Bus Accident Attorney in Sikeston, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Sikeston, MO. If you or a loved one has been injured 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 hardly ever receive equal attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can often be just as hazardous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Sikeston, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and obey the rules. When they eschew their obligations and break the rules it can have terrible, sometimes permanent consequences for you or your loved ones. Your Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you receive the maximum compensation that you are entitled to for your damages.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than 20 years of experience defending the injured in Sikeston and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who egotistically do not want to be held accountable for their careless actions. Many Sikeston, MO individuals have put their cases and their futures in our capable hands, and to date we have secured for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, commitment, resolution, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Sikeston, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose wages, pay for extortionate medical costs and also work through the emotional toll of your injury only because another person broke the rules. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a Sikeston, 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 at once, and you do not owe us any fees until we win you the compensation you deserve.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Sikeston, MO because of somebody else's reckless actions, find out how much your damages may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Sikeston, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have received injuries in a bus accident, you are probably feeling especially vulnerable. After all, you were not the driver and you went aboard the bus presuming that the adequate safety arrangements were obeyed. Sikeston, MO bus companies and drivers have strict regulations they are supposed to obey, but sometimes they neglect those responsibilities 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 result in wrongful death. The Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight by your side so you do not need to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we get to work on 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 claim and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Sikeston, MO individuals and families into settling for a lower recovery than they are owed. Those Sikeston, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the hard cases. Call us today and let the empathetic, veteran and aggressive bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

The legal process is complicated and can be difficult to comprehend for Sikeston, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial capabilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have over two decades of experience fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every detail of your claim. You can bank on a veteran and knowledgeable 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 at the site at any time during the day or night in order to acquire important evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were close by. As buses carry a variety of passengers, there are usually many passengers who want the same answers and financial recovery you need. Eyewitness testimony is a vital part of winning your case.
• Collect additional evidence such as tire marks, security 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 done on the bus. Several different factors cause bus accidents, and your Burger Law Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney will determine the "whys" of the crash and who needs to be held responsible.
• Work alongside our network of Sikeston, MO crash and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and put a figure on precisely how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will utilize our experience and expertise to make certain you collect it.
• Stand up to resistant Sikeston, MO insurance companies who are more concerned for their bottom line than your health. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and avoid their responsibility to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those ploys will not work in your case.
• Take the fight to trial if the insurance company does not offer a fair settlement, we will use our constantly trained litigation skills to secure you a full financial recovery for your damages.

Furthermore, our bus accident attorney team will be in your corner whole time. We manage 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 hurt in a ruinous 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 operate a bus safely, from manufacturers, to bus companies to drivers, you will first need to learn the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Sikeston, 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 responsible for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Sikeston, 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 action. While the same study reported that just 4 percent of bus accidents were owing to a severe offense such as drunk driving, another study by the University of Michigan reported that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus accidents had committed driving errors, for instance, speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A good deal of bus drivers, particularly those that drive for commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that necessitate 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 regulations about how many hours a driver can drive during a day 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 mandatory or obeyed.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ size and the awkwardness of driving them, icy roads or Sikeston, MO construction areas can be especially dangerous for bus passengers. In some cases a third party such as a construction company is at fault. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you determine if that applies 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 people responsible for inspections of over 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or only 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews generally cannot keep up with the amount of inspections required. Some Sikeston, MO bus companies do not properly repair their vehicles, causing them to be dangerous. Additionally, bus companies are mandated to make sure that their drivers are correctly trained and do not drive too many hours without a break.
• Hazardous roads. Hazards in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. A Few typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Malfunctioning or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The longer the dangerous condition has been on the Sikeston, MO road, the better your odds of holding the liable parties responsible. The negligent party may be a local Sikeston, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to repair the problem but either did not do so in a timely fashion or did not adequately repair it.

Once your expert Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney ascertains the cause of your accident, they will be able to confirm who is liable for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward delivering you maximum compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are frequently found at-fault in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are deemed common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their patrons to maintain their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not being overworked. In despite of saying that safety is their utmost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules in regards to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to prevent sleepiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often obeyed as too many breaks could result in financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study stated that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were caused by driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound customers have stated that their driver was eating during the time of a crash, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making sure that Sikeston, MO buses are sufficiently inspected and repaired and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also part of the bus company's duty. A bus accident might be because of a bus company either neglecting to perform routine inspections or failing to repair a broken part or component. Older buses are particularly susceptible to breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Finally, bus companies need to be vigilant in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be adequately licensed and trained, and should only be able to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will perform a complete investigation into the bus company's hiring practices and the person who was driving when the crash occurred.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to verify the safety of their vehicles and quickly announce recalls in the event of a defective 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 may try to shift the blame to somebody else, your Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure reckless parties are held accountable for their behavior.

The Sikeston or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be calamitous because of the number of people who could be injured and because they frequently transpire in densely populated areas. While you can seek a financial recovery from the Sikeston, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in tort cases. If you want 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 urgent to call a Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney immediately after your accident. 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 an at-fault or careless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident because of negligence. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not stop driving when they were feeling overly tired, did not pay attention to the Sikeston, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the dangerous decision to drive drunk, they need to be held responsible just like bus companies 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 duty to heart and causes you injury, you can be sure that the dedicated and tenacious bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle wreck, there are frequently two or more drivers, 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 injure you. If you were hurt in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your skilled and veteran Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney will help you ascertain if they are at fault 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 Sikeston 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 Sikeston, MO may also be held responsible, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were particularly poor 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 Sikeston, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you recover in a bus accident case will typically depend on the seriousness of your injuries and the ramifications they have on your life. You may have gotten a sprained wrist that only required a quick trip to an emergency room in Sikeston, 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 Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will ensure that you receive 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 utilize 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 Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly to ensure that you get the best possible 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 Sikeston, 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 family. Your Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is empathetic, accomplished, trustworthy and determined and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have gained over the past 20 years to get you the the best possible recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, do not delay. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary consultation.