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Bus Accident Attorney in Caldwell County, MO
Bus Accident Attorney in Caldwell County, MO. If you or a family member has been injured in a devastating 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 the same attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can frequently be similarly harmful and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Caldwell County, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and obey the rules. When they eschew their duty and break the rules it can have devastating, sometimes lifelong outcomes for you or your family. Your Caldwell County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make certain that you collect the maximum compensation that you are owed for your injuries.
At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over two decades of experience defending the injured in Caldwell County and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to be held responsible for their thoughtless behavior. Many Caldwell County, MO individuals have put their cases and their futures in our accomplished hands, and in total we have secured for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, dedication, tenacity, knowledge and experience to help secure justice in personal injury cases and help Caldwell County, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose work, pay for pricey medical costs and also work through the emotional impact of your injury only because someone else did not respect the rules. If you or someone you care about has been harmed in a Caldwell County, MO bus accident, contact the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation. We get started on your case straight away, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.
If you were injured in a bus accident in Caldwell County, MO because of somebody else's thoughtless behavior, discover how much your claim 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 Caldwell County, 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 boarded the bus supposing that the adequate safety arrangements were obeyed. Caldwell County, MO bus companies and drivers have firm regulations they have an obligation to respect, but sometimes they neglect those responsibilities 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 really recover from, may have permanent consequences or in the most tragic cases can even lead to wrongful death. The Caldwell County, 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 are entitled to. We have seen every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Caldwell County, MO individuals and families into accepting less money than they are owed. Those Caldwell County, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the tough 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 convoluted and can be difficult to comprehend for Caldwell County, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial skills of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over two decades fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Caldwell County, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every facet of your claim. You can bank on an experienced 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 on the scene at any time during the day or night in order to acquire key evidence for your case.
- Interview eyewitnesses who were either also experienced injuries in the crash or were close by. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are often other people who want the same answers and financial recovery you do. Eyewitness testimony is a important part of proving your case.
- Obtain additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, police reports, in additional to important details such as how far the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and maintenance was done on the bus. Several different factors cause bus accidents, and your Burger Law Caldwell County, MO bus accident attorney will find out the "whys" of the crash and who needs to be held liable.
- Work with our network of Caldwell County, MO auto wreck and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and compute exactly how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will use our know-how and expertise to ensure you collect it.
- Fight back against resistant Caldwell County, 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 duty 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 does not offer a fair settlement, we will use our expert litigation skills to win you a full financial recovery for your damages.
Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the whole time. We take control of 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 get maximum compensation. If you or someone you care about has been harmed 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 necessitates 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 caused your injuries. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Caldwell County, 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 discover what entity needs to be held responsible for your injuries.
What Causes Bus Accidents? | Caldwell County, MO Bus Accident Attorney
- Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that novice drivers under 25 years old, in addition to more experienced drivers over the age of 55 were more likely to be driving when a bus accident took place.
- Driver behavior. While the same study found that a mere 4 percent of bus accidents were owing to 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 committed driving errors, such as speeding, being drowsy 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 necessitate drivers to drive hundreds of miles at all hours of the day or night, become drowsy 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 often they have to take a break, those regulations are frequently <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/23/us/greyhound-investigation/" target="_blank” rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener title="CNN"not required or obeyed.
- Road conditions. Given buses’ weight and the awkwardness of driving them, icy roads or Caldwell County, MO construction areas can be particularly hazardous for bus riders. In some cases a third party such as a construction company is negligent. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you determine if that applies case.
- Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are regulated, 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 trucks and buses, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews generally cannot stay ahead of the quantity of inspections required. Some Caldwell County, MO bus companies do not properly repair their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Additionally, bus companies are obligated to make sure that their drivers are properly 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. A Few typical examples are:
- Potholes
- Cracked or uneven pavement
- Faulty or missing traffic lights
- Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
- Insufficient lighting
- Excessive grades
The more time the hazardous condition has been on the Caldwell County, MO street, the better chance you have of holding the negligent parties responsible. The at-fault party may be a local Caldwell County, 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 sufficiently repair it.
Once your experienced Caldwell County, MO bus accident attorney confirm the reasons behind your accident, they will be able to ascertain who is liable for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward winning you maximum compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are generally found at-fault in bus accident cases.
Commercial Bus Companies
Transport buses such as Greyhounds are deemed common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to maintain their safety. Part of that duty of care is to make sure that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite saying that safety is their top priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules in regards to driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to prevent drowsiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is rarely obeyed 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 owing to driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound passengers have said that their driver was eating when the accident took place, which is an example of distracted driving.
Making certain that Caldwell County, MO buses are properly inspected and repaired and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also the responsibility of the bus company. A bus accident may be a consequence of a bus company either neglecting to carry out routine inspections or neglecting to repair a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are particularly at risk of breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.
Lastly, bus companies cannot use negligent hiring practices. All drivers need to be correctly licensed and trained, and should only be able to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Caldwell County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will carry out a full 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 guarantee the safety of their products and immediately issue recalls if a product is discovered to be defective. If they approve an inherently faulty 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 try to place the blame on somebody else, your Caldwell County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure at-fault parties are held accountable for their actions.
The Caldwell County or Missouri Government or a Public Entity
Public transportation accidents can frequently be disastrous because of the number of people who could be injured and because they frequently take place in densely populated areas. While you can file a suit against the Caldwell County, MO government, there are specific procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury cases. 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 essential to contact a Caldwell County, 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 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 a crash due to driver error. If they became distracted by eating or texting, did not stop the bus when they were feeling sleepy, did not pay attention to the Caldwell County, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the dangerous decision to drive drunk, they need to be held responsible just like bus companies sometimes have to be. When you go on 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 tenacious bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.
The Other Driver
Like any type of auto wreck, there are frequently two or more drivers, and in some instances 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 hurt in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and accomplished Caldwell County, MO bus accident attorney will help you ascertain if they are liable and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.
School Districts
School bus accidents are the the type of bus accident we most typically see in Caldwell County and Missouri. Nationally, school bus accidents account for 40 percent of all fatal bus crashes. While often the driver, bus company or bus manufacturer is at fault, a school district in Caldwell County, MO may also be held responsible, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were particularly bad or they did not conduct 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 Caldwell County, MO Recover For Me?
The compensation you receive in a bus accident case will usually depend on the severity of your injuries and how they have impacted and will impact they have on your life. You may have received a mild concussion that just required a quick trip to an emergency room in Caldwell County, MO and a couple weeks off work. Or, you may have sustained a catastrophic 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 Caldwell County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain that you are awarded 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, rehabilitation, assistive devices and medications
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
We work alongside our team of medical and economic experts to determine 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 severe your injuries and however much they have affected your life, Burger Law's Caldwell County, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly to ensure that you are awarded 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 Caldwell County, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today
We have seen every type of bus accident case and know the incalculable pain and ruinous effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Caldwell County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, trustworthy and tenacious and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have acquired over the past 20 years to secure you the full recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been injured 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 complimentary case evaluation.