Bus Accident Attorney in Lexington, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Lexington, MO. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a devastating 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 receive the same attention as plane or train crashes, even though the can frequently be similarly harmful and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Lexington, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and obey the rules. When they eschew their responsibilities and break the rules it can have terrible, sometimes permanent outcomes for you or your loved ones. Your Lexington, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you receive the full compensation that you are owed for your damages.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over two decades of experience fighting for the rights of the injured in Lexington and throughout Missouri and standing up to bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who egotistically do not want to be held accountable for their reckless actions. Many Lexington, MO residents have put their claims and their futures in our capable hands, and to date we have won them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, devotion, persistence, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Lexington, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose work, pay for pricey medical costs and also deal with the emotional impact of your injury only because somebody else broke the rules. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a Lexington, 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 consultation. We begin working 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 Lexington, MO because of someone else's careless behavior, find out how much your injury may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Lexington, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have sustained injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially unshielded. After all, you were not the driver and you got on the bus assuming that the adequate safety protocols were followed. Lexington, MO bus companies and drivers have strict rules they have an obligation to respect, but sometimes they fail in those responsibilities and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is generally exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to truly heal from, may have permanent effects or in the worst cases can even cause wrongful death. The Lexington, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand in your corner so you are not required to go it alone. When you hire us we get to work on on your case immediately, and will not let up until you recover the maximum compensation you deserve. We have experienced with every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Lexington, MO individuals and families into settling for less compensation than they are owed. Those Lexington, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the tough cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, seasoned and aggressive bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal procedures are complex and can be unforgiving to Lexington, 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 fight. When you hire our Lexington, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every detail of your case. You can expect a seasoned and savvy bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the accident site immediately. 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 important evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also experienced injuries in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are often other people who want the same answers and compensation you need. Eyewitness testimony is a important part of proving your case.
• Collect additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance videos, police reports, in additional to key details such as how long the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and maintenance was performed on the bus. Several different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Lexington, MO bus accident attorney will determine the "whys" of the accident and who needs to be held accountable.
• Use our network of Lexington, MO auto wreck and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and put a figure on precisely how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are owed and we will utilize our savvy and expertise to ensure you recover it.
• Fight back against resistant Lexington, 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 devalue your damages. When you hire us, you can be sure those ploys 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 expert litigation skills to secure you a great financial recovery for your damages.

Beyond that, our bus accident attorney team will be in your corner entire time. We manage all communication, documentation and litigation so that you can focus all of your energy on healing and making your family whole again. We charge no attorneys fees until you are fairly compensated. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a devastating 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 run a bus safely, from manufacturers, to bus companies to drivers, you will first need to determine the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Lexington, 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 determine what entity needs to be held accountable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Lexington, 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, in addition to more experienced drivers over the age of 55 were more likely to be driving when a bus accident transpired.
• Driver error. While the same study stated that only 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by an egregious 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 accidents had been cited with driving errors, for example, speeding, being sleepy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A large portion of bus drivers, especially the ones 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 fatigued 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 frequently <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 conditions. Given buses’ mass and the awkwardness of maneuvering them, slippery roads or Lexington, MO construction areas can be particularly hazardous for bus riders. In some cases a third party such as a construction company is at fault. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you determine if that is true in your 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 reviews for over 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or only 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors typically cannot stay ahead of the quantity of inspections needed. Some Lexington, MO bus companies do not properly maintain their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Additionally, bus companies are required to make sure that their drivers are adequately 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
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Faulty or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The longer the dangerous condition has been on the Lexington, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the liable parties responsible. The liable party may be a local Lexington, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to eliminate the issue but either did not do so soon enough or did not properly repair it.

Once your experienced Lexington, MO bus accident attorney determines the cause of your accident, they will be able to determine who is liable for your injuries and how to proceed with delivering you the best possible financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are frequently found at-fault in bus accident cases.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are regarded as common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their passengers to look out for their safety. Part of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not driving too many miles in a day. In despite of saying that safety is their utmost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules regarding driver fatigue. Drivers are technically obligated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to hold off fatigue. 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 reported that their driver was eating during the time of an accident, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making sure that Lexington, MO buses are correctly inspected and maintained and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also part of the bus company's responsibility. A bus accident may be a consequence of a bus company either failing to carry out routine maintenance or failing to repair a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are especially prone to breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies cannot use negligent hiring practices. All drivers need to be correctly licensed and trained, and should only be able to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Lexington, 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 happened.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a duty to verify the safety of their products and immediately issue recalls in the event of a faulty product. If they approve an inherently faulty 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 try to place the blame on somebody else, your Lexington, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure careless parties are held accountable for their behavior.

The Lexington 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 usually occur in densely populated areas. While you can seek a financial recovery from the Lexington, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury cases. If you seek 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 necessary to get in touch with a Lexington, 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 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 stop when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the Lexington, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the horrible 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 well-being and your life. If a bus driver does not take that duty seriously and causes you injury, you can be sure that the committed and tenacious bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them responsible.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle accident, there are frequently two or more drivers, and in some instances they each may bear a percentage 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 harmed in a bus crash where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and veteran Lexington, MO bus accident attorney will help you determine if they are liable and if you can make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the most common type of bus crash in Lexington 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 Lexington, MO may also be held accountable, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were especially dangerous 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 Lexington, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you receive in a bus accident case will generally depend on the gravity of your injuries and the consequences they have on your life. You may have gotten a sprained wrist that only required a quick trip to an emergency room in Lexington, MO and a couple weeks off work. Or, you may have experienced a devastating spinal cord injury that leaves you disabled and in need of assistive devices for the rest of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Lexington, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain that you receive 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, physical therapy, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We utilize our network of medical and economic experts to determine the exact dollar amount you deserve, 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 affected your life, Burger Law's Lexington, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly 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:

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

Call Our Lexington, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every type of bus accident case and know the immense anguish and disastrous effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your Lexington, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, trustworthy and tenacious and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have acquired over the past two decades to win you the full recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been injured 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 evaluation.