Bus Accident Attorney in Pacific, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Pacific, MO. If you or someone you care about has been injured in a catastrophic 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 crashes, even though the can oftentimes be just as hazardous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Pacific, 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 your family. Your Pacific, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make certain that you get the full compensation that you deserve for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than 20 years of experience fighting for the rights of the injured in Pacific and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who carelessly do not want to be held responsible for their reckless behavior. Many Pacific, MO residents have put their cases and their futures in our capable hands, and to date we have gotten them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, devotion, persistence, knowledge and experience to help find justice in personal injury cases and help Pacific, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose wages, pay for pricey medical costs and also handle the emotional impact of your injury just because another person broke the rules. If you or a family member has been harmed in a Pacific, 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 begin working on your case immediately, and you do not owe us any fees until we win you the compensation you deserve.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Pacific, MO because of someone else's careless behavior, find out how much your claim may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Pacific, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have experienced injuries in a bus accident, you are probably feeling especially undefended. After all, you were not the one driving and you boarded the bus supposing that the correct safety arrangements were obeyed. Pacific, MO bus companies and drivers have strict rules they are supposed to follow, but sometimes they neglect those duties and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is typically caused by bus accidents, injuries can take years to truly heal from, may have permanent effects or in the worst instances can even result in wrongful death. The Pacific, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand in your corner so you do not have to go it alone. When you hire us we get to work on on your case immediately, and work tirelessly until you recover the maximum compensation you are owed. We have seen every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Pacific, MO individuals and families into settling for a lower recovery than they entitled to. Those Pacific, MO insurance companies are afraid of 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 aggressive 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 unforgiving to Pacific, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial experience of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have over two decades of experience standing up to bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Pacific, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every aspect of your case. You can expect an experienced and knowledgeable bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the accident site as soon as possible. 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 secure essential evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also experienced injuries in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are usually many people who want the same answers and compensation you seek. We will perform official depositions of eyewitnesses to aid in your case.
• Obtain additional evidence such as tire marks, security videos, police reports, in additional to key details such as how many miles the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and repairs were performed on the bus. Several different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Pacific, MO bus accident attorney will discover the "whys" of the accident and who needs to be held liable.
• Work with our network of Pacific, MO auto wreck 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 entitled to and we will use our experience and expertise to make sure you recover it.
• Stand up to resistant Pacific, MO insurance companies who are more interested in their bottom line than your health. 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 deceptive maneuvers will not work in your case.
• Take the fight 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 full financial recovery for your damages.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the entire time. We take control of 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 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 find out the cause of the accident before determining who caused your injuries. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Pacific, MO bus accident attorney like those at Burger Law have seen every kind of car accident, truck accident and bus accident case and will be able to find out who needs to be held accountable for your injuries.

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

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that beginner 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 reported that only 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by a grave offense such as drunk driving, another study by the University of Michigan reported that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus collisions had committed driving errors, for example, speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A lot of bus drivers, especially the ones that drive for commercial bus lines 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 rules about how many hours a driver can drive during a day or how frequently 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 required or followed.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ size and the awkwardness of steering them, slick roads or Pacific, MO construction areas can be especially hazardous for bus riders. Occasionally a third party such as a construction company is liable. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you discover if that is true in your 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 inspectors responsible for reviews for more than 765,000 motor carriers, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors typically cannot stay ahead of the number of inspections required. Some Pacific, MO bus companies do not properly inspect their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Additionally, bus companies are mandated to ensure that their drivers are sufficiently trained and do not drive too many hours without a break.
• Dangerous roads. Hazards in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. A Few common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Malfunctioning or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for instance branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Insufficient lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the dangerous condition has been on the Pacific, MO road, the better your chances of holding the liable parties accountable. The negligent party may be a local Pacific, MO government, or a third party whom the government contracted to fix the issue but either did not do so soon enough or did not correctly repair it.

Once your experienced Pacific, MO bus accident attorney ascertains the cause of your accident, they will be able to confirm who is responsible 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 claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are deemed common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to maintain their safety. Part of that duty of care is to make sure that their drivers are not driving too many hours in a day. In despite of saying that safety is their principal priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules when it comes to driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically required to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to stave off fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is usually not obeyed as too many breaks could lead to financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study reported that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were because of driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound customers have stated that their driver was eating during the time of a crash, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making sure that Pacific, MO buses are correctly inspected and repaired 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 provide routine inspections or failing to repair a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are especially predisposed 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 stringent background checks. Your Pacific, 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 wreck occurred.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a duty to confirm the safety of their vehicles and quickly announce recalls in the event of a defective product. 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 shift the blame to somebody else, your Pacific, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure negligent parties are held accountable for their actions.

The Pacific or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be disastrous because of the amount of people involved and because they frequently take place in densely populated areas. While you can seek a financial recovery from the Pacific, 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 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 imperative to contact a Pacific, MO bus accident attorney straight away after your injury. There is no time to wait, 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 wreck due to driving mistakes. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or talking, did not stop the bus when they were feeling sleepy, did not pay attention to the Pacific, 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 get on a bus you trust that driver with your well-being and your life. If a bus driver does not take that responsibility to heart and causes you injury, you can be certain that the committed and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto wreck, two or more drivers are frequently involved, and in some cases they each may shoulder 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 wreck where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and seasoned Pacific, MO bus accident attorney will help you determine if they are at fault 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 Pacific 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 Pacific, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were especially dangerous or they did not conduct proper 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 Pacific, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you recover in a bus accident case will typically depend on the severity of your injuries and how they have impacted and will impact they have on your life. You may have received a sprained ankle that merely needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Pacific, 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 special equipment for the rest of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Pacific, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain that you are awarded a maximum 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 utilize our team of medical and economic experts to determine 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 grave your injuries and however much they have affected your life, Burger Law's Pacific, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively to ensure that you recover maximum compensation for all of your damages.

Learn more about our various practice areas by clicking the links below:

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

Call Our Pacific, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every sort of bus accident case and know the incalculable pain and devastating effect it can have on your and your family. Your Pacific, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is empathetic, accomplished, straightforward and persistent and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have gained over the past 20 years to secure you the full recovery you are rightfully owed. If you or a loved one has been harmed 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 free consultation.