. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured El Dorado Springs, MO individuals and families into settling for less money than they are owed. Those El Dorado Springs, 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 empathetic, veteran and tenacious bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.
The legal process is complex and can be difficult to comprehend for El Dorado Springs, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial capabilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have more than two decades of experience fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our El Dorado Springs, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every detail of your case. You can expect a seasoned and talented bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:
- Investigate the crash site as soon as possible. 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 acquire vital evidence for your case.
- Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were close by. As buses carry many passengers, there are almost always other passengers who want the same answers and compensation you seek. We will take official depositions of eyewitnesses to help in your case.
- Collect additional evidence such as tire marks, security footage, police reports, and important details such as how many miles the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and maintenance was conducted on the bus. Many different factors play a part in bus accidents, and your Burger Law El Dorado Springs, MO bus accident attorney will find out why the crash happened and who needs to be held responsible.
- Use our network of El Dorado Springs, MO accident and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and work out precisely how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are owed and we will utilize our experience and expertise to make certain you get it.
- Stand up to resistant El Dorado Springs, MO insurance companies who care more about 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 obligation to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those deceptive maneuvers will not work in your case.
- Take the fight to trial if the insurance company does not 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 whole time. We oversee 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 family member has been harmed in a catastrophic bus accident, contact an expert and committed 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 is liable. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled El Dorado Springs, 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 responsible for your injuries.
What Causes Bus Accidents? | El Dorado Springs, MO Bus Accident Attorney
- Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that inexperienced drivers under 25 years old, in addition to more experienced drivers over 55 years old were more likely to be driving when a bus accident transpired.
- Driver action. While the same study found that just 4 percent of bus accidents were due to an egregious offense such as drunk driving, another study by the University of Michigan found that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus wrecks had committed driving errors, such as speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
- Driver fatigue. A large portion of bus drivers, particularly those that are employed by commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that necessitate drivers to drive hundreds of miles in the middle of the night, become drowsy and can even fall asleep at the wheel. While most busing companies have regulations about how many hours a driver can drive during a day or how often they have to take a break, those regulations are often <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/23/us/greyhound-investigation/" target="_blank” rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener title="CNN"not mandatory or obeyed.
- Road hazards. Given buses’ weight and the intricacy of steering them, slick roads or El Dorado Springs, MO construction areas can be especially dangerous for bus riders. 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 regulated, but not nearly 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 inspectors responsible for inspections of over 765,000 motor carriers, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors generally cannot keep up with the amount of inspections required. Some El Dorado Springs, MO bus companies do not correctly inspect their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Additionally, bus companies need to make certain that their drivers are correctly trained and are not overworked.
- Hazardous roads. Faults in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. A Few typical examples are:
- Potholes
- Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
- Defective or missing traffic lights
- Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
- Inadequate lighting
- Excessive grades
The more time the hazardous condition has been on the El Dorado Springs, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the negligent parties accountable. The liable party may be a local El Dorado Springs, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to fix the condition but either did not do so in a timely fashion or did not correctly repair it.
Once your knowledgeable El Dorado Springs, MO bus accident attorney ascertains the cause of your accident, they will be able to determine who is liable for your injuries and how to go forward with securing you maximum compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are generally found liable in bus accident claims.
Commercial Bus Companies
Transport buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to look out for their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite insisting that safety is their top priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules concerning driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically obliged to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to stave off drowsiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is rarely obeyed 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 caused by driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound customers have stated that their driver was eating when the crash transpired, which is an example of distracted driving.
Making certain that El Dorado Springs, MO buses are adequately inspected and maintained and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also part of the bus company's responsibility. A bus accident might be because of a bus company either neglecting to provide routine inspections or failing to fix a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are particularly susceptible 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 El Dorado Springs, 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 took place.
A Bus Manufacturer
Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to confirm the safety of their products and immediately announce recalls in the event of a malfunctioning product. If they approve an inherently defective 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 might try to shift the blame to somebody else, your El Dorado Springs, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure negligent parties are held accountable for their behavior.
The El Dorado Springs or Missouri Government or a Public Entity
Public transportation accidents can frequently be calamitous because of the number of people involved and because they typically take place in metropolitan areas. While you can make a claim against the El Dorado Springs, MO government, there are specific procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury claims. 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 imperative to get in touch with a El Dorado Springs, 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 a liable or reckless public bus driver in Missouri.
The Bus Driver
Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident through driving mistakes. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or talking, did not stop when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the El Dorado Springs, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the dangerous decision to drive drunk, they need to be held responsible 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 to heart and causes you injury, you can be confident that the devoted and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.
The Other Driver
Like any type of auto 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 harm you. If you were injured in a bus crash where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and veteran El Dorado Springs, MO bus accident attorney will help you confirm if they are responsible and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.
School Districts
School bus accidents are the most common type of bus accident in El Dorado Springs and Missouri. Nationally, school bus accidents account for 40 percent of all fatal bus crashes. While often the driver, bus company or bus manufacturer is at fault, a school district in El Dorado Springs, MO may also be held responsible, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were especially bad or they did not conduct 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 El Dorado Springs, MO Recover For Me?
The compensation you receive in a bus accident case will usually depend on the severity of your injuries and the repercussions they have on your life. You may have gotten a sprained ankle that merely needed a quick trip to an emergency room in El Dorado Springs, 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 assistive devices for the remainder of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished El Dorado Springs, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure that you secure 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 network of medical and economic experts to quantify the exact dollar amount you are owed, 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 El Dorado Springs, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively 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:
Call Our El Dorado Springs, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today
We have seen every kind of bus accident case and know the incalculable anguish and ruinous effect it can have on your and your family. Your El Dorado Springs, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is empathetic, accomplished, honest and tenacious and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have gained over the past two decades to get you the maximum recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been injured 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 complimentary case review.