Bus Accident Attorney in Shaw, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Shaw, MO. If you or a loved one has been harmed 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 the same attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can oftentimes be just as hazardous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Shaw, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and follow the rules. When they break that trust and do not respect the rules it can have terrible, sometimes lifelong effects for you or your family. Your Shaw, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you collect the best possible compensation that you are owed for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over 20 years of experience fighting for the rights of the injured in Shaw and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who egotistically do not want to be held accountable for their thoughtless actions. Our Shaw, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our accomplished hands, and to date we have recovered for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, dedication, persistence, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Shaw, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose wages, pay for expensive medical costs and also manage the emotional impact of your injury only because somebody else broke the rules. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a Shaw, MO bus accident, call 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 straight away, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Shaw, MO because of another person's negligent actions, find out how much your injury may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Shaw, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have sustained injuries in a bus accident, you are likely feeling especially unshielded. After all, you were not the one driving and you got on board the bus presuming that the proper safety measures were adhered to. Shaw, MO bus companies and drivers have strict laws they have a duty to adhere to, but sometimes they neglect those obligations and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is frequently caused by bus accidents, injuries can take years to really recover from, may have lifelong effects or in the most terrible cases can even result in wrongful death. The Shaw, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand by your side so you are not required to go it alone. When you hire us we start working on your case at once, and work tirelessly until you win the best possible compensation you are entitled to. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Shaw, MO individuals and families into settling for less money than they entitled to. Those Shaw, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the tough cases. Call us today and let the empathetic, veteran and relentless bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal proceedings are complicated and can be unforgiving to Shaw, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial capabilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over two decades standing up to bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Shaw, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every facet of your claim. You can bank on a seasoned and savvy 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 on the scene at any time of the day or night in order to obtain essential evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were close by. As buses carry many passengers, there are generally many passengers who want the same answers and compensation you seek. Eyewitness testimony is a vital part of proving your case.
• Collect additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, police reports, in additional to important details such as how far the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and maintenance was conducted on the bus. A lot of different factors give rise to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Shaw, MO bus accident attorney will discover the "whys" of the crash and who needs to be held accountable.
• Use our network of Shaw, 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 utilize our knowledge and expertise to make sure you recover it.
• Fight back against resistant Shaw, MO insurance companies who are more concerned for their profits than your health. 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 deceptive maneuvers will not work in your case.
• Take the fight 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.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the 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. You owe us no attorneys fees until you get the best possible compensation. If you or a family member has been hurt in a catastrophic bus accident, contact an expert and devoted bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Because bus drivers, companies and manufacturers all have a role to play in running a bus in a safe manner you will first need to discover the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Shaw, 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 find out who needs to be held responsible for your injuries.

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

• Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that novice drivers under the age of 25, as well as more experienced drivers over the age of 55 were more likely to be driving when a bus accident took place.
• Driver error. While the same study found that a mere 4 percent of bus accidents were due to a serious offense such as drunk driving, a different study by the University of Michigan stated that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus wrecks had committed driving errors, for instance, speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A large portion of bus drivers, particularly those that are employed by commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that require drivers to drive hundreds of miles at all hours of the day or night, become fatigued and can even fall asleep behind the wheel. While most busing companies have rules about how many hours a driver can drive during without a break or how often 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 obligated or obeyed.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ mass and the intricacy of steering them, icy roads or Shaw, MO construction areas can be particularly dangerous for bus passengers. In some cases 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 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 inspectors responsible for reviews for more than 765,000 motor carriers, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors generally cannot stay ahead of the number of inspections needed. Some Shaw, MO bus companies do not properly repair their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Additionally, bus companies are obligated to ensure that their drivers are adequately trained and are not overworked.
• Hazardous roads. Faults in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. A Few common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Malfunctioning or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the dangerous condition has been on the Shaw, MO road, the better your chances of holding the negligent parties accountable. The negligent party may be a local Shaw, MO government, or a third party whom the government hired to fix the problem but either did not do so in a timely fashion or did not properly repair it.

Once your talented Shaw, MO bus accident attorney ascertains the reasons for your crash, they will be able to determine who is at-fault for your injuries and how to proceed with getting you a maximum financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are often found liable in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to maintain their safety. Part of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite insisting that safety is their utmost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules in regards to driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to stave off fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is usually not followed as too many breaks could cause financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study found that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were owing to driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound customers have reported that their driver was eating when the accident happened, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making sure that Shaw, MO buses are sufficiently 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 conduct routine inspections or neglecting to fix a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are particularly vulnerable to breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.

Finally, bus companies need to be prudent in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be properly licensed and trained, and should only be permitted to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Shaw, 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 happened.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a duty to verify the safety of their products and quickly 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 adequately, they are guilty of product liability. While they might try to place the blame on somebody else, your Shaw, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure at-fault parties are held responsible for their behavior.

The Shaw or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be calamitous because of the number of people involved and because they frequently take place in metropolitan areas. While you can file a suit against the Shaw, MO government, there are special procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in injury liability claims. 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 crucial to reach out to a Shaw, MO bus accident attorney right 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 negligent or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident due to recklessness. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or talking, did not stop when they were feeling fatigued, did not pay attention to the Shaw, 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 get on a bus you trust that driver with your well-being and your life. If a bus driver does not take that responsibility to heart and causes you injury, you can be sure that the dedicated 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 bear 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 harm you. If you were injured in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and experienced Shaw, MO bus accident attorney will help you determine if they are responsible and if you can make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the the kind of bus crash we most typically see in Shaw 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 Shaw, MO may also be held responsible, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were especially dangerous or they did not conduct 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 Shaw, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you recover in a bus accident case will usually be based on the gravity of your injuries and the ramifications they have on your life. You may have sustained a mild concussion that just required a quick trip to an emergency room in Shaw, 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 assistive devices for the remainder of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Shaw, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure 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 costs, such as hospital bills, rehabilitation, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential

  We work with our network of medical and economic experts to determine 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 serious your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Shaw, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly to ensure that you collect 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 Shaw, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every category of bus accident case and know the immense pain and catastrophic effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Shaw, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, honest and persistent and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have acquired over the past 20 years to get you the full recovery you rightfully deserve. 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 complimentary case evaluation.