Bus Accident Attorney in Pleasant Hill, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Pleasant Hill, MO. If you or a family member has been injured 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 almost never get equal attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can often be equally as hazardous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Pleasant Hill, 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 ruinous, sometimes permanent effects for you or your family. Your Pleasant Hill, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you secure the full compensation that you are owed for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than two decades of experience defending the injured in Pleasant Hill and throughout Missouri and standing up to bullies like deceptive insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to take responsibility for their careless actions. Our Pleasant Hill, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our capable 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, commitment, persistence, knowledge and experience to help secure justice in personal injury cases and help Pleasant Hill, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose wages, pay for sky-high medical costs and also work through the emotional trauma of your injury only because somebody else broke the rules. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Pleasant Hill, MO bus accident, reach out to the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case evaluation. We start working on your claim immediately, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.

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

Do I Need a Pleasant Hill, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially vulnerable. After all, you were not the driver and you went aboard the bus assuming that the correct safety protocols were obeyed. Pleasant Hill, 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 caused by bus accidents, injuries can take years to fully heal from, may have lifelong consequences or in the worst cases can even result in wrongful death. The Pleasant Hill, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand in your corner so you do not have to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we get to work on on your case right away, and work relentlessly until you recover the best possible compensation you are owed. We have experienced with every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Pleasant Hill, MO individuals and families into accepting less money than they deserve. Those Pleasant Hill, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the hard cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, seasoned 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 Pleasant Hill, 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 fight. When you hire our Pleasant Hill, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every aspect of your case. You can bank on a veteran and skilled 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 vital evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also sustained injuries in the crash or were close by. As buses carry a variety of passengers, there are typically many passengers who want the same answers and financial recovery you seek. Eyewitness testimony is a vital part of proving your case.
• Collect additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, police reports, and important details such as how far the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and repairs were performed on the bus. Many different factors give rise to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Pleasant Hill, MO bus accident attorney will find out why the crash happened and who needs to be held accountable.
• Work alongside our network of Pleasant Hill, MO crash and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and assess exactly how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will utilize our savvy and expertise to ensure you receive it.
• Stand up to resistant Pleasant Hill, 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 responsibility to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those tricks will not work in your case.
• Take your case 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 win you a full financial recovery for your injuries.

Beyond that, our bus accident attorney team will be keeping you informed entire time. We handle all communication, documentation and litigation so that you can focus 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 injured in a ruinous bus accident, contact an expert and committed bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Since bus drivers, companies and manufacturers all have a part to play in operating a bus safely you will first need to discover the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Pleasant Hill, 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 discover who is responsible for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Pleasant Hill, MO Bus Accident Attorney

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that inexperienced 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 action. While the same study found that just 4 percent of bus accidents were due to 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 been cited with driving errors, for instance, speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A good deal of bus drivers, particularly those that work for commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that require drivers to drive hundreds of miles in the middle of the night, become drowsy 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 obligated or followed.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ weight and the intricacy of maneuvering them, slippery roads or Pleasant Hill, MO construction areas can be particularly risky for bus riders. In some cases a third party such as a construction company is negligent. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you decide if that is the case.
• Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are overseen by regulatory entities, 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 personnel responsible for reviews for more than 765,000 motor carriers, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews often cannot stay ahead of the number of inspections required. Some Pleasant Hill, MO bus companies do not correctly inspect their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Additionally, bus companies are required to ensure that their drivers are sufficiently trained and do not drive too many hours without a break.
• Hazardous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can result in a driver losing control and causing an accident. 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
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Excessive grades

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

Once your talented Pleasant Hill, MO bus accident attorney establishes the reasons for your crash, they will be able to establish who is liable for your injuries and how to proceed with winning you a maximum financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are frequently found negligent in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are deemed common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their patrons to look out for their safety. One facet of that duty of care is to make sure that their drivers are not being overworked. In despite of insisting that safety is their utmost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules when it comes to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically obliged to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to stave off sleepiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is rarely obeyed as too many breaks could result in financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study reported that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were owing to driver fatigue. Additionally, many Greyhound customers have stated that their driver was eating during the time of a crash, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making sure that Pleasant Hill, MO buses are sufficiently 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 because of a bus company either failing to carry out routine maintenance or failing to fix a broken part or component. Older buses are especially at risk of breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies need to be prudent in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be correctly licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Pleasant Hill, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will conduct a full 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 responsibility to guarantee the safety of their vehicles and immediately announce recalls if a product is discovered to be faulty. 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 someone else, your Pleasant Hill, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure careless parties are held accountable for their actions.

The Pleasant Hill or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be ruinous because of the number of people involved and because they often happen in metropolitan areas. While you can file a suit against the Pleasant Hill, MO government, there are specific procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury claims. If you want 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 Pleasant Hill, MO bus accident attorney immediately after your accident. 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 reckless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a crash through negligence. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not stop driving when they were feeling overly tired, did not pay attention to the Pleasant Hill, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the foolish decision to drive drunk, they need to be held responsible just like bus companies sometimes have to be. When you get on a bus you trust that driver with your health and your life. If a bus driver does not take that responsibility to heart and causes you injury, you can be certain that the devoted and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto crash, two or more drivers are frequently involved, and in some cases they each may shoulder 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 hurt you. If you were injured in a bus wreck where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and seasoned Pleasant Hill, MO bus accident attorney will help you ascertain if they are liable and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the most common type of bus accident in Pleasant Hill 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 liable, a school district in Pleasant Hill, MO may also be held responsible, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were especially bad or they did not carry out 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 Pleasant Hill, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you are awarded in a bus accident case will typically depend on the severity of your injuries and the repercussions they have on your life. You may have sustained a sprained ankle that merely needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Pleasant Hill, 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 remainder of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Pleasant Hill, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure that you secure a full 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, rehabilitation, 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 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 severe your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Pleasant Hill, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly to ensure that you are awarded the best possible 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 Pleasant Hill, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every type of bus accident case and know the immense anguish and ruinous effect it can have on your and your family. Your Pleasant Hill, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, straightforward and relentless and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have obtained over the past 20 years to secure you the maximum recovery you are rightfully owed. If you or a loved one has been injured 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.