Bus Accident Attorney in Trenton, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Trenton, MO. If you or someone you care about has been harmed in a catastrophic bus accident, take control of your recovery by calling Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or by contacting us online.

Bus accidents rarely get the same attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can oftentimes be equally as dangerous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Trenton, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and follow the rules. When they break that trust and do not respect the rules it can have devastating, sometimes permanent outcomes for you or your loved ones. Your Trenton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you collect the best possible compensation that you are owed for your damages.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than 20 years of experience fighting for the rights of the injured in Trenton and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who egocentrically do not want to be held responsible for their reckless actions. Many Trenton, MO individuals have put their cases 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, devotion, resolution, knowledge and experience to help deliver justice in personal injury cases and help Trenton, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose wages, pay for extortionate medical bills and also work through the emotional shock of your injury just because somebody else disregarded the rules. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a Trenton, 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 consultation. We begin working on your case straight away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win you the compensation you are owed.

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

Do I Need a Trenton, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have received injuries in a bus accident, you are probably feeling especially unshielded. After all, you were not the one driving and you got on board the bus supposing that the adequate safety measures were followed. Trenton, MO bus companies and drivers have strict rules they are supposed to obey, but sometimes they neglect 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 consequences or in the worst instances can even cause wrongful death. The Trenton, 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 start working on your case immediately, and work relentlessly until you get the full compensation you deserve. We have experienced with every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Trenton, MO individuals and families into accepting less money than they entitled to. Those Trenton, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the tough cases. Call us today and let the empathetic, accomplished 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 Trenton, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial skills of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over 20 years fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Trenton, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every facet of your case. You can anticipate 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 secure important evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were close by. As buses carry a lot of passengers, there are usually other people who want the same answers and compensation you seek. We will conduct official depositions of eyewitnesses to help in your case.
• Collect additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, police reports, and key details such as how far the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and maintenance was done on the bus. A lot of different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Trenton, MO bus accident attorney will determine the "whys" of the crash and who needs to be held liable.
• Work alongside our network of Trenton, MO accident and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and work out exactly how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are owed and we will implement our savvy and expertise to make sure you get it.
• Fight back against resistant Trenton, MO insurance companies who are more interested in their profits than your health. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and devalue your damages. When you hire us, you can be sure those tricks will not work in your case.
• Take your case to trial if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will use our constantly trained litigation skills to secure you a full financial recovery for your damages.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be keeping you informed whole time. We take control of all communication, documentation and litigation so that you can focus all of your energy on healing and making your family whole again. We collect no attorneys fees until you are fully compensated. If you or someone you care about has been harmed 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?

Because bus drivers, companies and manufacturers all have a part to play in running a bus in a safe manner you will first need to learn the cause of the accident before determining who is liable. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Trenton, 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 discover what entity needs to be held liable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Trenton, 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 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 error. While the same study reported that just 4 percent of bus accidents were owing to an egregious offense such as driving while intoxicated, a different study by the University of Michigan stated that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus wrecks had been cited with driving errors, for example, speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A lot of bus drivers, particularly the ones that drive for 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 behind the wheel. While most busing companies have regulations about how many hours a driver can drive during without a break or how often they have to take a break, those rules 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 followed.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ weight and the awkwardness of steering them, slippery roads or Trenton, MO construction areas can be particularly risky for bus commuters. Occasionally a third party such as a construction company is 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 regulated, 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 inspections of more than 765,000 trucks and buses, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews often cannot stay ahead of the quantity of inspections required. Some Trenton, MO bus companies do not correctly inspect their vehicles, causing them to be dangerous. Furthermore, bus companies are mandated to ensure that their drivers are properly 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. Some typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Faulty or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the hazardous condition has been on the Trenton, MO road, the better your odds of holding the at-fault parties responsible. The liable party may be a local Trenton, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to eliminate the problem but either did not do so quickly enough or did not adequately repair it.

Once your accomplished Trenton, MO bus accident attorney confirm the reasons behind your wreck, they will be able to establish who is at-fault for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward delivering you the best possible financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are generally found liable in bus accident cases.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are deemed common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to look out for their safety. One facet of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not driving too many hours in a day. Despite saying that safety is their top priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not following its own rules regarding driver fatigue. Drivers are technically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to hold off sleepiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is usually not 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 owing to driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound customers have stated that their driver was eating when the accident transpired, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making sure that Trenton, MO buses are properly inspected and maintained and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also the responsibility of the bus company. A bus accident may be because of a bus company either failing to conduct routine inspections or failing to repair a broken part or component. Older buses are particularly prone to breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies cannot use negligent hiring practices. All drivers need to be adequately licensed and trained, and should only be able to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Trenton, 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 occurred.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation to guarantee the safety of their vehicles and quickly issue recalls if a product is found to be faulty. If they approve an inherently defective 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 attempt to place the blame on someone else, your Trenton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure careless parties are held accountable for their actions.

The Trenton or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be calamitous because of the number of people involved and because they usually occur in metropolitan areas. While you can make a claim against the Trenton, MO government, there are special procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in tort claims. If you seek to file a suit 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 crucial to call a Trenton, MO bus accident attorney straight 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 operating a motor vehicle “within the course of their employment.” This means that you can sue or make a claim against a negligent or reckless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident because of driver error. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not stop driving when they were feeling fatigued, did not pay attention to the Trenton, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the horrible 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 seriously and causes you injury, you can be certain that the devoted and aggressive bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them responsible.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle accident, there are often two or more drivers, and in some cases they each may be responsible for a portion of the blame. Another driver’s thoughtlessness, such as speeding, driving while intoxicated or pulling in front of the bus too quickly can harm you. If you were hurt in a bus crash where there was another driver or drivers involved, your skilled and seasoned Trenton, MO bus accident attorney will help you determine if they are at fault 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 Trenton 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 at fault, a school district in Trenton, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were particularly poor or they did not carry out 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 Trenton, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you collect in a bus accident case will usually be based on the severity of your injuries and the repercussions they have on your life. You may have sustained a sprained ankle that merely needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Trenton, MO and a couple weeks off work. Or, you may have experienced a disastrous 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 Trenton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will ensure that you are awarded 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 costs, such as hospital bills, rehabilitation, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We use our team of medical and economic experts to calculate 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 impacted your life, Burger Law's Trenton, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly to ensure that you receive 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 Trenton, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every type of bus accident case and know the immense anguish and calamitous effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Trenton, 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 gained over the past 20 years to secure you the maximum recovery you are rightfully owed. If you or a loved one has been hurt 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 free case review.