Bus Accident Attorney in Phelps County, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Phelps County, MO. If you or a family member has been harmed 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 accidents, even though the can often be equally as dangerous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Phelps County, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and follow the rules. When they eschew their duty and break the rules it can have devastating, sometimes lifelong effects for you or your family. Your Phelps County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you collect the best possible compensation that you are owed for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over two decades of experience defending the injured in Phelps County and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who egocentrically do not want to take responsibility for their careless actions. Our Phelps County, MO clients have put their cases and their futures in our knowledgeable hands, and in total we have recovered for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, dedication, relentlessness, knowledge and experience to help find justice in personal injury cases and help Phelps County, MO residents become whole again. You should not have to lose work, pay for extortionate medical bills and also deal with the emotional shock of your injury just because another person did not respect the rules. If you or a family member has been injured in a Phelps 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 get started on your claim immediately, and we do not charge any fees until we win you the financial recovery you are owed.

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

Do I Need a Phelps County, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially unshielded. After all, you were not the one driving and you got on the bus assuming that the proper safety arrangements were adhered to. Phelps County, MO bus companies and drivers have firm laws they are supposed to obey, but sometimes they fail in those responsibilities 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 permanent effects or in the most terrible cases can even lead to wrongful death. The Phelps County, 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 right away, and work tirelessly until you get the best possible compensation you deserve. We have seen every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Phelps County, MO individuals and families into accepting less compensation than they entitled to. Those Phelps County, 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 empathetic, seasoned and relentless bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal procedures are complicated and can be unforgiving to Phelps County, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial skills of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have over two decades of experience fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Phelps County, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every facet of your case. You can expect an accomplished 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 secure vital evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also experienced injuries in the crash or were close by. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are typically other passengers who want the same answers and financial recovery you need. We will conduct official depositions of eyewitnesses to help in your case.
• Acquire further evidence such as tire marks, security footage, police reports, and key details such as how far the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and repairs were done on the bus. A lot of different factors play a part in bus accidents, and your Burger Law Phelps County, MO bus accident attorney will determine the "whys" of the crash and who needs to be held liable.
• Work alongside our network of Phelps County, MO crash and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and calculate precisely how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are owed and we will implement our experience and expertise to make certain you recover it.
• Fight back against resistant Phelps County, MO insurance companies who care more about their bottom line than your well-being. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and avoid their duty to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those tricks will not work in your case.
• Take your case to trial if the insurance company will not offer a fair settlement, we will use our constantly trained litigation skills to win you a full financial recovery for your damages.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be keeping you informed whole time. We oversee 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 get fair compensation. If you or a family member has been hurt in a disastrous bus accident, contact an expert and dedicated bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Since it necessitates so many people to operate a bus safely, from manufacturers, to bus companies to drivers, you will first need to learn the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Phelps County, 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 determine what entity needs to be held responsible for your injuries.

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

• Driver age and 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 took place.
• Driver action. While the same study reported that only 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by a grave offense such as drunk driving, a different study by the University of Michigan found that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus crashes had committed driving errors, for instance, speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A good deal of bus drivers, particularly those that are employed by commercial bus companies 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 regulations 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 enforced or followed.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ mass and the intricacy of maneuvering them, icy roads or Phelps County, MO construction areas can be especially risky for bus passengers. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company will be at fault. 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 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 people responsible for inspections of more than 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews typically cannot stay ahead of the amount of inspections required. Some Phelps County, MO bus companies do not correctly maintain their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Furthermore, bus companies are obligated to make certain that their drivers are correctly trained and do not drive too long without a break.
• Dangerous 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
  • Malfunctioning or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The longer the dangerous condition has been on the Phelps County, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the at-fault parties responsible. The at-fault party may be a local Phelps County, 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 correctly repair it.

Once your knowledgeable Phelps County, MO bus accident attorney determines the cause of your accident, they will be able to confirm who is liable for your injuries and how to proceed with winning you maximum compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are typically found at-fault in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their passengers to maintain their safety. One facet of that duty of care is to make certain 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 following its own rules when it comes to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to inhibit drowsiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is rarely followed as too many breaks could cause financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study found that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were because of driver fatigue. Additionally, many Greyhound customers have stated that their driver was eating during the time of an accident, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making certain that Phelps County, MO buses are properly 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 the result of a bus company either failing to perform routine inspections or neglecting to repair a broken part or component. Older buses are particularly susceptible to breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.

Finally, bus companies need to be mindful in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be correctly licensed and trained, and should only be permitted to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Phelps County, 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 transpired.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a duty to guarantee the safety of their vehicles and swiftly issue recalls if a product is found to be hazardous. If they approve an inherently dangerous 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 shift the blame to somebody else, your Phelps County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure reckless parties are held accountable for their actions.

The Phelps County or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be disastrous because of the number of people involved and because they typically take place in densely populated areas. While you can file a suit against the Phelps County, MO government, there are specific procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury cases. If you seek to make a claim 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 get in touch with a Phelps 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 operating 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 when they were feeling fatigued, did not pay attention to the Phelps County, 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 well-being and your life. If a bus driver does not take that duty seriously and causes you injury, you can be confident that the dedicated and tenacious bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto collision, two or more drivers are often involved, and in some instances they each may bear a portion of the blame. Another driver’s negligence, such as speeding, driving while intoxicated or pulling in front of the bus too quickly can hurt you. If you were hurt in a bus crash where there was another driver or drivers involved, your skilled and veteran Phelps County, MO bus accident attorney will help you confirm if they are responsible 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 Phelps County and Missouri. Nationally, school bus accidents account for 40 percent of all fatal bus crashes. While often the driver, bus company or bus manufacturer is liable, a school district in Phelps County, MO may also be held accountable, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were particularly bad or they did not conduct adequate 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 Phelps County, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you recover in a bus accident case will usually depend on the gravity of your injuries and how they have affected and will impact they have on your life. You may have gotten a sprained wrist that only needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Phelps County, MO and a short time off work. Or, you may have experienced 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 Phelps County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure 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 expenses, such as hospital bills, physical therapy, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential

  We use 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 grave your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Phelps County, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly to ensure that you get 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 Phelps County, 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 your loved ones. Your Phelps County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is empathetic, accomplished, trustworthy and relentless and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have obtained over the past two decades to secure you the maximum 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 review.