Bus Accident Attorney in Raytown, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Raytown, MO. If you or someone you care about has been hurt 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 ever get equal attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can frequently be similarly dangerous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Raytown, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and obey the rules. When they eschew their responsibilities and disregard the rules it can have ruinous, sometimes lifelong effects for you or your loved ones. Your Raytown, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you get the best possible compensation that you are entitled to 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 Raytown and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like deceptive insurance companies and people who egocentrically do not want to be held responsible for their negligent actions. Many Raytown, MO individuals have put their claims and their futures in our accomplished hands, and in total we have secured for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, dedication, persistence, knowledge and experience to help find justice in personal injury cases and help Raytown, MO residents become whole again. You should not have to lose wages, pay for exorbitant medical costs and also handle the emotional toll of your injury just because somebody else disregarded the rules. If you or a loved one has been harmed in a Raytown, 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 case review. We start working on your claim immediately, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your case.

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

Do I Need a Raytown, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, you are likely feeling especially vulnerable. After all, you were not the one driving and you got on board the bus assuming that the correct safety measures were obeyed. Raytown, MO bus companies and drivers have firm rules they have a duty to obey, but sometimes they neglect those duties and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is often exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to really recover from, may have permanent consequences or in the most tragic cases can even cause wrongful death. The Raytown, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight on your behalf so you are not required to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we start investigating on your case right away, and work tirelessly until you receive the maximum compensation you are owed. We have experienced with every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Raytown, MO individuals and families into settling for a lower recovery than they entitled to. Those Raytown, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the hard cases. Call us today and let the empathetic, veteran and tenacious 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 difficult to comprehend for Raytown, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial abilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over two decades standing up to bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Raytown, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every detail of your claim. You can anticipate an experienced and savvy 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 acquire key evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry many passengers, there are often a lot of people who want the same answers and financial recovery you seek. We will take official depositions of eyewitnesses to aid in your case.
• Acquire further 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 repairs were conducted on the bus. A lot of different factors cause bus accidents, and your Burger Law Raytown, MO bus accident attorney will find out why the crash happened and who needs to be held responsible.
• Use our network of Raytown, MO crash and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and assess precisely how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will implement our know-how and expertise to make sure you receive it.
• Stand up to resistant Raytown, 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 devalue your injuries. When you hire us, you can be sure those schemes will not work in your case.
• Take the fight to trial if the insurance company will not offer a fair settlement, we will use our constantly trained litigation skills to win you a great financial recovery for your injuries.

Furthermore, our bus accident attorney team will be keeping you informed 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 we win your case. If you or a loved one has been harmed in a calamitous bus accident, contact an expert and devoted 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 running a bus safely you will first need to determine the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Raytown, 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 find out what entity is liable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Raytown, 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 55 years old were more likely to be driving when a bus accident took place.
• Driver behavior. While the same study reported that a mere 4 percent of bus accidents were due to a serious offense such as drunk driving, another study by the University of Michigan found that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus collisions had committed driving errors, such as speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A good deal of bus drivers, especially those that drive for commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that necessitate drivers to drive hundreds of miles in the middle of the night, become sleepy 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 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 obeyed.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ size and the awkwardness of steering them, slick roads or Raytown, MO construction areas can be particularly dangerous for bus commuters. In some cases a third party such as a construction company will be at fault. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you discover 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 personnel responsible for reviews for more than 765,000 trucks and buses, or only 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors typically cannot keep pace with the amount of inspections required. Some Raytown, MO bus companies do not properly maintain their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Furthermore, bus companies need to make sure that their drivers are properly 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. Some typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven 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 Raytown, MO street, the better your chances of holding the liable parties responsible. The at-fault party may be a local Raytown, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to eliminate the issue but either did not do so quickly enough or did not correctly repair it.

Once your expert Raytown, MO bus accident attorney confirm the reasons behind your crash, they will be able to confirm who is liable for your injuries and how to go forward with delivering you the best possible compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are typically found negligent in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their patrons to maintain their safety. One facet of that duty of care is to make sure that their drivers are not driving too many miles in a day. Despite insisting that safety is their top priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules in regards to driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to inhibit fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often followed 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 caused by driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound passengers have stated that their driver was eating during the time of an accident, which is an example of distracted driving.

Ensuring that Raytown, MO buses are adequately inspected and maintained and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also the responsibility of the bus company. A bus accident might be a consequence of a bus company either failing to carry out routine inspections or neglecting to repair a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are especially at risk of breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies cannot use negligent hiring practices. All drivers need to be properly licensed and trained, and should only be permitted to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Raytown, 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 accident occurred.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to guarantee the safety of their products and swiftly announce recalls in the event of a faulty product. If they approve an inherently faulty 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 someone else, your Raytown, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure reckless parties are held responsible for their actions.

The Raytown or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be catastrophic because of the number of people who could be injured and because they usually happen in densely populated areas. While you can seek a financial recovery from the Raytown, MO government, there are specific procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in injury liability cases. If you seek 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 essential to contact a Raytown, 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 liable or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a crash owing to driving mistakes. If they became distracted by eating or texting, did not stop driving when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the Raytown, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the terrible decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable just like bus companies 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 responsibility seriously and causes you injury, you can be certain that the dedicated and aggressive bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle crash, two or more drivers are frequently involved, and in some instances they each may bear 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 skilled and veteran Raytown, MO bus accident attorney will help you confirm if they are responsible and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the most common type of bus crash in Raytown 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 Raytown, MO may also be held responsible, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were particularly dangerous or they did not perform 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 Raytown, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you get in a bus accident case will typically depend on the gravity of your injuries and the repercussions they have on your life. You may have sustained a sprained ankle that only required a quick trip to an emergency room in Raytown, MO and a short time off work. Or, you may have sustained 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 Raytown, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will ensure that you are awarded 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 capacity

  We use our network 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 severe your injuries and however much they have affected your life, Burger Law's Raytown, 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 Raytown, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every category of bus accident case and know the immense pain and devastating effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your Raytown, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, trustworthy and tenacious and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have obtained over the past 20 years to get you the maximum recovery you are rightfully owed. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a bus accident, do not delay. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary case review.