Bus Accident Attorney in Versailles, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Versailles, MO. If you or a loved one has been hurt 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 almost never receive equal attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can often be equally as dangerous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Versailles, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and follow the rules. When they eschew their responsibilities and break the rules it can have terrible, sometimes permanent outcomes for you or your loved ones. Your Versailles, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you get the full compensation that you deserve for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than two decades of experience defending the injured in Versailles and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to be held accountable for their thoughtless actions. Many Versailles, MO families have put their claims 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, devotion, resolution, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Versailles, MO residents become whole again. You should not have to lose work, pay for pricey medical bills and also handle the emotional shock of your injury just because another person disregarded the rules. If you or a loved one has been harmed in a Versailles, MO bus accident, call the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation. We begin working on your case at once, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your case.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Versailles, MO because of another person's thoughtless behavior, discover how much your injury may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Versailles, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially undefended. After all, you were not the driver and you got on board the bus assuming that the correct safety protocols were adhered to. Versailles, MO bus companies and drivers have firm regulations they have a duty to follow, but sometimes they neglect those responsibilities and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is typically exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to truly heal from, may have permanent effects or in the worst instances can even result in wrongful death. The Versailles, 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 investigating on your case immediately, and will not let up until you get the best possible compensation you are owed. We have seen every type of bus accident claim and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Versailles, MO individuals and families into accepting less compensation than they entitled to. Those Versailles, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the complicated cases. Call us today and let the empathetic, seasoned and aggressive bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal procedures are complex and can be unforgiving to Versailles, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial experience of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over 20 years standing up to bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Versailles, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every aspect of your case. You can anticipate an experienced 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 important evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry a lot of passengers, there are almost always other people who want the same answers and compensation you need. Eyewitness testimony is a important part of proving your case.
• Collect additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, police reports, and important details such as how far the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and repairs were done on the bus. Many different factors give rise to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Versailles, MO bus accident attorney will determine the "whys" of the crash and who needs to be held accountable.
• Work with our network of Versailles, MO accident and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and assess exactly how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are owed and we will use our know-how and expertise to make sure you recover it.
• Stand up to resistant Versailles, MO insurance companies who are more interested in their bottom line than your health. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and avoid their obligation to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those deceptive maneuvers will not work in your case.
• Take your case in front of a judge and jury if the insurance company does not 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 manage 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 we win your case. If you or someone you care about has been injured 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?

Since bus drivers, companies and manufacturers all have a part to play in operating a bus safely you will first need to discover the cause of the accident before determining who caused your injuries. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Versailles, 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 discover who needs to be held liable for your injuries.

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

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that inexperienced 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 action. While the same study stated that just 4 percent of bus accidents were because of a severe offense such as drunk driving, another study by the University of Michigan found that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus collisions had been cited with driving errors, for instance, speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A lot of bus drivers, especially those that are employed by commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that require drivers to drive hundreds of miles in the middle of the night, become sleepy 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 often they have to take a break, those regulations are often <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 hazards. Given buses’ size and the intricacy of maneuvering them, slick roads or Versailles, MO construction areas can be particularly hazardous for bus commuters. In some cases a third party such as a construction company is negligent. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you discover if that applies 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 reviews for over 765,000 trucks and buses, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews frequently cannot stay ahead of the amount of inspections required. Some Versailles, 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 properly trained and are not overworked.
• Dangerous roads. Hazards in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. A Few common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Malfunctioning or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the dangerous condition has been on the Versailles, MO street, the better your chances of holding the at-fault parties accountable. The liable party may be a local Versailles, MO government, or a third party whom the government contracted to eliminate the condition but either did not do so soon enough or did not correctly repair it.

Once your experienced Versailles, MO bus accident attorney ascertains the reasons for your accident, they will be able to establish who is responsible 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 claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are deemed common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to maintain their safety. One facet of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not being overworked. In despite of saying that safety is their highest priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules in regards to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically obligated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to stave off fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often followed as too many breaks could lead to financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study found that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were because of driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound passengers have said that their driver was eating during the time of a crash, which is an example of distracted driving.

Ensuring that Versailles, MO buses are properly inspected and repaired and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also part of the bus company's responsibility. A bus accident could be because of a bus company either neglecting to carry out routine maintenance or neglecting to repair a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are particularly predisposed to breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies need to be mindful in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be correctly licensed and trained, and should only be able to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Versailles, 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 wreck happened.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation to certify the safety of their vehicles and immediately announce recalls in the event of a faulty product. If they approve an inherently flawed design or do not recall a component that they knew or should have known was not functioning properly, they are guilty of product liability. While they may attempt to place the blame on someone else, your Versailles, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure negligent parties are held responsible for their actions.

The Versailles or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be disastrous because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they generally take place in metropolitan areas. While you can make a claim against the Versailles, MO government, there are specific procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental bodies 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 injury with the Office of Administration’s Risk Management Division. That is why it is essential to get in touch with a Versailles, MO bus accident attorney at once 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 operating a motor vehicle “within the course of their employment.” This means that you can sue or make a claim against a liable or careless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident owing to negligence. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not stop when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the Versailles, 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 go on board a bus you trust that driver with your health and your life. If a bus driver does not take that responsibility seriously and causes you injury, you can be confident that the dedicated and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle wreck, there are often two or more drivers, and in some instances they each may share 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 harm you. If you were injured in a bus wreck where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and seasoned Versailles, MO bus accident attorney will help you establish 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 Versailles 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 liable, a school district in Versailles, MO may also be held responsible, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were particularly bad 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 Versailles, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you receive in a bus accident case will usually be based on the severity of your injuries and the consequences they have on your life. You may have sustained a sprained wrist that merely needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Versailles, MO and a couple weeks 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 Versailles, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain 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 expenses, such as hospital bills, rehabilitation, 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 affected your life, Burger Law's Versailles, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly to ensure that you receive the best possible 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 Versailles, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every variety of bus accident case and know the immense pain and calamitous effect it can have on your and your family. Your Versailles, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, straightforward and tenacious and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have obtained over the past two decades to get you the maximum recovery you rightfully deserve. 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 free consultation.