Bus Accident Attorney in Pulaski County, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Pulaski County, MO. If you or a family member has been hurt in a devastating 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 almost never receive the same attention as plane or train crashes, even though the can often be just as dangerous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Pulaski County, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and obey the rules. When they break that trust and break the rules it can have devastating, sometimes permanent effects for you or your family. Your Pulaski County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make certain that you receive the best possible compensation that you are owed for your damages.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over two decades of experience fighting for the rights of the injured in Pulaski County and throughout Missouri and standing up to bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who egocentrically do not want to be held responsible for their reckless behavior. Our Pulaski County, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our accomplished hands, and to date we have won them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, commitment, relentlessness, knowledge and experience to help deliver justice in personal injury cases and help Pulaski County, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose wages, pay for ridiculous medical bills and also manage the emotional impact of your injury just because somebody else did not respect the rules. If you or someone you care about has been injured in a Pulaski County, MO bus accident, contact 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 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 Pulaski County, MO because of another person's careless behavior, discover how much your claim may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

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

If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially unprotected. After all, you were not the driver and you boarded the bus under the impression that that the proper safety arrangements were followed. Pulaski County, MO bus companies and drivers have firm regulations they have an obligation to follow, but sometimes they fail in those obligations and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is typically exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to fully heal from, may have lifelong effects or in the worst cases can even result in wrongful death. The Pulaski County, 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 begin working on your case immediately, and will not let up until you receive the best possible compensation you are entitled to. We have experienced with every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Pulaski County, MO individuals and families into accepting less money than they entitled to. Those Pulaski County, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the hard cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, accomplished and relentless bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you protect your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal procedures are complicated and can be unforgiving to Pulaski County, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial experience of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over two decades fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Pulaski County, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every facet of your case. You can bank on an experienced and savvy bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the crash site as soon as possible. When you call us, we can have a bus accident lawyer on the scene at any time during the day or night in order to acquire vital evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry a lot of passengers, there are typically many passengers who want the same answers and compensation you need. Eyewitness testimony is a important part of proving your case.
• Acquire additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, police reports, and important details such as how many miles the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and maintenance was done on the bus. Several different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Pulaski County, MO bus accident attorney will find out why the crash happened and who needs to be held responsible.
• Work with our network of Pulaski County, MO crash and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and compute precisely how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will use our know-how and expertise to make certain you collect it.
• Fight back against resistant Pulaski County, MO insurance companies who are more concerned for their bottom line than your well-being. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and devalue your claim. When you hire us, you can be sure those deceptive maneuvers will not work in your case.
• Take the fight to trial if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will use our constantly trained litigation skills to secure you a great financial recovery for your injuries.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the whole 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 a family member has been harmed in a catastrophic bus accident, contact an expert and dedicated bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

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

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

• Driver age and 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 happened.
• Driver error. While the same study stated that just 4 percent of bus accidents were due to a serious offense such as driving while intoxicated, a different study by the University of Michigan reported that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus accidents had been cited with driving errors, such as speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A good deal of bus drivers, especially the ones that work for commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that require drivers to drive hundreds of miles at all hours of the day or night, become drowsy and can even fall asleep at the wheel. While most busing companies have regulations about how many hours a driver can drive during a day or how often 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 required or complied with.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ weight and the intricacy of maneuvering them, icy roads or Pulaski County, MO construction areas can be particularly dangerous for bus passengers. Occasionally a third party such as a construction company will be liable. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you understand if that applies case.
• Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are regulated, 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 people responsible for reviews for more than 765,000 trucks and buses, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors typically cannot keep pace with the quantity of inspections needed. Some Pulaski County, MO bus companies do not correctly maintain their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Furthermore, bus companies are mandated to make sure that their drivers are sufficiently trained and do not drive too long without a break.
• Dangerous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can result in a driver losing control and crashing. A Few typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Faulty or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for instance branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the hazardous condition has been on the Pulaski County, MO street, the better your chances of holding the at-fault parties accountable. The negligent party may be a local Pulaski County, MO government, or a third party whom the government hired to eliminate the issue but either did not do so quickly enough or did not sufficiently repair it.

Once your talented Pulaski County, MO bus accident attorney deduces the reasons behind your wreck, they will be able to ascertain who is responsible for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward getting you maximum compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are frequently found liable in bus accident cases.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are regarded as common carriers under the law, 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 ensure that their drivers are not driving too many hours without a break. 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 obligated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to prevent drowsiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often 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. Additionally, many Greyhound passengers have stated that their driver was eating when the crash transpired, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making certain that Pulaski County, MO buses are sufficiently inspected and maintained 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 failing to carry out routine maintenance or failing to fix a broken part or component. Older buses are particularly at risk of breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies need to be mindful in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be sufficiently licensed and trained, and should only be able to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Pulaski County, 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 accident transpired.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a duty to ensure the safety of their products and immediately announce recalls in the event of a malfunctioning product. If they approve an inherently defective 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 attempt to place the blame on someone else, your Pulaski County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure reckless parties are held accountable for their actions.

The Pulaski County or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be catastrophic because of the number of people who could be injured and because they generally transpire in metropolitan areas. While you can seek compensation from the Pulaski County, 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 suits. If you want to file a suit against a municipality or government employee, you must file it within 90 days of the injury with the Office of Administration’s Risk Management Division. That is why it is necessary to get in touch with a Pulaski County, 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 operating a motor vehicle “within the course of their employment.” This means that you can sue or make a claim against a liable or reckless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident owing to driver error. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not stop when they were feeling fatigued, did not pay attention to the Pulaski County, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the foolish decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable 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 seriously and causes you injury, you can be certain that the devoted and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto collision, there are frequently two or more drivers, and in some cases they each may be responsible for 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 injure you. If you were harmed in a bus wreck where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and seasoned Pulaski County, MO bus accident attorney will help you confirm if they are liable and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the the kind of bus accident we most typically see in Pulaski County and Missouri. Nationally, school bus accidents account for 40 percent of all fatal bus accidents. While often the driver, bus company or bus manufacturer is responsible, a school district in Pulaski County, MO may also be held accountable, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were especially bad 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 Pulaski County, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you receive 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 mild concussion that only needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Pulaski County, MO and a week or two off work. Or, you may have received a catastrophic 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 Pulaski County, 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 team of medical and economic experts to compute 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 impacted your life, Burger Law's Pulaski 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 Pulaski County, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every sort of bus accident case and know the immense anguish and calamitous effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your Pulaski County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, trustworthy and persistent and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have obtained over the past two decades to get you the full 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.