Bus Accident Attorney in Ozark, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Ozark, MO. If you or a loved one 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 receive the same attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can often be equally as harmful and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Ozark, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and respect the rules. When they break that trust and break the rules it can have devastating, sometimes lifelong consequences for you or your family. Your Ozark, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make certain that you win the maximum compensation that you are entitled to for your damages.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over 20 years of experience fighting for the rights of the injured in Ozark and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like deceptive insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to take responsibility for their thoughtless behavior. Our Ozark, MO clients have put their cases and their futures in our accomplished hands, and in total we have gotten them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, commitment, persistence, knowledge and experience to help find justice in personal injury cases and help Ozark, MO residents become whole again. You should not have to lose wages, pay for expensive medical costs and also handle the emotional scars of your injury only because another person broke the rules. If you or someone you care about has been injured in a Ozark, MO bus accident, reach out to the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation. We start working on your claim straight away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win you the financial recovery you are entitled to.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Ozark, MO because of another person's careless actions, find out how much your claim may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Ozark, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have sustained injuries in a bus accident, you are likely feeling especially undefended. After all, you were not the one driving and you went aboard the bus under the assumption that the adequate safety arrangements were followed. Ozark, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent regulations 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 often caused by bus accidents, injuries can take years to fully recover from, may have lifelong effects or in the worst cases can even lead to wrongful death. The Ozark, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight on your behalf so you do not have to go it alone. When you hire us we start investigating on your case straight away, and work tirelessly until you win the best possible compensation you deserve. We have experienced with every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Ozark, MO individuals and families into accepting a lower recovery than they are owed. Those Ozark, 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 compassionate, experienced 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 convoluted and can be difficult to comprehend for Ozark, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial abilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over 20 years standing up to bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Ozark, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every aspect of your claim. You can anticipate a veteran and knowledgeable 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 important evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also sustained injuries in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry many passengers, there are generally many passengers who want the same answers and compensation you need. We will perform official depositions of eyewitnesses to help in your case.
• Acquire additional evidence such as tire marks, security videos, police reports, and key details such as how far 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 Ozark, MO bus accident attorney will determine the "whys" of the accident and who needs to be held accountable.
• Use our network of Ozark, MO crash and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and work out exactly how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will use our savvy and expertise to make certain you collect it.
• Stand up to resistant Ozark, MO insurance companies who are more concerned for their profits 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 schemes will not work in your case.
• Take the fight in front of a judge and jury if the insurance company will 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 keeping you informed entire time. We oversee 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 get fair compensation. 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?

Because bus drivers, companies and manufacturers all have a role to play in operating a bus in a safe manner you will first need to determine the cause of the accident before determining who is liable. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Ozark, MO bus accident attorney like those at Burger Law have seen every variety of car accident, truck accident and bus accident case and will be able to discover who is responsible for your injuries.

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

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that novice 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 took place.
• Driver behavior. While the same study reported that only 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by an egregious offense such as driving while intoxicated, another study by the University of Michigan stated that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus collisions had been cited with driving errors, for instance, speeding, being sleepy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. Many bus drivers, especially those that are employed by commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that necessitate drivers to drive hundreds of miles at all hours of the day or night, become fatigued and can even fall asleep behind the wheel. While most busing companies have specifications about how many hours a driver can drive during a day or how often they have to take a break, those rules 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 obeyed.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ size and the awkwardness of maneuvering them, slick roads or Ozark, MO construction areas can be especially risky for bus passengers. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company is liable. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you discover if that is the case.
• Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are regulated, but not close to 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 trucks and buses, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews generally cannot stay ahead of the amount of inspections required. Some Ozark, MO bus companies do not adequately inspect their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Additionally, bus companies are mandated to make sure that their drivers are adequately trained and are not overworked.
• 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
  • Defective or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the dangerous condition has been on the Ozark, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the liable parties responsible. The at-fault party may be a local Ozark, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to fix the problem but either did not do so in a timely fashion or did not sufficiently repair it.

Once your knowledgeable Ozark, MO bus accident attorney ascertains the reasons behind your crash, they will be able to ascertain who is at-fault for your injuries and how to proceed with winning you the best possible financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are often found liable in bus accident cases.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to maintain their safety. One facet of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not driving too many miles in a day. In despite of insisting that safety is their top priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules regarding driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically required to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to stave off sleepiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is usually not followed 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 owing to driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound riders have stated that their driver was eating when the accident took place, which is an example of distracted driving.

Ensuring that Ozark, MO buses are properly inspected and repaired and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also part of the bus company's duty. A bus accident may be a consequence of a bus company either neglecting to carry out routine inspections or neglecting to repair a broken part or component. Older buses are especially susceptible to breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.

Finally, bus companies cannot use negligent hiring practices. All drivers need to be sufficiently licensed and trained, and should only be able to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Ozark, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will conduct a complete investigation into the bus company's hiring practices and the person who was driving when the wreck occurred.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their products and immediately issue recalls in the event of a faulty 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 Ozark, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure reckless parties are held accountable for their behavior.

The Ozark or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be devastating because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they frequently transpire in metropolitan areas. While you can seek a financial recovery from the Ozark, 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 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 accident with the Office of Administration’s Risk Management Division. That is why it is essential to call a Ozark, MO bus accident attorney straight 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 operating a motor vehicle “within the course of their employment.” This means that you can sue or make a claim against an at-fault or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a crash through recklessness. If they became distracted by eating or texting, did not stop the bus when they were feeling sleepy, did not pay attention to the Ozark, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the terrible decision to drive drunk, they need to be held responsible just like their employers sometimes have to be. When you 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 certain that the dedicated and tenacious bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them responsible.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto crash, two or more drivers are often involved, and in some cases they each may be responsible for a percentage 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 harmed in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and accomplished Ozark, MO bus accident attorney will help you ascertain if they are responsible and if you can make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the the category of bus crash we most commonly see in Ozark 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 responsible, a school district in Ozark, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were particularly dangerous 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 Ozark, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you receive in a bus accident case will generally depend on the seriousness of your injuries and how they have impacted and will affect they have on your life. You may have gotten a sprained wrist that merely needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Ozark, MO and a week or two off work. Or, you may have received a disastrous spinal cord injury that leaves you disabled and in need of special equipment for the rest of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Ozark, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will ensure that you collect 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, rehabilitation, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential

  We work alongside 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 impacted your life, Burger Law's Ozark, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly to ensure that you receive 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 Ozark, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every variety of bus accident case and know the immense anguish and calamitous effect it can have on your and your family. Your Ozark, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, trustworthy and persistent and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have acquired over the past 20 years to get you the the best possible recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a bus accident, do not delay. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary case review.