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Bus Accident Attorney in Antonia, MO
Bus Accident Attorney in Antonia, MO. If you or a family member has been injured 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 almost never receive equal attention as plane or train crashes, even though the can often be similarly hazardous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Antonia, 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 devastating, sometimes lifelong effects for you or your family. Your Antonia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you get the maximum compensation that you are entitled to 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 Antonia and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like deceptive insurance companies and people who egotistically do not want to take responsibility for their reckless actions. Our Antonia, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our trustworthy hands, and to date we have gotten them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, commitment, resolution, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Antonia, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose work, pay for pricey medical costs and also work through the emotional trauma of your injury only because someone else did not respect the rules. If you or someone you care about has been injured in a Antonia, MO bus accident, reach out to the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case review. We begin working on your claim at once, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.
If you were injured in a bus accident in Antonia, MO because of somebody else's thoughtless actions, learn how much your damages may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.
What's The Process to Settle My Personal Injury Claim?
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Do I Need a Antonia, MO Bus Accident Attorney?
If you have sustained injuries in a bus accident, you are probably feeling especially unshielded. After all, you were not the one driving and you boarded the bus under the assumption that the correct safety arrangements were followed. Antonia, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent laws they have a responsibility to follow, but sometimes they neglect those obligations and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is typically caused by bus accidents, injuries can take years to truly recover from, may have lifelong effects or in the worst instances can even result in wrongful death. The Antonia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight by your side so you do not need to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we get to work on on your case right away, and will not let up until you are awarded the full compensation you are owed. We have seen every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Antonia, MO individuals and families into accepting less money than they deserve. Those Antonia, 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 compassionate, experienced and tenacious bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.
The legal process is convoluted and can be unforgiving to Antonia, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial capabilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have over two decades of experience fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Antonia, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every aspect of your claim. You can anticipate a seasoned and skilled 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 on the scene at any time during the day or night in order to obtain key evidence for your case.
- Interview eyewitnesses who were either also sustained injuries in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are often a lot of passengers who want the same answers and financial recovery you do. We will conduct official depositions of eyewitnesses to aid in your case.
- Acquire additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, police reports, as well as important details such as how many miles the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and repairs were done on the bus. Many different factors play a part in bus accidents, and your Burger Law Antonia, MO bus accident attorney will find out the "whys" of the crash and who needs to be held responsible.
- Use our network of Antonia, MO accident and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and put a figure on exactly how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are owed and we will utilize our savvy and expertise to make sure you receive it.
- Stand up to resistant Antonia, 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 injuries. When you hire us, you can be sure those deceptive maneuvers will not work in your case.
- Take the fight to trial if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will use our expert litigation skills to win you a full financial recovery for your injuries.
Furthermore, our bus accident attorney team will be keeping you informed 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 you are fairly compensated. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a devastating bus accident, contact an expert and dedicated bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.
Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?
Because it requires so many people to run a bus safely, from manufacturers, to bus companies to drivers, you will first need to discover the cause of the accident before determining who is liable. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Antonia, 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 discover who is liable for your injuries.
What Causes Bus Accidents? | Antonia, 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, in addition to more experienced drivers over 55 years old were more likely to be driving when a bus accident happened.
- Driver error. While the same study found that just 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by a severe offense such as the driver being 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 instance, speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
- Driver fatigue. A good deal of bus drivers, especially those that drive for commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that require 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 without a break or how frequently 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 obligated or followed.
- Road conditions. Given buses’ mass and the difficulty of maneuvering them, slick roads or Antonia, MO construction areas can be especially dangerous for bus commuters. Occasionally a third party such as a construction company will be liable. 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 people responsible for inspections of over 765,000 trucks and buses, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors frequently cannot keep pace with the quantity of inspections required. Some Antonia, MO bus companies do not properly maintain their vehicles, causing them to be dangerous. Additionally, bus companies are obligated to make certain that their drivers are sufficiently trained and do not drive too long without a break.
- Dangerous roads. Faults 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
- Defective or missing traffic lights
- Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
- Insufficient lighting
- Excessive grades
The longer the hazardous condition has been on the Antonia, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the at-fault parties responsible. The negligent party may be a local Antonia, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to repair the condition but either did not do so in a timely fashion or did not correctly repair it.
Once your expert Antonia, MO bus accident attorney establishes the cause of your crash, they will be able to ascertain who is responsible for your injuries and how to go forward with securing you maximum compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are often found at-fault in bus accident claims.
Commercial Bus Lines
Transport buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers under the law, 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 ensure that their drivers are not being overworked. In despite of saying that safety is their foremost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules when it comes to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to prevent fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is rarely 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 caused by driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound passengers have said that their driver was eating during the time of an accident, which constitutes distracted driving.
Making certain that Antonia, MO buses are correctly inspected and maintained and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also part of the bus company's duty. A bus accident might be a consequence of a bus company either failing to perform routine inspections or failing to fix a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are particularly vulnerable to breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.
Finally, bus companies need to be prudent in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be adequately licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Antonia, 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 crash occurred.
A Bus Manufacturer
Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation to verify the safety of their products and quickly issue recalls if a product is found to be defective. 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 may attempt to shift the blame to someone else, your Antonia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure liable parties are held responsible for their behavior.
The Antonia or Missouri Government or a Public Entity
Public transportation accidents can often be devastating because of the number of people involved and because they generally transpire in densely populated areas. While you can file a suit against the Antonia, MO government, there are particular 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 imperative to contact a Antonia, MO bus accident attorney right 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 a negligent or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.
The Bus Driver
Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident through driving mistakes. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not stop driving when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the Antonia, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the horrible decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable just like bus companies sometimes have to be. When you ascend a bus you trust that driver with your health and your life. If a bus driver does not take that duty to heart and causes you injury, you can be sure that the devoted and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them responsible.
The Other Driver
Like any type of auto collision, two or more drivers are frequently involved, and in some instances they each may share 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 injure you. If you were hurt in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and veteran Antonia, MO bus accident attorney will help you determine if they are liable and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.
School Districts
School bus accidents are the the category of bus accident we most commonly see in Antonia 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 Antonia, MO may also be held responsible, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were particularly 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 Antonia, MO Recover For Me?
The compensation you are awarded in a bus accident case will usually be based on the severity of your injuries and how they have impacted and will affect they have on your life. You may have gotten a sprained wrist that only needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Antonia, MO and a short time off work. Or, you may have sustained 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 Antonia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain that you collect a maximum 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 utilize our network of medical and economic experts to compute the exact dollar amount you are owed, 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 Antonia, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively 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:
- Truck Crash Lawyers in Missouri
- Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Missouri
- Car Accident Attorney in Missouri
Call Our Antonia, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today
We have seen every kind of bus accident case and know the tremendous anguish and devastating effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Antonia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, honest and persistent and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have obtained over the past 20 years to get you the the best possible 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 complimentary consultation.