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Bus Accident Attorney in Christian County, MO
Bus Accident Attorney in Christian County, MO. If you or a loved one has been harmed in a catastrophic bus accident, take control of your recovery by calling Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or by contacting us online.
Bus accidents almost never get equal attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can often be just as dangerous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Christian County, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and respect the rules. When they eschew their obligations and break the rules it can have terrible, sometimes lifelong consequences for you or your loved ones. Your Christian County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you secure the full compensation that you are entitled to for your injuries.
At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over 20 years of experience fighting for the rights of the injured in Christian County and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who egocentrically do not want to be held responsible for their negligent actions. Our Christian County, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our accomplished hands, and in total we have collected for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, dedication, resolution, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Christian County, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose wages, pay for exorbitant medical bills and also manage the emotional shock of your injury just because somebody else disregarded the rules. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a Christian County, MO bus accident, call the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation. We get started on your claim straight away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win you the compensation you are owed.
If you were injured in a bus accident in Christian County, MO because of somebody else's reckless behavior, learn 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 Christian County, MO Bus Accident Attorney?
If you have experienced injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially unprotected. After all, you were not the driver and you got on board the bus under the assumption that the correct safety arrangements were adhered to. Christian County, MO bus companies and drivers have strict regulations they have an obligation to obey, but sometimes they fail in those obligations and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is generally caused by bus accidents, injuries can take years to fully recover from, may have lifelong consequences or in the most tragic cases can even result in wrongful death. The Christian County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight by your side so you do not need to go it alone. When you hire us we begin investigating on your case right away, and will not let up until you receive the best possible compensation you are owed. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Christian County, MO individuals and families into settling for less money than they are owed. Those Christian County, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the complicated cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, experienced and aggressive bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you protect your family’s future and help make you whole again.
Legal proceedings are complicated and can be unforgiving to Christian County, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial capabilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over two decades standing up to bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Christian County, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every facet of your case. You can bank on a veteran and savvy bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:
- Investigate the accident site immediately. When you call us, we can have a bus accident lawyer on the scene at any time of the day or night in order to acquire vital evidence for your claim.
- Interview eyewitnesses who were either also sustained injuries in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are typically many people who want the same answers and financial recovery you seek. Eyewitness testimony is a important part of winning your case.
- Acquire additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance videos, police reports, in additional to key details such as how long the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and maintenance was performed on the bus. A lot of different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Christian County, MO bus accident attorney will find out the "whys" of the crash and who needs to be held liable.
- Use our network of Christian County, MO auto wreck and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and work out precisely how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will implement our knowledge and expertise to ensure you receive it.
- Fight back against resistant Christian County, MO insurance companies who are more concerned for 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 tricks 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 finely honed litigation skills to secure you a full financial recovery for your damages.
Furthermore, our bus accident attorney team will be keeping you informed entire time. We take control of all communication, documentation and litigation so that you can spend all of your energy on healing and making your family whole again. We collect no attorneys fees until you get full compensation. If you or a family member has been injured in a disastrous bus accident, contact an expert and devoted bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.
Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?
Because it takes 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 caused your injuries. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Christian 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 who is responsible for your injuries.
What Causes Bus Accidents? | Christian County, MO Bus Accident Attorney
- Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that beginner 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 transpired.
- Driver behavior. While the same study found that just 4 percent of bus accidents were owing to a grave offense such as driving while intoxicated, another study by the University of Michigan stated that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus crashes had been cited with driving errors, for example, speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
- Driver fatigue. Many bus drivers, especially the ones that drive for commercial bus lines 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 behind the wheel. While most busing companies have specifications about how many hours a driver can drive during a day 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 mandatory or complied with.
- Road conditions. Given buses’ mass and the awkwardness of steering them, icy roads or Christian County, MO construction areas can be particularly hazardous for bus commuters. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company will be at fault. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you understand if that is the 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 personnel responsible for reviews for over 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews generally cannot keep up with the quantity of inspections needed. Some Christian County, MO bus companies do not adequately maintain their vehicles, causing them to be dangerous. Furthermore, bus companies need to ensure that their drivers are adequately 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 common examples are:
- Potholes
- Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
- Faulty or missing traffic signals
- Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
- Inadequate lighting
- Excessive grades
The more time the dangerous condition has been on the Christian County, MO street, the better chance you have of holding the at-fault parties responsible. The at-fault party may be a local Christian County, MO government, or a third party whom the government contracted to fix the condition but either did not do so soon enough or did not sufficiently repair it.
Once your experienced Christian County, MO bus accident attorney ascertains the reasons for your accident, they will be able to establish who is liable for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward winning you the best possible compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are generally found negligent in bus accident cases.
Commercial Bus Companies
Transport buses such as Greyhounds are regarded as common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to maintain their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to make sure that their drivers are not driving too many hours in a day. Despite insisting 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 technically obliged to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to hold off 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 stated that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were due to driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound riders have said that their driver was eating during the time of an accident, which constitutes distracted driving.
Making sure that Christian County, MO buses are correctly 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 the result of a bus company either failing to perform routine maintenance or neglecting to fix a broken part or component. Older buses are especially vulnerable to breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.
Finally, bus companies need to be vigilant in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be correctly licensed and trained, and should only be able to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Christian County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will conduct a complete investigation into the bus company's hiring practices and the person who was driving when the accident took place.
A Bus Manufacturer
Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to verify the safety of their products and swiftly announce recalls in the event of a faulty product. If they approve an inherently dangerous 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 somebody else, your Christian County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure reckless parties are held responsible for their actions.
The Christian County or Missouri Government or a Public Entity
Public transportation accidents can frequently be catastrophic because of the amount of people involved and because they typically happen in densely populated areas. While you can make a claim against the Christian County, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury cases. If you seek to make a claim 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 necessary to get in touch with a Christian County, 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 driving a motor vehicle “within the course of their employment.” This means that you can sue or make a claim against a negligent 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 when they were feeling sleepy, did not pay attention to the Christian County, 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 their employers 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 dedicated 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 frequently involved, and in some cases they each may be responsible for 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 crash where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and accomplished Christian County, 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 crash in Christian County 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 liable, a school district in Christian County, MO may also be held accountable, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were especially poor or they did not perform 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 Christian County, MO Recover For Me?
The compensation you receive in a bus accident case will usually be based on the severity of your injuries and the ramifications they have on your life. You may have sustained a sprained wrist that merely required a quick trip to an emergency room in Christian County, MO and a short time off work. Or, you may have sustained 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 Christian County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain that you collect a fair 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 use our network of medical and economic experts to quantify the exact dollar amount you are entitled to, 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 Christian County, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly to ensure that you receive 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 Christian County, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today
We have seen every kind of bus accident case and know the incalculable pain and calamitous effect it can have on your and your family. Your Christian County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, trustworthy and relentless and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have obtained over the past two decades to secure you the maximum recovery you rightfully deserve. 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 case review.