Bus Accident Attorney in Sedalia, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Sedalia, MO. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a destructive 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 receive the same attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can frequently be just as dangerous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Sedalia, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and respect the rules. When they break that trust and disregard the rules it can have devastating, sometimes permanent effects for you or your family. Your Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you recover the maximum 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 Sedalia and throughout Missouri and standing up to bullies like deceptive insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to be held responsible for their negligent actions. Our Sedalia, MO clients have put their cases and their futures in our trustworthy hands, and in total we have collected for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, commitment, relentlessness, knowledge and experience to help secure justice in personal injury cases and help Sedalia, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose wages, pay for ridiculous medical costs and also deal with the emotional toll of your injury just because another person did not respect the rules. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Sedalia, MO bus accident, reach out to the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation. We start working 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 Sedalia, MO because of someone else's careless actions, learn how much your damages may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Sedalia, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have received injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially unprotected. After all, you were not the one driving and you got on the bus under the impression that that the proper safety arrangements were followed. Sedalia, MO bus companies and drivers have firm rules they have a duty to respect, but sometimes they neglect those responsibilities and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is generally caused by bus accidents, injuries can take years to truly heal from, may have permanent effects or in the most terrible instances can even lead to wrongful death. The Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand in your corner so you do not need to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we start working on your case immediately, and work relentlessly until you get the maximum compensation you deserve. We have seen every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Sedalia, MO individuals and families into settling for less money than they are owed. Those Sedalia, 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 compassionate, accomplished and relentless bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you protect your family’s future and help make you whole again.

The legal process is convoluted and can be unforgiving to Sedalia, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial capabilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have over two decades of experience standing up to bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every aspect of your case. You can expect an experienced and knowledgeable bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the accident site immediately. 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 claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were close by. As buses carry many passengers, there are almost always a lot of passengers who want the same answers and financial recovery you do. Eyewitness testimony is a essential part of proving your case.
• Obtain further evidence such as tire marks, security videos, police reports, as well as key details such as how long the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and repairs were done on the bus. Several different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney will determine why the crash happened and who needs to be held liable.
• Work alongside our network of Sedalia, MO crash and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and calculate precisely how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will utilize our experience and expertise to make sure you recover it.
• Stand up to resistant Sedalia, 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 ploys will not work in your case.
• Take your case to trial if the insurance company will not offer a fair settlement, we will use our expert litigation skills to secure you a full financial recovery for your damages.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be in your corner 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. We charge no attorneys fees until you get the best possible compensation. If you or a loved one has been harmed in a disastrous bus accident, contact an expert and dedicated bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Because it requires so many people to run a bus safely, from manufacturers, to bus companies to drivers, you will first need to learn the cause of the accident before determining who is liable. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Sedalia, 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 discover what entity is liable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Sedalia, 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 the age of 25, 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 stated that only 4 percent of bus accidents were because of a serious offense such as the driver being intoxicated, a different study by the University of Michigan stated 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 lot of bus drivers, especially those that are employed by commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that require drivers to drive hundreds of miles in the middle of the night, become drowsy and can even fall asleep at 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 regulations are frequently <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 conditions. Given buses’ mass and the intricacy of maneuvering them, slippery roads or Sedalia, MO construction areas can be particularly hazardous for bus passengers. In some cases a third party such as a construction company will be negligent. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you understand 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 personnel responsible for inspections of more than 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors typically cannot keep up with the amount of inspections required. Some Sedalia, MO bus companies do not correctly maintain their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Additionally, bus companies are mandated to ensure that their drivers are correctly trained and are not overworked.
• Dangerous 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
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Defective 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 Sedalia, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the negligent parties responsible. The at-fault party may be a local Sedalia, MO government, or a third party whom the government contracted to eliminate the condition but either did not do so in a timely fashion or did not sufficiently repair it.

Once your skilled Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney establishes the cause of your accident, they will be able to determine who is responsible for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward getting you the best possible compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are frequently found at-fault 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 being overworked. In despite of insisting that safety is their highest priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules in regards to driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically obligated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to inhibit sleepiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is rarely followed as too many breaks could lead to financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study stated that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were due to driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound customers have said that their driver was eating when the accident took place, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making certain that Sedalia, MO buses are correctly inspected and maintained and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also part of the bus company's duty. A bus accident might be a consequence of a bus company either failing to provide routine inspections or failing to fix a broken part or component. Older buses are especially prone to breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies cannot use negligent hiring practices. All drivers need to be correctly licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Sedalia, 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 crash took place.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to guarantee the safety of their vehicles and quickly issue recalls if a product is discovered to be defective. 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 may try to shift the blame to someone else, your Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure negligent parties are held accountable for their behavior.

The Sedalia or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be ruinous because of the number of people who could be injured and because they usually transpire in densely populated areas. While you can make a claim against the Sedalia, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in tort 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 imperative to call a Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney right away after your injury. Do not delay, 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 reckless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a wreck because of negligence. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or texting, did not stop driving when they were feeling sleepy, did not pay attention to the Sedalia, 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 their employers sometimes have to be. When you ascend 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 sure that the committed and aggressive bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto wreck, two or more drivers are often involved, and in some cases they each may be responsible for a portion 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 harmed in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and accomplished Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney will help you determine 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 Sedalia 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 responsible, a school district in Sedalia, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were particularly bad 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 Sedalia, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you get in a bus accident case will typically depend on the severity of your injuries and the ramifications they have on your life. You may have received a sprained ankle that just needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Sedalia, 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 rest of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will ensure that you collect 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, rehabilitation, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We work alongside 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 Sedalia, 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 Sedalia, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every kind of bus accident case and know the immense anguish and catastrophic effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, honest and tenacious and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have gained over the past 20 years to secure you the the best possible recovery you are rightfully owed. If you or a loved one has been harmed 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.