Bus Accident Attorney in Waynesville, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Waynesville, MO. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a disastrous 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 similarly harmful and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Waynesville, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and respect the rules. When they eschew their obligations and do not respect the rules it can have ruinous, sometimes lifelong effects for you or the people you care about. Your Waynesville, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you secure the best possible compensation that you are owed for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than 20 years of experience fighting for the rights of the injured in Waynesville and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who egocentrically do not want to be held accountable for their thoughtless actions. Our Waynesville, MO clients have put their cases and their futures in our knowledgeable hands, and to date we have recovered for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, commitment, resolution, knowledge and experience to help secure justice in personal injury cases and help Waynesville, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose wages, pay for sky-high medical costs and also handle the emotional toll of your injury only because somebody else disregarded the rules. If you or a family member has been injured in a Waynesville, MO bus accident, reach out to the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case review. We get started on your case at once, and you do not owe us any fees until we win you the compensation you are entitled to.

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

Do I Need a Waynesville, 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 one driving and you got on the bus under the impression that that the adequate safety measures were obeyed. Waynesville, MO bus companies and drivers have strict regulations they are supposed to respect, but sometimes they fail in 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 really recover from, may have lifelong consequences or in the worst cases can even result in wrongful death. The Waynesville, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight on your behalf so you do not need to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we begin working on your case at once, and work tirelessly until you receive the best possible compensation you are owed. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Waynesville, MO individuals and families into settling for less compensation than they are owed. Those Waynesville, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the complicated cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, seasoned 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 difficult to comprehend for Waynesville, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial experience of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have over 20 years of experience fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Waynesville, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every detail of your claim. You can expect a seasoned 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 obtain vital evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also sustained injuries in the crash or were close by. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are usually many people who want the same answers and financial recovery you seek. Eyewitness testimony is a essential part of winning your case.
• Acquire further evidence such as tire marks, security footage, police reports, and important details such as how many miles the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and maintenance was performed on the bus. A lot of different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Waynesville, MO bus accident attorney will discover why the crash happened and who needs to be held responsible.
• Utilize our network of Waynesville, MO crash and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and put a figure on precisely how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will use our savvy and expertise to make sure you receive it.
• Fight back against resistant Waynesville, MO insurance companies who are more interested in their bottom line than your well-being. 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 finely honed litigation skills to win you a great financial recovery for your injuries.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be in your corner whole time. We handle all communication, documentation and litigation so that you can spend 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 injured in a ruinous bus accident, contact an expert and devoted 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 find out the cause of the accident before determining who caused your injuries. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Waynesville, 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 is liable for your injuries.

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

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that beginner 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 took place.
• Driver error. While the same study found that a mere 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by a grave offense such as the driver being intoxicated, another study by the University of Michigan found that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus collisions had committed driving errors, such as speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A lot of bus drivers, especially those that are employed by commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that necessitate 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 rules about how many hours a driver can drive during a day or how often they have to take a break, those rules are often <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/23/us/greyhound-investigation/" target="_blank” rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener title="CNN"not enforced or followed.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ mass and the awkwardness of driving them, slick roads or Waynesville, MO construction areas can be especially risky 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 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 just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews frequently cannot stay ahead of the amount of inspections needed. Some Waynesville, MO bus companies do not adequately inspect their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Additionally, bus companies are obligated to make sure that their drivers are properly trained and do not drive too long without a break.
• Hazardous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can lead to a driver losing control and crashing. A Few typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Defective or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for instance branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Insufficient lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The longer the dangerous condition has been on the Waynesville, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the liable parties responsible. The at-fault party may be a local Waynesville, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to fix the problem but either did not do so in a timely fashion or did not sufficiently repair it.

Once your accomplished Waynesville, MO bus accident attorney confirm the reasons behind your wreck, they will be able to confirm who is liable for your injuries and how to go forward with securing you a full financial recovery. 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 regarded as common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to look out for their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to make sure that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite saying that safety is their top priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules concerning driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically obliged to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to stave off sleepiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often followed as too many breaks could result in financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study found that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were caused by driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound passengers have stated that their driver was eating when the crash happened, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making certain that Waynesville, MO buses are adequately inspected and repaired and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also part of the bus company's obligation. A bus accident might be because 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 susceptible to breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Finally, bus companies cannot use negligent hiring practices. All drivers need to be correctly licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Waynesville, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will carry out a full investigation into the bus company's hiring practices and the person who was driving when the accident happened.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a duty to certify the safety of their vehicles and swiftly issue recalls in the event of a faulty product. 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 somebody else, your Waynesville, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure careless parties are held responsible for their actions.

The Waynesville or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be calamitous because of the number of people who could be injured and because they usually occur in metropolitan areas. While you can file a suit against the Waynesville, MO government, there are special procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury cases. 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 call a Waynesville, MO bus accident attorney at once 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 operating a motor vehicle “within the course of their employment.” This means that you can sue or make a claim against a negligent or careless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a crash through negligence. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not stop the bus when they were feeling overly tired, did not pay attention to the Waynesville, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the terrible 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 health and your life. If a bus driver does not take that responsibility seriously and causes you injury, you can be confident that the committed and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them responsible.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle crash, two or more drivers are often involved, and in some cases they each may be responsible for 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 harm you. If you were hurt in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and experienced Waynesville, MO bus accident attorney will help you establish if they are at fault and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the the type of bus accident we most typically see in Waynesville 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 Waynesville, MO may also be held responsible, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were especially poor 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 Waynesville, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you are awarded in a bus accident case will usually depend on the seriousness of your injuries and the repercussions they have on your life. You may have sustained a sprained wrist that merely required a quick trip to an emergency room in Waynesville, MO and a short time 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 Waynesville, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure 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 potential

  We work alongside our network of medical and economic experts to compute 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 Waynesville, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly to ensure that you receive maximum 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 Waynesville, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every category of bus accident case and know the incalculable anguish and disastrous effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your Waynesville, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is empathetic, accomplished, trustworthy and persistent and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have obtained over the past two decades to get you the the best possible recovery you are rightfully owed. 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 review.