Bus Accident Attorney in St. Francois County, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in St. Francois County, MO. If you or a loved one has been harmed 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 equal attention as plane or train wrecks, 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 St. Francois County, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and respect the rules. When they break that trust and do not respect the rules it can have devastating, sometimes lifelong outcomes for you or your loved ones. Your St. Francois County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you collect the maximum compensation that you are owed for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than two decades of experience fighting for the rights of the injured in St. Francois County and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like deceptive insurance companies and people who carelessly do not want to be held accountable for their careless actions. Our St. Francois County, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our trustworthy 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, persistence, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help St. Francois County, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose work, pay for exorbitant medical costs and also manage 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 St. Francois County, 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 evaluation. We get started on your claim straight away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your case.

If you were injured in a bus accident in St. Francois County, MO because of someone else's reckless behavior, learn how much your claim may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a St. Francois County, 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 under the impression that that the proper safety measures were obeyed. St. Francois County, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent regulations they have a responsibility to obey, but sometimes they neglect those responsibilities and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is generally exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to really heal from, may have lifelong consequences or in the most terrible instances can even cause wrongful death. The St. Francois County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight on your behalf so you do not need to go it alone. When you hire us we get to work on on your case immediately, and work relentlessly until you recover the maximum compensation you are owed. We have experienced with every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured St. Francois County, MO individuals and families into settling for less money than they are owed. Those St. Francois County, 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 relentless 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 unforgiving to St. Francois County, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial skills 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 St. Francois County, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every aspect of your case. You can expect a seasoned and savvy bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the crash 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 essential evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are usually a lot of people who want the same answers and compensation you seek. We will conduct official depositions of eyewitnesses to help in your case.
• Collect further evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, police reports, and important details such as how far 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 St. Francois County, MO bus accident attorney will discover the "whys" of the crash and who needs to be held accountable.
• Work alongside our network of St. Francois County, MO accident and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and compute exactly how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are owed and we will use our knowledge and expertise to make certain you recover it.
• Fight back against resistant St. Francois County, 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 devalue your injuries. 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 refuses to 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 keeping you informed entire 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. You owe us no attorneys fees until you get the best possible compensation. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a calamitous bus accident, contact an expert and dedicated 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 discover the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled St. Francois County, MO bus accident attorney like those at Burger Law have seen every category of car accident, truck accident and bus accident case and will be able to determine what entity is responsible for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | St. Francois County, MO Bus Accident Attorney

• Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that beginner 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 occurred.
• Driver behavior. While the same study found that just 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 been cited with driving errors, such as speeding, being sleepy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. Many bus drivers, especially those that work for commercial bus lines 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 required or obeyed.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ mass and the intricacy of driving them, slippery roads or St. Francois County, MO construction areas can be especially dangerous for bus riders. Occasionally a third party such as a construction company will be negligent. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you discover if that is the 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 people responsible for inspections of more than 765,000 trucks and buses, or only 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews often cannot stay ahead of the number of inspections needed. Some St. Francois County, MO bus companies do not correctly maintain their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Additionally, bus companies need to make sure that their drivers are correctly trained and are not overworked.
• Dangerous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can lead to a driver losing control and causing an accident. Some common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Defective or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the dangerous condition has been on the St. Francois County, MO street, the better your chances of holding the negligent parties responsible. The at-fault party may be a local St. Francois County, MO government, or a third party whom the government hired to repair the issue but either did not do so in a timely fashion or did not correctly repair it.

Once your knowledgeable St. Francois County, MO bus accident attorney establishes the reasons behind your wreck, they will be able to determine who is liable for your injuries and how to proceed with winning you maximum compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are frequently found negligent in bus accident cases.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are deemed common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their passengers to look out for their safety. Part of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not driving too many miles without a break. In despite of saying that safety is their principal priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not following its own rules regarding driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically obliged to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to hold off drowsiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is rarely obeyed as too many breaks could cause financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study reported that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were caused by driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound customers have said that their driver was eating when the accident occurred, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making certain that St. Francois County, MO buses are sufficiently 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 the result of a bus company either neglecting to provide routine inspections or failing to repair a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are particularly 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 sufficiently licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing strict background checks. Your St. Francois County, 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 transpired.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to confirm the safety of their products and swiftly issue recalls if a product is found to be defective. If they approve an inherently dangerous 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 St. Francois County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure negligent parties are held responsible for their actions.

The St. Francois County or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be catastrophic because of the number of people involved and because they generally take place in densely populated areas. While you can file a suit against the St. Francois County, MO government, there are specific procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental entities 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 accident with the Office of Administration’s Risk Management Division. That is why it is vital to reach out to a St. Francois County, MO bus accident attorney right away after your accident. 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 an at-fault or reckless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident through driving mistakes. 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 St. Francois County, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the foolish decision to drive drunk, they need to be held responsible just like bus companies sometimes have to be. When you go on 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 confident that the committed and aggressive bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them responsible.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle crash, there are frequently two or more drivers, and in some instances they each may be responsible for a portion of the blame. Another driver’s negligence, 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 crash where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and seasoned St. Francois County, MO bus accident attorney will help you determine if they are liable 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 St. Francois County 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 liable, a school district in St. Francois County, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were especially dangerous or they did not conduct 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 St. Francois County, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you recover in a bus accident case will generally depend on the severity of your injuries and how they have impacted and will impact they have on your life. You may have sustained a sprained wrist that just needed a quick trip to an emergency room in St. Francois County, 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 remainder of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished St. Francois County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will ensure that you secure a great 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, physical therapy, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We utilize our network of medical and economic experts to quantify 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 grave your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's St. Francois County, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly to ensure that you get full 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 St. Francois County, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every variety of bus accident case and know the immense anguish and calamitous effect it can have on your and your family. Your St. Francois County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, honest and tenacious and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have obtained over the past 20 years to get you the the best possible recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been harmed in a bus accident, there is no time to wait. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary case evaluation.