Bus Accident Attorney in Clinton County, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Clinton County, MO. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a disastrous bus accident, take control of your recovery by calling Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or by contacting us online.

Bus accidents rarely ever receive the same attention as plane or train crashes, even though the can frequently be just as harmful and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Clinton County, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and follow the rules. When they eschew their obligations and do not respect the rules it can have terrible, sometimes lifelong outcomes for you or your loved ones. Your Clinton County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make certain that you get 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 Clinton County and throughout Missouri and standing up to bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to take responsibility for their negligent behavior. Many Clinton County, MO families have put their claims and their futures in our capable hands, and to date we have recovered for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, devotion, relentlessness, knowledge and experience to help find justice in personal injury cases and help Clinton County, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose wages, pay for sky-high medical bills and also manage the emotional trauma of your injury only because someone else broke the rules. If you or a family member has been injured in a Clinton 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 claim at once, and you do not owe us any fees until we win you the financial recovery you deserve.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Clinton County, MO because of another person's careless behavior, find out how much your damages may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Clinton County, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have sustained injuries in a bus accident, you are probably feeling especially unprotected. After all, you were not the one driving and you went aboard the bus supposing that the adequate safety protocols were followed. Clinton County, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent rules they have an obligation to follow, but sometimes they neglect those responsibilities and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is frequently exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to fully recover from, may have lifelong consequences or in the worst cases can even result in wrongful death. The Clinton County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand by your side so you do not have to go it alone. When you hire us we begin working on your case right away, and will not let up until you receive the full compensation you are owed. We have experienced with every type of bus accident claim and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Clinton County, MO individuals and families into settling for less money than they deserve. Those Clinton County, 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 compassionate, experienced and relentless bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you protect your family’s future and help make you whole again.

The legal process is complex and can be unforgiving to Clinton County, 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 Clinton County, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every facet of your claim. You can anticipate a seasoned and talented bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the crash site as soon as possible. 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 acquire key evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also experienced injuries in the crash or were close by. As buses carry a variety of passengers, there are often other passengers who want the same answers and financial recovery you need. Eyewitness testimony is a vital part of proving your case.
• Collect additional evidence such as tire marks, security videos, police reports, in additional to important details such as how long the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and repairs were conducted on the bus. Several different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Clinton County, MO bus accident attorney will discover why the crash happened and who needs to be held liable.
• Use our network of Clinton County, 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 owed and we will utilize our experience and expertise to make certain you collect it.
• Stand up to resistant Clinton County, MO insurance companies who care more about their profits than your health. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and devalue your damages. When you hire us, you can be sure those tricks 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 great financial recovery for your damages.

Beyond that, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the 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. You owe us no attorneys fees until you are fully compensated. If you or a loved one has been harmed 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 part to play in operating a bus in a safe manner you will first need to find out the cause of the accident before determining who is liable. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Clinton County, 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 responsible for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Clinton County, MO Bus Accident Attorney

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that inexperienced 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 occurred.
• Driver error. While the same study found that a mere 4 percent of bus accidents were owing to a serious offense such as the driver being 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. A large portion of bus drivers, especially those that work for commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that necessitate 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 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 frequently <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 hazards. Given buses’ weight and the intricacy of driving them, slippery roads or Clinton County, MO construction areas can be especially risky for bus passengers. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company will be negligent. 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 not close to as much as 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 inspections of over 765,000 motor carriers, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews typically cannot stay ahead of the amount of inspections needed. Some Clinton County, MO bus companies do not adequately repair their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Furthermore, bus companies are required to ensure that their drivers are adequately trained and do not drive too many hours without a break.
• Dangerous roads. Faults in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. A Few common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Malfunctioning or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for instance branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

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

Once your expert Clinton County, MO bus accident attorney establishes the reasons behind your crash, they will be able to establish who is liable for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward getting you full compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are often found liable in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are deemed common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to look out for their safety. One facet of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not driving too many miles in a day. In despite of saying that safety is their top priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not following its own rules concerning driver fatigue. Drivers are technically obligated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to stave off fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is rarely obeyed as too many breaks could result in financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study stated that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were caused by driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound customers have said that their driver was eating when the crash took place, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making certain that Clinton County, MO buses are adequately inspected and maintained and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also part of the bus company's duty. A bus accident might be because of a bus company either neglecting to carry out routine maintenance or neglecting to repair a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are particularly predisposed to breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, 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 Clinton County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will perform a full investigation into the bus company's hiring practices and the person who was driving when the wreck happened.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a duty to confirm the safety of their vehicles and quickly issue recalls in the event of a malfunctioning product. If they approve an inherently defective design or do not recall a component that they knew or should have known was not functioning adequately, they are guilty of product liability. While they might try to shift the blame to somebody else, your Clinton County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure liable parties are held responsible for their behavior.

The Clinton County or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be calamitous because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they generally occur in metropolitan areas. While you can make a claim against the Clinton County, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury suits. If you want 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 call a Clinton County, MO bus accident attorney right away after your accident. 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 an accident because of negligence. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not stop when they were feeling fatigued, did not pay attention to the Clinton 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 get on a bus you trust that driver with your well-being and your life. If a bus driver does not take that responsibility to heart and causes you injury, you can be sure that the devoted and tenacious bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto collision, there are frequently two or more drivers, and in some cases they each may bear a portion 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 injured in a bus crash where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and veteran Clinton County, MO bus accident attorney will help you determine if they are at fault and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the the category of bus crash we most commonly see in Clinton County and Missouri. Nationally, school bus accidents account for 40 percent of all fatal bus accidents. While often the driver, bus company or bus manufacturer is responsible, a school district in Clinton County, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were especially poor or they did not perform 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 Clinton County, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you recover in a bus accident case will usually depend on the gravity of your injuries and how they have impacted and will affect they have on your life. You may have sustained a sprained wrist that just needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Clinton County, MO and a short time off work. Or, you may have sustained a catastrophic 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 Clinton County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure that you secure 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, rehabilitation, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential

  We work with our network of medical and economic experts to calculate 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 Clinton County, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly to ensure that you get full 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 Clinton County, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every variety of bus accident case and know the incalculable pain and catastrophic effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Clinton County, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, straightforward and relentless and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have gained over the past two decades to get you the full recovery you rightfully deserve. 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 complimentary case evaluation.