Bus Accident Attorney in Clinton, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Clinton, MO. If you or a loved one has been harmed in a destructive 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 get equal attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can frequently be just as harmful and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Clinton, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and obey the rules. When they break that trust and break the rules it can have devastating, sometimes permanent outcomes for you or your loved ones. Your Clinton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you collect the best possible 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 Clinton and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who egotistically do not want to be held responsible for their thoughtless behavior. Our Clinton, MO clients have put their cases and their futures in our trustworthy 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, commitment, resolution, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Clinton, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose wages, pay for sky-high medical bills and also handle the emotional shock of your injury only because somebody else disregarded the rules. If you or a family member has been hurt in a Clinton, MO bus accident, get in touch with 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 case straight away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win you the financial recovery you are entitled to.

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

Do I Need a Clinton, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have received injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially powerless. After all, you were not the one driving and you got on board the bus assuming that the proper safety measures were obeyed. Clinton, MO bus companies and drivers have strict laws they have a duty to obey, but sometimes they fail in those obligations 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 heal from, may have permanent consequences or in the most tragic cases can even lead to wrongful death. The Clinton, 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 get to work on on your case right away, and work relentlessly until you win the full compensation you deserve. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Clinton, MO individuals and families into settling for less compensation than they are owed. Those Clinton, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the complicated cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, veteran and aggressive 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 Clinton, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial skills 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 Clinton, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every detail of your case. You can expect a veteran and savvy bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the accident 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 important evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were close by. As buses carry a variety of passengers, there are almost always a lot of passengers who want the same answers and compensation you need. Eyewitness testimony is a vital part of winning your case.
• Collect additional evidence such as tire marks, security footage, police reports, in additional to key details such as how far the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and repairs were performed on the bus. Several different factors give rise to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Clinton, MO bus accident attorney will discover why the crash happened and who needs to be held liable.
• Use our network of Clinton, 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 entitled to and we will implement our knowledge and expertise to make certain you recover it.
• Fight back against resistant Clinton, MO insurance companies who are more interested in their profits than your health. 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 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 expert litigation skills to secure 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. We collect 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 devoted bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Because bus drivers, companies and manufacturers all have a part to play in running a bus in a safe manner you will first need to discover the cause of the accident before determining who is liable. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Clinton, 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 accountable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Clinton, 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, as well as more experienced drivers over 55 years old were more likely to be driving when a bus accident happened.
• Driver behavior. While the same study stated that a mere 4 percent of bus accidents were because of an egregious offense such as the driver being intoxicated, a different study by the University of Michigan reported that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus collisions had been cited with driving errors, for example, speeding, being sleepy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. Many bus drivers, especially the ones that work for 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 without a break or how often 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 followed.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ mass and the awkwardness of driving them, icy roads or Clinton, MO construction areas can be especially dangerous for bus riders. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company is liable. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you discover if that applies case.
• Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are overseen by regulatory entities, 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 people responsible for reviews for more than 765,000 motor carriers, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews often cannot keep pace with the quantity of inspections required. Some Clinton, MO bus companies do not properly maintain their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Additionally, bus companies are required to make sure that their drivers are correctly trained and are not overworked.
• Dangerous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can result in a driver losing control and crashing. Some typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Defective or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the hazardous condition has been on the Clinton, MO road, the better your chances of holding the liable parties accountable. The negligent party may be a local Clinton, MO government, or a third party whom the government contracted to eliminate the problem but either did not do so soon enough or did not sufficiently repair it.

Once your expert Clinton, MO bus accident attorney confirm the reasons for your crash, they will be able to confirm who is responsible for your injuries and how to go forward with securing you full compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are generally found liable in bus accident cases.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their patrons to maintain their safety. One facet of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not driving too many hours without a break. In despite of saying that safety is their highest priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not following its own rules regarding driver fatigue. Drivers are technically obliged to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to prevent fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often obeyed as too many breaks could result in financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study reported that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were due to driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound passengers have said that their driver was eating when the accident transpired, which is an example of distracted driving.

Ensuring that Clinton, MO buses are correctly inspected and repaired and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also part of the bus company's obligation. A bus accident could be the result of a bus company either failing to conduct routine maintenance or failing to repair a broken part or component. Older buses 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 adequately licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Clinton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will conduct 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 responsibility to guarantee the safety of their vehicles and swiftly issue recalls if a product is discovered to be hazardous. If they approve an inherently faulty 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 attempt to place the blame on somebody else, your Clinton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure liable parties are held accountable for their actions.

The Clinton or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be devastating because of the amount of people involved and because they typically happen in densely populated areas. While you can make a claim against the Clinton, 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 injury liability claims. If you want to make a claim 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 urgent to call a Clinton, MO bus accident attorney straight 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 an at-fault or careless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a crash owing to driver error. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or talking, did not stop the bus when they were feeling fatigued, did not pay attention to the Clinton, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the horrible 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 certain that the committed and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle accident, there are often two or more drivers, and in some instances they each may be responsible for 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 hurt in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and accomplished Clinton, 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 category of bus crash we most typically see in Clinton 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 Clinton, 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, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you are awarded in a bus accident case will typically depend on the gravity of your injuries and the repercussions they have on your life. You may have gotten a sprained ankle that just required a quick trip to an emergency room in Clinton, MO and a week or two off work. Or, you may have experienced a disastrous 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 Clinton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will ensure that you receive a great 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 team of medical and economic experts to quantify 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 impacted your life, Burger Law's Clinton, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively to ensure that you collect 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 Clinton, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every variety of bus accident case and know the immense anguish and disastrous effect it can have on your and your family. Your Clinton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, honest and determined and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have acquired 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, there is no time to wait. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a free case review.