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Bus Accident Attorney in Battlefield, MO
Bus Accident Attorney in Battlefield, MO. If you or a family member has been hurt 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 receive the same attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can often be similarly harmful and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Battlefield, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and respect the rules. When they eschew their responsibilities and break the rules it can have terrible, sometimes lifelong consequences for you or your family. Your Battlefield, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you secure the full compensation that you deserve for your injuries.
At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than two decades of experience defending the injured in Battlefield and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who carelessly do not want to be held accountable for their reckless behavior. Our Battlefield, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our capable hands, and to date we have secured for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, dedication, relentlessness, knowledge and experience to help find justice in personal injury cases and help Battlefield, MO residents become whole again. You should not have to lose work, pay for extortionate medical bills and also work through the emotional impact of your injury only because someone else broke the rules. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a Battlefield, MO bus accident, contact the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case review. We start 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 Battlefield, MO because of someone else's thoughtless actions, discover how much your injury 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 Battlefield, MO Bus Accident Attorney?
If you have received injuries in a bus accident, you are probably feeling especially unprotected. After all, you were not the one driving and you got on board the bus supposing that the appropriate safety arrangements were adhered to. Battlefield, MO bus companies and drivers have firm laws they are supposed to follow, but sometimes they neglect those obligations and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is often exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to really recover from, may have lifelong effects or in the worst instances can even cause wrongful death. The Battlefield, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand in your corner so you do not have to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we start working on your case straight away, and work relentlessly until you recover the best possible compensation you deserve. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Battlefield, MO individuals and families into accepting less money than they are owed. Those Battlefield, 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 compassionate, experienced and tenacious bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.
Legal procedures are complex and can be difficult to comprehend for Battlefield, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial capabilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have more than two decades of experience fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Battlefield, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every detail of your case. You can expect an experienced and skilled bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:
- Investigate the accident site immediately. 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 received injuries in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry many passengers, there are typically a lot of people who want the same answers and compensation you seek. Eyewitness testimony is a important part of proving your case.
- Acquire further evidence such as tire marks, security 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. Many different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Battlefield, MO bus accident attorney will determine why the crash happened and who needs to be held liable.
- Work with our network of Battlefield, MO accident 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 owed and we will utilize our savvy and expertise to ensure you collect it.
- Fight back against resistant Battlefield, MO insurance companies who care more about their bottom line than your well-being. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and devalue your claim. 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 does not offer a fair settlement, we will use our finely honed litigation skills to secure you a full 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 charge no attorneys fees until you are fairly compensated. If you or someone you care about has been harmed in a disastrous bus accident, contact an expert and committed bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.
Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?
Since it requires so many people to operate a bus safely, from manufacturers, to bus companies to drivers, you will first need to learn the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Battlefield, 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 who needs to be held responsible for your injuries.
What Causes Bus Accidents? | Battlefield, MO Bus Accident Attorney
- Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that beginner 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 behavior. While the same study reported that only 4 percent of bus accidents were due to a serious offense such as driving while intoxicated, a different study by the University of Michigan reported that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus wrecks had committed driving errors, for example, speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
- Driver fatigue. Many bus drivers, particularly the ones that are employed by commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that require drivers to drive hundreds of miles in the middle of the night, become fatigued and can even fall asleep behind 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 often <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’ size and the intricacy of steering them, slick roads or Battlefield, MO construction areas can be particularly hazardous for bus commuters. In some cases a third party such as a construction company is at fault. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you decide 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 inspectors responsible for reviews for more than 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews typically cannot keep pace with the quantity of inspections required. Some Battlefield, MO bus companies do not correctly inspect their vehicles, causing them to be dangerous. Additionally, bus companies are mandated to make sure that their drivers are sufficiently trained and are not overworked.
- Dangerous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can lead to a driver losing control and crashing. Some typical examples are:
- Potholes
- Cracked or uneven pavement
- Defective or missing traffic signals
- Obstacles on the road, for instance branches or vehicle wreckage
- Inadequate lighting
- Excessive grades
The longer the dangerous condition has been on the Battlefield, MO street, the better your chances of holding the negligent parties accountable. The at-fault party may be a local Battlefield, MO government, or a third party whom the government contracted to fix the condition but either did not do so quickly enough or did not properly repair it.
Once your experienced Battlefield, MO bus accident attorney establishes the cause of your crash, they will be able to determine who is liable for your injuries and how to proceed with securing you a maximum financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are typically found liable in bus accident claims.
Commercial Bus Companies
Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are deemed common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their passengers to look out for 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 highest priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not following 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 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 caused by driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound riders have reported that their driver was eating during the time of an accident, which is an example of distracted driving.
Making certain that Battlefield, 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 responsibility. A bus accident may be because of a bus company either failing to provide routine maintenance 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 sufficiently licensed and trained, and should only be permitted to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Battlefield, 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 wreck occurred.
A Bus Manufacturer
Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to guarantee the safety of their vehicles and immediately issue recalls if a product is discovered to be faulty. If they approve an inherently flawed 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 Battlefield, 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 Battlefield or Missouri Government or a Public Entity
Public transportation accidents can often be calamitous because of the number of people involved and because they frequently take place in metropolitan areas. While you can file a suit against the Battlefield, 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 tort claims. If you want 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 crucial to reach out to a Battlefield, 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 driving 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 an accident through recklessness. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or texting, did not stop driving when they were feeling fatigued, did not pay attention to the Battlefield, 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 board a bus you trust that driver with your well-being 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 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 cases 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 harm you. If you were hurt in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and veteran Battlefield, MO bus accident attorney will help you determine if they are at fault and if you can make a claim against their insurance company.
School Districts
School bus accidents are the the kind of bus accident we most typically see in Battlefield 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 at fault, a school district in Battlefield, 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 proper 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 Battlefield, MO Recover For Me?
The compensation you get in a bus accident case will typically be based on the severity of your injuries and the repercussions they have on your life. You may have received a sprained wrist that merely needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Battlefield, MO and a short time off work. Or, you may have received a devastating spinal cord injury that leaves you disabled and in need of special equipment for the rest of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Battlefield, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain that you receive 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 costs, such as hospital bills, rehabilitation, assistive devices and medications
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
We utilize our network of medical and economic experts to quantify 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 grave your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Battlefield, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly to ensure that you get 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 Battlefield, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today
We have seen every sort of bus accident case and know the tremendous anguish and catastrophic effect it can have on your and your family. Your Battlefield, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, straightforward and persistent and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have acquired 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 hurt in a bus accident, do not wait another second. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a free case review.