Bus Accident Attorney in Monett, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Monett, MO. If you or a loved one has been harmed in a destructive 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 almost never get equal attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can often be similarly harmful and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Monett, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and respect the rules. When they break that trust and disregard the rules it can have terrible, sometimes permanent outcomes for you or the people you care about. Your Monett, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you collect the full 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 Monett and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who carelessly do not want to take responsibility for their reckless actions. Many Monett, 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 determination, commitment, resolution, knowledge and experience to help deliver justice in personal injury cases and help Monett, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose wages, pay for pricey medical bills and also handle the emotional trauma of your injury only because someone else did not respect the rules. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a Monett, 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 complimentary case review. We get started on your claim right away, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.

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

Do I Need a Monett, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have experienced injuries in a bus accident, you are probably feeling especially unshielded. After all, you were not the driver and you got on board the bus under the impression that that the proper safety measures were followed. Monett, MO bus companies and drivers have strict rules they have a duty to obey, but sometimes they neglect those obligations and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is typically exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to fully heal from, may have permanent consequences or in the most tragic cases can even lead to wrongful death. The Monett, 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 begin working on your case straight away, and work tirelessly until you win the best possible compensation you are entitled to. We have experienced with every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Monett, MO individuals and families into accepting less compensation than they deserve. Those Monett, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the difficult cases. Call us today and let the empathetic, experienced and tenacious bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal proceedings are complicated and can be difficult to comprehend for Monett, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial experience of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have over 20 years of experience standing up to bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Monett, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every aspect of your case. You can anticipate a seasoned and knowledgeable 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 at the site at any time during the day or night in order to acquire essential evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also sustained injuries in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are typically other people who want the same answers and financial recovery you seek. Eyewitness testimony is a vital part of proving your case.
• Acquire additional evidence such as tire marks, security footage, police reports, and important details such as how long the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and repairs were performed on the bus. A lot of different factors cause bus accidents, and your Burger Law Monett, MO bus accident attorney will determine why the crash happened and who needs to be held accountable.
• Work alongside our network of Monett, MO accident and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and compute precisely how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will implement our know-how and expertise to make sure you receive it.
• Fight back against resistant Monett, 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 ploys will not work in your case.
• Take your case in front of a judge and jury if the insurance company will not offer a fair settlement, we will use our finely honed litigation skills to win you a great financial recovery for your injuries.

Beyond that, 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 we win your case. If you or a loved one has been injured 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?

Since it takes 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 Monett, 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 accountable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Monett, MO Bus Accident Attorney

• Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that inexperienced drivers under the age of 25, as well as more experienced drivers over the age of 55 were more likely to be driving when a bus accident transpired.
• Driver behavior. While the same study stated that just 4 percent of bus accidents were because of an egregious offense such as drunk driving, a different study by the University of Michigan found that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus collisions had committed driving errors, such as speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. Many bus drivers, particularly the ones that are employed by commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that require 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 specifications about how many hours a driver can drive during without a break 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 mandatory or followed.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ size and the difficulty of maneuvering them, slick roads or Monett, MO construction areas can be particularly hazardous 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 discover if that applies case.
• Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are regulated, 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 just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors generally cannot stay ahead of the number of inspections needed. Some Monett, MO bus companies do not properly maintain their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Additionally, bus companies are required to make certain that their drivers are adequately trained and are not overworked.
• Dangerous roads. Faults in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. Some common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Faulty or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Insufficient lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the hazardous condition has been on the Monett, MO street, the better chance you have of holding the liable parties accountable. The liable party may be a local Monett, MO government, or a third party whom the government hired to repair the condition but either did not do so quickly enough or did not properly repair it.

Once your talented Monett, MO bus accident attorney establishes the cause of your crash, they will be able to determine who is at-fault for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward securing you maximum compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are often found at-fault in bus accident cases.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are regarded as common carriers under the law, 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 ensure that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite saying that safety is their top priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules when it comes to driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically obliged to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to inhibit sleepiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is usually not followed as too many breaks could cause financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study reported that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were caused by driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound customers have stated that their driver was eating when the crash transpired, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making sure that Monett, MO buses are properly inspected and repaired and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also part of the bus company's duty. A bus accident could be the result of a bus company either failing to conduct routine maintenance or failing to fix a broken part or component. Older buses are especially prone to breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, 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 strict background checks. Your Monett, 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 crash transpired.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation 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 properly, they are guilty of product liability. While they may attempt to place the blame on somebody else, your Monett, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure reckless parties are held accountable for their actions.

The Monett or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be calamitous because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they typically take place in densely populated areas. While you can make a claim against the Monett, 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 personal injury cases. 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 Monett, MO bus accident attorney at once 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 negligent or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a crash because of recklessness. 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 Monett, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the foolish decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable just like bus companies sometimes have to be. When you go on board a bus you trust that driver with your safety and your life. If a bus driver does not take that responsibility to heart and causes you injury, you can be confident that the committed and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle accident, there are frequently two or more drivers, and in some cases they each may shoulder 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 injure you. If you were harmed in a bus crash where there was another driver or drivers involved, your skilled and experienced Monett, MO bus accident attorney will help you ascertain 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 commonly see in Monett 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 at fault, a school district in Monett, MO may also be held responsible, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were particularly 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 Monett, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you get in a bus accident case will typically be based on the gravity of your injuries and the consequences they have on your life. You may have received a sprained ankle that only required a quick trip to an emergency room in Monett, MO and a week or two off work. Or, you may have sustained a disastrous 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 Monett, 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 expenses, such as hospital bills, physical therapy, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We utilize our team 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 serious your injuries and however much they have affected your life, Burger Law's Monett, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly to ensure that you get full 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 Monett, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every kind of bus accident case and know the tremendous anguish and ruinous effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Monett, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, straightforward and determined and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have obtained over the past two decades to win you the maximum recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a bus accident, there is no time to wait. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary case review.