Bus Accident Attorney in Johnson County, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Johnson County, MO. If you or someone you care about has been injured 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 equal attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can often be just as dangerous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Johnson County, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and follow the rules. When they break that trust and disregard the rules it can have ruinous, sometimes permanent consequences for you or your loved ones. Your Johnson County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you win the best possible compensation that you deserve for your damages.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over 20 years of experience defending the injured in Johnson County and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like deceptive insurance companies and people who carelessly do not want to take responsibility for their thoughtless behavior. Our Johnson County, MO clients have put their cases and their futures in our knowledgeable hands, and to date we have gotten them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, commitment, resolution, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Johnson County, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose work, pay for exorbitant medical bills and also handle the emotional impact of your injury just because another person did not respect the rules. If you or someone you care about has been harmed in a Johnson County, MO bus accident, get in touch with the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation. We start working on your case at once, and we do not charge any fees until we win you the compensation you deserve.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Johnson County, MO because of somebody else's reckless actions, find out how much your damages may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Johnson County, 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 the bus under the assumption that the appropriate safety protocols were adhered to. Johnson County, MO bus companies and drivers have strict regulations they have a duty to obey, but sometimes they fail in those duties and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is frequently caused by bus accidents, injuries can take years to really heal from, may have permanent consequences or in the most tragic instances can even cause wrongful death. The Johnson County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight by your side so you do not have to go it alone. When you hire us we get to work on on your case at once, and work tirelessly until you recover the best possible compensation you are owed. We have experienced with every type of bus accident claim and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Johnson County, MO individuals and families into settling for a lower recovery than they deserve. Those Johnson County, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the difficult cases. Call us today and let the passionate, accomplished and aggressive bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you protect your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal procedures are complex and can be difficult to comprehend for Johnson County, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial abilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have more than 20 years of experience standing up to bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Johnson County, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every aspect of your case. You can bank on an experienced and skilled 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 at the site at any time of the day or night in order to obtain vital evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also received injuries in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry many passengers, there are usually many people who want the same answers and compensation you need. Eyewitness testimony is a important part of proving your case.
• Obtain further evidence such as tire marks, security videos, police reports, in additional to key details such as how far the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and repairs were conducted on the bus. Many different factors cause bus accidents, and your Burger Law Johnson County, MO bus accident attorney will determine why the crash happened and who needs to be held liable.
• Use our network of Johnson County, MO crash and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and compute exactly how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will implement our savvy and expertise to ensure you get it.
• Stand up to resistant Johnson County, MO insurance companies who are more interested in 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 refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will use our expert litigation skills to secure you a great financial recovery for your damages.

Furthermore, our bus accident attorney team will be in your corner 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 you are fully compensated. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a disastrous bus accident, contact an expert and devoted bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Since 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. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Johnson County, 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 find out what entity needs to be held responsible for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Johnson County, MO Bus Accident Attorney

• Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that novice 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 happened.
• Driver behavior. While the same study stated that just 4 percent of bus accidents were because of a serious offense such as driving while intoxicated, a different study by the University of Michigan found that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus collisions had been cited with driving errors, such as speeding, being sleepy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A good deal of bus drivers, particularly those that work for 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 regulations about how many hours a driver can drive during a day or how frequently 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 obligated or followed.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ weight and the awkwardness of steering them, slick roads or Johnson County, MO construction areas can be especially hazardous for bus riders. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company is liable. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you understand if that applies 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 over 765,000 trucks and buses, or only 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews often cannot keep pace with the number of inspections required. Some Johnson County, MO bus companies do not adequately inspect their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Furthermore, bus companies are mandated to make certain that their drivers are properly 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 typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Defective or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, for instance branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Insufficient lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the dangerous condition has been on the Johnson County, MO road, the better your chances of holding the liable parties accountable. The liable party may be a local Johnson County, MO government, or a third party whom the government hired to fix the problem but either did not do so quickly enough or did not properly repair it.

Once your expert Johnson County, MO bus accident attorney ascertains the reasons for your wreck, they will be able to determine who is at-fault for your injuries and how to go forward with getting you the best possible compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are often found negligent in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transportation 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 facet of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite insisting that safety is their foremost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules in regards to driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to prevent drowsiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often followed as too many breaks could result in 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 riders have stated that their driver was eating during the time of a crash, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making sure that Johnson County, MO buses are properly 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 could be a consequence of a bus company either neglecting to conduct routine inspections or failing to fix a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are particularly vulnerable to breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.

Finally, bus companies need to be vigilant in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be sufficiently licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Johnson County, 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 accident transpired.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation to confirm the safety of their vehicles and quickly announce recalls if a product is found to be defective. If they approve an inherently unsafe design or do not recall a component that they knew or should have known was not functioning properly, they are guilty of product liability. While they may try to place the blame on somebody else, your Johnson County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure at-fault parties are held responsible for their behavior.

The Johnson County or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be disastrous because of the number of people who could be injured and because they typically take place in metropolitan areas. While you can seek a financial recovery from the Johnson County, MO government, there are specific 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 essential to contact a Johnson County, MO bus accident attorney right away after your accident. 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 negligent or reckless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a crash owing to driver error. If they became distracted by eating or texting, did not stop driving when they were feeling sleepy, did not pay attention to the Johnson County, 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 their employers 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 dedicated and aggressive bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto crash, two or more drivers are frequently involved, and in some instances they each may be responsible for 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 accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your skilled and seasoned Johnson County, MO bus accident attorney will help you ascertain 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 Johnson County 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 Johnson County, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were particularly poor or they did not perform 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 Johnson County, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you recover in a bus accident case will usually be based on the gravity of your injuries and how they have affected and will affect they have on your life. You may have received a sprained ankle that just required a quick trip to an emergency room in Johnson County, 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 special equipment for the remainder of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Johnson County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure that you secure 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 costs, such as hospital bills, rehabilitation, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential

  We work with 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 severe your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Johnson County, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly to ensure that you receive the best possible 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 Johnson County, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every category of bus accident case and know the incalculable pain and catastrophic effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Johnson County, 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 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.