Bus Accident Attorney in Cape Girardeau, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Cape Girardeau, 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 hardly ever get equal attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can often be just as dangerous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Cape Girardeau, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and obey the rules. When they eschew their obligations and disregard the rules it can have devastating, sometimes permanent outcomes for you or your family. Your Cape Girardeau, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you collect 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 Cape Girardeau and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to be held accountable for their negligent behavior. Many Cape Girardeau, MO residents have put their claims and their futures in our trustworthy hands, and in total we have won them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, commitment, tenacity, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Cape Girardeau, MO residents become whole again. You should not have to lose work, pay for expensive medical bills and also work through the emotional shock of your injury just because somebody else disregarded the rules. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a Cape Girardeau, MO bus accident, contact the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation. We begin 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 Cape Girardeau, MO because of somebody else's reckless behavior, learn how much your claim may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Cape Girardeau, 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 the bus under the impression that that the proper safety arrangements were obeyed. Cape Girardeau, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent laws they are supposed to respect, 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 fully heal from, may have permanent effects or in the most terrible cases can even cause wrongful death. The Cape Girardeau, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight on your behalf so you do not have to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we get to work on on your case immediately, and work tirelessly until you get the best possible compensation you are entitled to. We have seen every type of bus accident claim and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Cape Girardeau, MO individuals and families into settling for less compensation than they deserve. Those Cape Girardeau, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the difficult cases. Call us today and let the empathetic, 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 complicated and can be difficult to comprehend for Cape Girardeau, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial experience of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over two decades fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Cape Girardeau, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every facet of your case. You can bank on a veteran and knowledgeable 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 on the scene at any time during the day or night in order to secure vital 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 often many passengers who want the same answers and compensation you do. Eyewitness testimony is a essential part of proving your case.
• Acquire further evidence such as tire marks, surveillance videos, police reports, and key details such as how long the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and maintenance was conducted on the bus. Many different factors play a part in bus accidents, and your Burger Law Cape Girardeau, MO bus accident attorney will discover the "whys" of the crash and who needs to be held responsible.
• Use our network of Cape Girardeau, MO crash 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 owed and we will utilize our know-how and expertise to make certain you receive it.
• Stand up to resistant Cape Girardeau, MO insurance companies who are more interested in their profits than your well-being. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and weasel their way out of their obligation to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those schemes 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 constantly trained litigation skills to win you a great financial recovery for your injuries.

Beyond that, our bus accident attorney team will be in your corner entire time. We oversee 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 we win your case. If you or a loved one has been injured in a devastating bus accident, contact an expert and committed bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Because it necessitates so many people to operate 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 Cape Girardeau, MO bus accident attorney like those at Burger Law have seen every type of car accident, truck accident and bus accident case and will be able to determine who needs to be held liable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Cape Girardeau, MO Bus Accident Attorney

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that recently licensed drivers under the age of 25, in addition to more experienced drivers over the age of 55 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 caused by a grave offense such as drunk driving, a different study by the University of Michigan reported that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus crashes had been cited with driving errors, such as speeding, being sleepy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. Many bus drivers, particularly those that are employed by commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that require drivers to drive hundreds of miles in the middle of the night, become sleepy and can even fall asleep at the wheel. While most busing companies have rules about how many hours a driver can drive during a day or how frequently 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 obligated or complied with.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ size and the difficulty of steering them, slippery roads or Cape Girardeau, MO construction areas can be especially 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 understand if that is true in your 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 personnel responsible for inspections of more than 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors generally cannot keep up with the number of inspections needed. Some Cape Girardeau, MO bus companies do not properly repair their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Furthermore, bus companies are mandated to make certain that their drivers are correctly trained and do not drive too many hours without a break.
• Hazardous roads. Faults in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. Some typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Malfunctioning or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The longer the dangerous condition has been on the Cape Girardeau, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the at-fault parties responsible. The liable party may be a local Cape Girardeau, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to repair the condition but either did not do so quickly enough or did not sufficiently repair it.

Once your expert Cape Girardeau, MO bus accident attorney establishes the cause of your wreck, they will be able to confirm who is at-fault for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward delivering you the best possible compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are often found negligent in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are regarded as common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to look out for their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not driving too many miles in a day. In despite of insisting that safety is their top priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules when it comes to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to stave off drowsiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is usually not 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 due to driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound passengers have stated that their driver was eating during the time of an accident, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making sure that Cape Girardeau, MO buses are correctly inspected and maintained and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also the responsibility of the bus company. A bus accident might be because of a bus company either neglecting to perform routine inspections or failing to fix a broken part or component. Older buses are particularly at risk of 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 correctly licensed and trained, and should only be permitted to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Cape Girardeau, 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 duty to guarantee the safety of their vehicles and immediately issue recalls if a product is found to be hazardous. 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 may try to place the blame on somebody else, your Cape Girardeau, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure liable parties are held responsible for their actions.

The Cape Girardeau or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be devastating because of the number of people who could be injured and because they typically take place in densely populated areas. While you can file a suit against the Cape Girardeau, 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 tort suits. If you seek 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 necessary to reach out to a Cape Girardeau, MO bus accident attorney at once after your accident. 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 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 reckless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident due to negligence. 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 Cape Girardeau, 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 their employers 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 to heart and causes you injury, you can be sure that the devoted and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto wreck, two or more drivers are often involved, and in some instances they each may be responsible for 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 hurt you. If you were hurt in a bus crash where there was another driver or drivers involved, your skilled and experienced Cape Girardeau, MO bus accident attorney will help you confirm 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 Cape Girardeau 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 Cape Girardeau, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were particularly bad or they did not perform 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 Cape Girardeau, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you are awarded in a bus accident case will usually depend on the seriousness of your injuries and how they have affected and will affect they have on your life. You may have gotten a sprained ankle that only needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Cape Girardeau, MO and a couple weeks 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 Cape Girardeau, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure that you collect 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 capacity

  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 grave your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Cape Girardeau, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively to ensure that you receive 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 Cape Girardeau, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every category of bus accident case and know the incalculable anguish and devastating effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Cape Girardeau, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, trustworthy and relentless and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have obtained over the past 20 years to secure you the full recovery you are rightfully owed. If you or a loved one has been hurt 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.