Bus Accident Attorney in Platte City, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Platte City, MO. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a disastrous bus accident, take control of your recovery by calling Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or by contacting us online.

Bus accidents rarely ever get equal attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can oftentimes be similarly dangerous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Platte City, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and follow the rules. When they break that trust and disregard the rules it can have terrible, sometimes permanent consequences for you or your loved ones. Your Platte City, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you collect the maximum compensation that you are entitled to for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than two decades of experience defending the injured in Platte City and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who carelessly do not want to take responsibility for their careless behavior. Many Platte City, MO individuals have put their claims and their futures in our knowledgeable hands, and to date we have collected for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, dedication, tenacity, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Platte City, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose work, pay for sky-high medical costs and also work through the emotional toll of your injury just because someone else did not respect the rules. If you or someone you care about has been harmed in a Platte City, 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 consultation. We begin working on your claim right away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your case.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Platte City, MO because of someone else's reckless behavior, learn how much your damages may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Platte City, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, you are likely feeling especially undefended. After all, you were not the one driving and you got on board the bus under the assumption that the adequate safety measures were followed. Platte City, MO bus companies and drivers have strict rules they have a duty to adhere to, but sometimes they fail in those responsibilities and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is frequently exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to truly heal from, may have lifelong effects or in the worst instances can even result in wrongful death. The Platte City, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight on your behalf so you do not have to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we start investigating on your case immediately, and will not let up until you get the maximum compensation you are entitled to. We have seen every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Platte City, MO individuals and families into settling for less money than they entitled to. Those Platte City, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – 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 proceedings are convoluted and can be unforgiving to Platte City, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial abilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over two decades fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Platte City, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every detail of your case. You can anticipate a seasoned and skilled 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 of the day or night in order to acquire key evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were close by. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are generally other passengers who want the same answers and compensation you need. Eyewitness testimony is a vital part of proving your case.
• Obtain additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, police reports, as well as important details such as how long the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and maintenance was performed on the bus. Many different factors give rise to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Platte City, MO bus accident attorney will determine why the crash happened and who needs to be held accountable.
• Work with our network of Platte City, 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 know-how and expertise to make sure you collect it.
• Fight back against resistant Platte City, MO insurance companies who are more interested in their profits than your health. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and avoid their obligation to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those ploys 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 constantly trained litigation skills to secure you a full financial recovery for your injuries.

Furthermore, 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 you get full compensation. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a catastrophic bus accident, contact an expert and devoted bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Because bus drivers, companies and manufacturers all have a part to play in operating a bus in a safe manner you will first need to determine the cause of the accident before determining who caused your injuries. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Platte City, 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 what entity is responsible for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Platte City, MO Bus Accident Attorney

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that recently licensed drivers under 25 years old, as well as more experienced drivers over 55 years old were more likely to be driving when a bus accident happened.
• Driver action. While the same study found that only 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by a severe offense such as driving while intoxicated, a different study by the University of Michigan stated that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus collisions had committed driving errors, for example, speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. Many bus drivers, particularly the ones that drive for commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that necessitate drivers to drive hundreds of miles at all hours of the day or night, become sleepy and can even fall asleep behind the wheel. While most busing companies have rules about how many hours a driver can drive during without a break 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 Platte City, MO construction areas can be especially hazardous for bus riders. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company will be at fault. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you determine if that applies 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 more than 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors frequently cannot keep up with the quantity of inspections required. Some Platte City, MO bus companies do not properly repair their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Additionally, bus companies are mandated to make sure that their drivers are properly trained and are not overworked.
• Hazardous roads. Hazards in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. A Few typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Faulty or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The longer the dangerous condition has been on the Platte City, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the at-fault parties responsible. The at-fault party may be a local Platte City, MO government, or a third party whom the government contracted to repair the condition but either did not do so quickly enough or did not adequately repair it.

Once your skilled Platte City, MO bus accident attorney determines the reasons for your wreck, they will be able to establish who is liable for your injuries and how to proceed with getting you the best possible financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are often found at-fault in bus accident cases.

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 riders to look out for their safety. Part of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite saying that safety is their foremost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules regarding driver fatigue. Drivers are technically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to hold off drowsiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often obeyed 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. Moreover, many Greyhound customers have said that their driver was eating when the crash happened, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making sure that Platte City, MO buses are adequately inspected and repaired and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also the responsibility of the bus company. A bus accident could be a consequence of a bus company either neglecting to conduct routine maintenance or neglecting to fix a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are especially predisposed to breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Finally, bus companies need to be mindful in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be adequately licensed and trained, and should only be permitted to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Platte City, 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 crash transpired.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their products and quickly announce recalls if a product is found to be hazardous. 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 may try to place the blame on someone else, your Platte City, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure negligent parties are held responsible for their actions.

The Platte City or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be ruinous because of the amount of people involved and because they typically take place in metropolitan areas. While you can seek a financial recovery from the Platte City, MO government, there are special procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in tort suits. 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 crucial to get in touch with a Platte City, MO bus accident attorney right 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 an at-fault or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident due to driver error. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or talking, did not stop when they were feeling overly tired, did not pay attention to the Platte City, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the horrible decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable just like their employers sometimes have to be. When you get on 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 committed and tenacious bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle wreck, there are frequently two or more drivers, and in some cases they each may share a percentage of the blame. Another driver’s recklessness, such as speeding, driving while intoxicated or pulling in front of the bus too quickly can harm you. If you were injured in a bus crash where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and veteran Platte City, 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 accident in Platte City 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 Platte City, MO may also be held responsible, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were especially dangerous or they did not perform 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 Platte City, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you are awarded in a bus accident case will usually depend on the gravity of your injuries and the consequences they have on your life. You may have sustained a mild concussion that just needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Platte City, MO and a short time off work. Or, you may have experienced a disastrous spinal cord injury that leaves you disabled and in need of special equipment for the remainder of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Platte City, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure 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, physical therapy, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We use our network of medical and economic experts to calculate 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 grave your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Platte City, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively to ensure that you collect maximum 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 Platte City, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every type of bus accident case and know the tremendous pain and ruinous effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Platte City, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, honest and relentless and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have acquired over the past 20 years to get you the full recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been injured 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 complimentary consultation.