Bus Accident Attorney in West St. Louis County, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in West St. Louis County, MO. If you or a family member has been harmed in a catastrophic bus accident, take the first step in your recovery by calling Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or by contacting us online.

Bus accidents hardly ever receive the same attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can often be equally as hazardous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust West St. Louis County, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and obey the rules. When they eschew their duty and disregard the rules it can have ruinous, sometimes lifelong outcomes for you or your loved ones. Your West St. Louis County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make certain that you secure the maximum compensation that you are owed for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than 20 years of experience defending the injured in West St. Louis County and throughout Missouri and standing up to bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to take responsibility for their reckless behavior. Our West St. Louis County, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our accomplished hands, and to date we have gotten them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, dedication, persistence, knowledge and experience to help deliver justice in personal injury cases and help West St. Louis County, MO residents become whole again. You should not have to lose wages, pay for exorbitant medical costs and also deal with the emotional toll of your injury only because somebody else did not respect the rules. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a West St. Louis 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 consultation. We begin working on your case immediately, and we do not charge any fees until we win you the financial recovery you deserve.

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

Do I Need a West St. Louis County, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially unshielded. After all, you were not the driver and you got on board the bus under the assumption that the appropriate safety protocols were adhered to. West St. Louis County, MO bus companies and drivers have strict rules they have a duty to respect, but sometimes they neglect those obligations 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 fully heal from, may have lifelong consequences or in the worst cases can even cause wrongful death. The West St. Louis County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand by your side so you are not required to go it alone. When you hire us we get to work on on your case right away, and work tirelessly until you win the full compensation you are entitled to. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident claim and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured West St. Louis County, MO individuals and families into settling for less compensation than they deserve. Those West St. Louis County, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – 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 proceedings are complicated and can be unforgiving to West St. Louis County, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial experience of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have more than 20 years of experience standing up to bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our West St. Louis County, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every detail of your claim. You can bank on an accomplished and skilled 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 key 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 usually many people who want the same answers and financial recovery you do. Eyewitness testimony is a essential part of proving your case.
• Acquire further evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, police reports, as well as important details such as how many miles the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and repairs were performed on the bus. A lot of different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law West St. Louis County, MO bus accident attorney will find out why the crash happened and who needs to be held liable.
• Utilize our network of West St. Louis County, MO auto wreck 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 use our experience and expertise to make sure you receive it.
• Fight back against resistant West St. Louis County, MO insurance companies who are more concerned for 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 to trial if the insurance company does not offer a fair settlement, we will use our finely honed litigation skills to secure you a great financial recovery for your injuries.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be in your corner entire time. We oversee 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 you are fully compensated. If you or a family member has been harmed 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?

Because it takes so many people to run a bus safely, from manufacturers, to bus companies to drivers, you will first need to determine the cause of the accident before determining who is liable. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled West St. Louis County, MO bus accident attorney like those at Burger Law have seen every variety of car accident, truck accident and bus accident case and will be able to find out what entity needs to be held liable for your injuries.

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

• Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that recently licensed 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 occurred.
• Driver behavior. While the same study reported that just 4 percent of bus accidents were owing to a serious 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, for example, speeding, being sleepy 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 at all hours of the day or night, become fatigued 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 frequently 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 obligated or complied with.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ mass and the difficulty of driving them, slick roads or West St. Louis County, MO construction areas can be especially risky for bus commuters. Occasionally a third party such as a construction company will be negligent. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you determine 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 people responsible for reviews for more than 765,000 motor carriers, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors typically cannot stay ahead of the amount of inspections needed. Some West St. Louis County, MO bus companies do not correctly repair their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Furthermore, bus companies are required to make sure that their drivers are properly trained and do not drive too long without a break.
• Hazardous roads. Faults in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. A Few typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Malfunctioning or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the hazardous condition has been on the West St. Louis County, MO road, the better your chances of holding the negligent parties accountable. The at-fault party may be a local West St. Louis County, MO government, or a third party whom the government contracted to repair the problem but either did not do so soon enough or did not sufficiently repair it.

Once your experienced West St. Louis County, MO bus accident attorney establishes the reasons for your wreck, they will be able to ascertain who is responsible for your injuries and how to proceed with winning you the best possible financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are generally found liable in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their patrons to maintain their safety. Part of that duty of care is to make sure that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite insisting that safety is their top priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not following its own rules in regards to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically required to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to prevent sleepiness. 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 owing to driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound customers have reported that their driver was eating when the accident transpired, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making certain that West St. Louis County, MO buses are sufficiently inspected and repaired and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also part of the bus company's responsibility. A bus accident may be a consequence of a bus company either neglecting to perform routine inspections or failing to fix a broken part or component. Older buses are especially prone to breaking down and bus companies need to 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 West St. Louis 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 occurred.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation to certify the safety of their vehicles and immediately issue recalls if a product is discovered to be dangerous. If they approve an inherently flawed 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 may try to place the blame on somebody else, your West St. Louis County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure negligent parties are held responsible for their actions.

The West St. Louis County or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be devastating because of the number of people involved and because they usually happen in densely populated areas. While you can seek a financial recovery from the West St. Louis County, MO government, there are specific procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in tort cases. If you seek to make a claim 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 reach out to a West St. Louis County, MO bus accident attorney straight 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 operating a motor vehicle “within the course of their employment.” This means that you can sue or make a claim against an at-fault or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a wreck owing to driving mistakes. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or talking, did not stop driving when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the West St. Louis 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 get on a bus you trust that driver with your health and your life. If a bus driver does not take that obligation seriously and causes you injury, you can be confident that the dedicated and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them responsible.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle wreck, two or more drivers are frequently involved, and in some cases they each may shoulder a percentage of the blame. Another driver’s thoughtlessness, such as speeding, driving while intoxicated or pulling in front of the bus too quickly can injure you. If you were injured in a bus wreck where there was another driver or drivers involved, your skilled and veteran West St. Louis County, MO bus accident attorney will help you determine if they are responsible 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 West St. Louis 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 responsible, a school district in West St. Louis County, MO may also be held accountable, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were especially dangerous 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 West St. Louis County, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you collect in a bus accident case will generally be based on the seriousness of your injuries and how they have impacted and will affect they have on your life. You may have sustained a sprained ankle that only needed a quick trip to an emergency room in West St. Louis County, MO and a week or two off work. Or, you may have received a devastating 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 West St. Louis County, 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 expenses, 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 quantify the exact dollar amount you are entitled to, 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 West St. Louis County, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively to ensure that you receive 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 West St. Louis County, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every sort of bus accident case and know the incalculable pain and catastrophic effect it can have on your and your family. Your West St. Louis County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, honest and determined and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have obtained over the past 20 years to win 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 free case review.