Bus Accident Attorney in Webster Groves, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Webster Groves, MO. If you or someone you care about has been injured 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 the same attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can oftentimes be similarly dangerous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Webster Groves, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and respect the rules. When they eschew their duty and break the rules it can have devastating, sometimes permanent outcomes for you or your loved ones. Your Webster Groves, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you receive the full compensation that you deserve for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over 20 years of experience defending the injured in Webster Groves and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who egocentrically do not want to be held responsible for their careless behavior. Many Webster Groves, MO residents 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 determination, commitment, persistence, knowledge and experience to help find justice in personal injury cases and help Webster Groves, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose wages, pay for expensive medical costs and also work through the emotional trauma of your injury only because somebody else broke the rules. If you or a family member has been hurt in a Webster Groves, MO bus accident, call the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary consultation. We get started on your claim immediately, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Webster Groves, MO because of somebody else's negligent actions, learn how much your claim may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Webster Groves, 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 driver and you got on the bus supposing that the proper safety protocols were followed. Webster Groves, MO bus companies and drivers have firm rules they are supposed to adhere to, but sometimes they neglect those responsibilities and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is frequently exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to truly heal from, may have permanent consequences or in the most terrible instances can even cause wrongful death. The Webster Groves, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight on your behalf so you do not have to go it alone. When you hire us we start investigating on your case right away, and work tirelessly until you win the maximum compensation you are entitled to. We have seen every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Webster Groves, MO individuals and families into accepting less compensation than they deserve. Those Webster Groves, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the difficult cases. Call us today and let the empathetic, accomplished and aggressive bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you protect your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal procedures are complex and can be unforgiving to Webster Groves, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial capabilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over two decades fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Webster Groves, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every facet of your claim. You can expect a veteran and knowledgeable bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the accident site as soon as possible. When you call us, we can have a bus accident lawyer at the site at any time of the day or night in order to obtain key evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also experienced injuries in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are usually many passengers who want the same answers and compensation you do. We will conduct official depositions of eyewitnesses to aid in your case.
• Collect additional evidence such as tire marks, security footage, police reports, and key details such as how long the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and maintenance was performed on the bus. A lot of different factors give rise to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Webster Groves, MO bus accident attorney will find out why the crash happened and who needs to be held liable.
• Utilize our network of Webster Groves, 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 ensure you collect it.
• Fight back against resistant Webster Groves, 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 weasel their way out of their duty to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those deceptive maneuvers will not work in your case.
• Take the fight in front of a judge and jury if the insurance company will not offer a fair settlement, we will use our expert litigation skills to win you a full financial recovery for your injuries.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the 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 we win your case. If you or a family member has been harmed in a devastating bus accident, contact an expert and committed bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Because it takes so many people to operate a bus safely, from manufacturers, to bus companies to drivers, you will first need to discover the cause of the accident before determining who caused your injuries. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Webster Groves, 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 needs to be held accountable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Webster Groves, MO Bus Accident Attorney

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that novice drivers under the age of 25, as well as more experienced drivers over 55 years old were more likely to be driving when a bus accident transpired.
• Driver error. While the same study reported that a mere 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by a grave offense such as drunk driving, another study by the University of Michigan found that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus crashes had been cited with driving errors, for example, speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A lot of bus drivers, especially the ones that are employed by commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that necessitate drivers to drive hundreds of miles in the middle of the night, become fatigued and can even fall asleep at the wheel. While most busing companies have specifications about how many hours a driver can drive during a day 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 conditions. Given buses’ weight and the awkwardness of driving them, slick roads or Webster Groves, MO construction areas can be particularly hazardous for bus riders. Occasionally 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 overseen by regulatory entities, but much less than other transportation industries. A 2011 study by the National Transportation Safety Board found that The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has only 878 personnel responsible for inspections of over 765,000 trucks and buses, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors frequently cannot keep pace with the number of inspections needed. Some Webster Groves, MO bus companies do not properly repair their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Additionally, bus companies are obligated to ensure that their drivers are sufficiently trained and do not drive too many hours without a break.
• Dangerous 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 lights
  • Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the hazardous condition has been on the Webster Groves, MO street, the better chance you have of holding the at-fault parties responsible. The liable party may be a local Webster Groves, 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 properly repair it.

Once your accomplished Webster Groves, MO bus accident attorney determines the reasons behind your crash, they will be able to ascertain who is at-fault for your injuries and how to go forward with getting you full compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are generally found at-fault in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their riders to maintain their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not driving too many miles in a day. 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 when it comes to 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 rarely followed as too many breaks could cause financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study stated that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were due to driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound passengers have stated that their driver was eating when the accident transpired, which is an example of distracted driving.

Ensuring that Webster Groves, MO buses are correctly 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 could be because of a bus company either neglecting to conduct routine maintenance or neglecting to fix a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are especially vulnerable 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 properly licensed and trained, and should only be permitted to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Webster Groves, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will perform 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 verify the safety of their vehicles and swiftly announce recalls in the event of a faulty product. 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 try to shift the blame to someone else, your Webster Groves, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure at-fault parties are held accountable for their behavior.

The Webster Groves or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be ruinous because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they often take place in densely populated areas. While you can seek compensation from the Webster Groves, MO government, there are special procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in tort suits. 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 essential to contact a Webster Groves, MO bus accident attorney at once 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 a negligent or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident owing to recklessness. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or talking, did not stop when they were feeling sleepy, did not pay attention to the Webster Groves, 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 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 relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto wreck, there are often two or more drivers, and in some instances they each may shoulder 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 hurt in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and seasoned Webster Groves, MO bus accident attorney will help you ascertain if they are liable and if you can make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the the category of bus accident we most commonly see in Webster Groves 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 at fault, a school district in Webster Groves, MO may also be held accountable, for example 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 Webster Groves, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you get in a bus accident case will typically depend on the gravity of your injuries and how they have impacted and will impact they have on your life. You may have gotten a mild concussion that merely needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Webster Groves, MO and a couple weeks off work. Or, you may have experienced a devastating 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 Webster Groves, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure 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, physical therapy, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We utilize our network 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 serious your injuries and however much they have affected your life, Burger Law's Webster Groves, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly to ensure that you recover 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 Webster Groves, 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 Webster Groves, 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 secure you the the best possible recovery you are rightfully owed. 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 free case evaluation.