Bus Accident Attorney in Richmond, MO

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

Bus accidents rarely receive equal attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can oftentimes be similarly harmful and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Richmond, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and respect the rules. When they break that trust and do not respect the rules it can have terrible, sometimes lifelong consequences for you or your loved ones. Your Richmond, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you win the full compensation that you deserve 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 Richmond and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who carelessly do not want to be held responsible for their reckless behavior. Our Richmond, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our trustworthy hands, and in total we have gotten them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, devotion, tenacity, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Richmond, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose wages, pay for expensive medical costs and also handle the emotional scars of your injury just because someone else did not respect the rules. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Richmond, 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 get started on your claim right away, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.

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

Do I Need a Richmond, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have experienced injuries in a bus accident, you are likely feeling especially vulnerable. After all, you were not the one driving and you boarded the bus under the assumption that the proper safety measures were adhered to. Richmond, MO bus companies and drivers have firm rules they have an obligation to obey, but sometimes they fail in those duties 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 worst instances can even cause wrongful death. The Richmond, 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 begin investigating on your case at once, and will not let up until you recover the maximum compensation you deserve. We have seen every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Richmond, MO individuals and families into settling for less money than they are owed. Those Richmond, 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 passionate, accomplished and aggressive bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal procedures are complex and can be unforgiving to Richmond, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial skills of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have more than 20 years of experience fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Richmond, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every aspect of your case. You can expect a veteran and talented 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 on the scene at any time during the day or night in order to obtain vital evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also received injuries in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry a variety of passengers, there are often a lot of passengers who want the same answers and financial recovery you seek. We will conduct official depositions of eyewitnesses to help in your case.
• Obtain additional evidence such as tire marks, security footage, police reports, in additional to key 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 contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Richmond, MO bus accident attorney will determine the "whys" of the accident and who needs to be held liable.
• Utilize our network of Richmond, MO accident and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and compute precisely how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are owed and we will utilize our experience and expertise to make certain you receive it.
• Stand up to resistant Richmond, 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 weasel their way out of their responsibility to compensate you. 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 finely honed litigation skills to secure you a great financial recovery for your injuries.

Beyond that, our bus accident attorney team will be in your corner 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 someone you care about has been harmed in a catastrophic 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. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Richmond, 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 needs to be held accountable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Richmond, MO Bus Accident Attorney

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that novice 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 behavior. While the same study reported that only 4 percent of bus accidents were owing 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 wrecks had committed driving errors, for example, speeding, being sleepy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A good deal of bus drivers, especially the ones 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 drowsy and can even fall asleep behind 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 regulations are frequently <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/23/us/greyhound-investigation/" target="_blank” rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener title="CNN"not enforced or complied with.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ size and the awkwardness of maneuvering them, slick roads or Richmond, MO construction areas can be particularly dangerous for bus riders. In some cases a third party such as a construction company will be liable. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you decide if that is true in your 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 inspectors responsible for reviews for over 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors typically cannot stay ahead of the amount of inspections required. Some Richmond, MO bus companies do not correctly repair their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Furthermore, bus companies are required to ensure that their drivers are correctly trained and are not overworked.
• Hazardous roads. Hazards in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. Some typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Malfunctioning or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, for instance branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Insufficient lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the hazardous condition has been on the Richmond, MO street, the better your chances of holding the liable parties accountable. The liable party may be a local Richmond, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to repair the issue but either did not do so soon enough or did not adequately repair it.

Once your knowledgeable Richmond, MO bus accident attorney confirm the reasons behind your wreck, they will be able to ascertain who is at-fault for your injuries and how to go forward with delivering you a maximum financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are typically found at-fault in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are regarded as common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to maintain their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite saying 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 obligated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to inhibit drowsiness. 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 riders have stated that their driver was eating during the time of a crash, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making certain that Richmond, 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 might be a consequence of a bus company either failing to provide routine inspections or neglecting to fix a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are particularly prone to breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Finally, bus companies need to be diligent in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be properly licensed and trained, and should only be able to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Richmond, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will perform a full investigation into the bus company's hiring practices and the person who was driving when the accident happened.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation to ensure the safety of their vehicles and immediately announce recalls in the event of a malfunctioning product. If they approve an inherently unsafe 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 might attempt to place the blame on someone else, your Richmond, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure liable parties are held accountable for their behavior.

The Richmond or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be devastating because of the number of people who could be injured and because they often happen in densely populated areas. While you can seek a financial recovery from the Richmond, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in injury liability cases. If you want to make a claim 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 call a Richmond, MO bus accident attorney immediately 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 negligent or careless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a crash because of driver error. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or talking, did not pull over when they were feeling sleepy, did not pay attention to the Richmond, 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 bus companies sometimes have to be. When you board 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 devoted and aggressive 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 percentage 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 hurt in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and experienced Richmond, MO bus accident attorney will help you ascertain 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 Richmond 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 at fault, a school district in Richmond, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were particularly bad or they did not conduct 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 Richmond, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you recover in a bus accident case will typically depend on the seriousness of your injuries and the repercussions they have on your life. You may have gotten a mild concussion that only needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Richmond, 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 special equipment for the rest of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Richmond, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain 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, physical therapy, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We work alongside our team of medical and economic experts to determine 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 severe your injuries and however much they have affected your life, Burger Law's Richmond, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly to ensure that you recover full 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 Richmond, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every variety of bus accident case and know the immense pain and devastating effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Richmond, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, straightforward and determined and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have acquired over the past 20 years to win 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 free consultation.