Bus Accident Attorney in Ballwin, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Ballwin, MO. If you or a family member has been harmed 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 hardly ever get equal attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can often be equally as harmful and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Ballwin, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and respect the rules. When they break that trust and do not respect the rules it can have terrible, sometimes permanent consequences for you or the people you care about. Your Ballwin, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make certain that you get the best possible compensation that you deserve for your damages.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than two decades of experience defending the injured in Ballwin and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who egotistically do not want to be held accountable for their negligent behavior. Our Ballwin, MO clients have put their cases and their futures in our accomplished 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 find justice in personal injury cases and help Ballwin, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose wages, pay for pricey medical costs and also deal with the emotional trauma of your injury just because somebody else disregarded the rules. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Ballwin, 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 free consultation. We start working on your claim immediately, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your case.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Ballwin, MO because of someone else's reckless actions, find out how much your claim may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Ballwin, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have received injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially unshielded. After all, you were not the one driving and you got on board the bus under the assumption that the adequate safety protocols were followed. Ballwin, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent regulations they have a responsibility to follow, but sometimes they neglect those responsibilities and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is generally exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to really heal from, may have lifelong consequences or in the most terrible cases can even cause wrongful death. The Ballwin, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand by your side so you are not required 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 entitled to. We have experienced with every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Ballwin, MO individuals and families into settling for less money than they are owed. Those Ballwin, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the hard cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, seasoned and relentless bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you protect your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal procedures are complicated and can be difficult to comprehend for Ballwin, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial experience of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have over two decades of experience standing up to bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Ballwin, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every aspect of your claim. You can expect an accomplished and talented 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 of the day or night in order to secure essential evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also sustained injuries in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry many passengers, there are often other passengers who want the same answers and compensation you do. Eyewitness testimony is a essential part of proving your case.
• Obtain 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 repairs were conducted on the bus. Many different factors give rise to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Ballwin, MO bus accident attorney will discover the "whys" of the accident and who needs to be held responsible.
• Work alongside our network of Ballwin, MO crash and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and put a figure on precisely how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will use our savvy and expertise to make certain you collect it.
• Fight back against resistant Ballwin, MO insurance companies who are more concerned for their profits than your well-being. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and avoid their responsibility to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those ploys will not work in your case.
• Take your case in front of a judge and jury if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will use our expert litigation skills to win you a great financial recovery for your damages.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be keeping you informed entire time. We handle 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 loved one has been injured in a calamitous 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 role to play in running a bus safely you will first need to discover the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Ballwin, 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 is liable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Ballwin, 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 the age of 55 were more likely to be driving when a bus accident transpired.
• Driver error. While the same study stated that a mere 4 percent of bus accidents were due to an egregious offense such as drunk driving, another study by the University of Michigan reported that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus crashes had committed driving errors, for instance, speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A large portion of bus drivers, especially the ones that are employed by commercial bus companies 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 behind 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 enforced or complied with.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ size and the difficulty of driving them, slippery roads or Ballwin, MO construction areas can be especially hazardous for bus passengers. In some cases a third party such as a construction company is at fault. 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 bodies, 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 inspectors responsible for reviews for over 765,000 trucks and buses, or only 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors often cannot stay ahead of the quantity of inspections needed. Some Ballwin, MO bus companies do not properly maintain their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Additionally, bus companies are mandated to ensure that their drivers are sufficiently trained and do not drive too long without a break.
• Hazardous 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
  • Defective or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Insufficient lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the dangerous condition has been on the Ballwin, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the at-fault parties accountable. The negligent party may be a local Ballwin, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to repair the issue but either did not do so quickly enough or did not correctly repair it.

Once your skilled Ballwin, MO bus accident attorney confirm the cause of your crash, they will be able to confirm who is responsible for your injuries and how to go forward with securing you a full financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are generally found negligent in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are regarded as common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their patrons to maintain their safety. One facet of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite saying that safety is their foremost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules regarding driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically mandated 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 result in 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 when the crash occurred, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making certain that Ballwin, MO buses are adequately inspected and maintained and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also the responsibility of the bus company. A bus accident might be because of a bus company either neglecting to provide routine maintenance or failing to fix a broken part or component. Older buses are especially predisposed 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 permitted to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Ballwin, 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 crash transpired.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation to certify the safety of their vehicles and quickly announce recalls in the event of a defective product. If they approve an inherently unsafe 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 might attempt to place the blame on someone else, your Ballwin, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure reckless parties are held accountable for their actions.

The Ballwin or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be devastating because of the number of people who could be injured and because they often occur in densely populated areas. While you can seek compensation from the Ballwin, 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 tort suits. If you want 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 urgent to get in touch with a Ballwin, MO bus accident attorney immediately after your injury. 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 liable or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident because of driver error. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or texting, did not pull over when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the Ballwin, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the foolish decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable 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 duty seriously and causes you injury, you can be certain that the dedicated and aggressive bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle crash, there are frequently two or more drivers, and in some instances they each may be responsible for 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 injure you. If you were injured in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and experienced Ballwin, MO bus accident attorney will help you establish 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 Ballwin 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 Ballwin, MO may also be held responsible, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were especially dangerous 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 Ballwin, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you are awarded in a bus accident case will typically depend on the seriousness of your injuries and the consequences they have on your life. You may have gotten a sprained ankle that merely needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Ballwin, MO and a couple weeks off work. Or, you may have received a disastrous 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 Ballwin, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure that you are awarded 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 with our team 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 serious your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Ballwin, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively to ensure that you collect 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
• Car Accident Attorney in Missouri

Call Our Ballwin, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every type of bus accident case and know the incalculable pain and catastrophic effect it can have on your and your family. Your Ballwin, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, honest and determined and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have obtained over the past two decades to win you the full 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.