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Bus Accident Attorney in Concord, MO
Bus Accident Attorney in Concord, MO. If you or someone you care about has been harmed 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 rarely get equal attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can often be similarly dangerous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Concord, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and respect the rules. When they eschew their duty and do not respect the rules it can have devastating, sometimes lifelong outcomes for you or your family. Your Concord, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you secure the full compensation that you are owed for your damages.
At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over two decades of experience defending the injured in Concord and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like deceptive insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to be held accountable for their careless actions. Our Concord, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our knowledgeable hands, and to date we have secured for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, devotion, resolution, knowledge and experience to help deliver justice in personal injury cases and help Concord, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose wages, pay for exorbitant medical costs and also manage the emotional trauma of your injury only because another person disregarded the rules. If you or a family member has been injured in a Concord, MO bus accident, call the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary consultation. We start working on your claim right away, and we do not charge any fees until we win you the financial recovery you deserve.
If you were injured in a bus accident in Concord, MO because of another person's careless actions, learn how much your damages may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.
What's The Process to Settle My Personal Injury Claim?
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Do I Need a Concord, MO Bus Accident Attorney?
If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially unprotected. After all, you were not the driver and you went aboard the bus supposing that the appropriate safety arrangements were adhered to. Concord, MO bus companies and drivers have strict regulations they have a responsibility to adhere to, but sometimes they fail in 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 truly recover from, may have permanent effects or in the worst cases can even cause wrongful death. The Concord, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight by your side so you do not have to go it alone. When you hire us we start investigating on your case straight away, and work relentlessly until you receive the maximum compensation you are entitled to. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident claim and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Concord, MO individuals and families into settling for less compensation than they entitled to. Those Concord, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the hard cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, accomplished and aggressive bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.
Legal procedures are complex and can be difficult to comprehend for Concord, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial capabilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have over two decades of experience fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Concord, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every facet of your case. You can anticipate a seasoned and talented 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 of 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 nearby. As buses carry many passengers, there are generally many people who want the same answers and compensation you need. Eyewitness testimony is a essential part of winning your case.
- Acquire additional evidence such as tire marks, security videos, police reports, and important details such as how many miles the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and maintenance was done on the bus. A lot of different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Concord, MO bus accident attorney will find out why the crash happened and who needs to be held accountable.
- Use our network of Concord, MO auto wreck and medical experts to determine liability 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 utilize our knowledge and expertise to make sure you recover it.
- Stand up to resistant Concord, MO insurance companies who care more about their bottom line than your well-being. 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 the fight to trial if the insurance company does not offer a fair settlement, we will use our constantly trained litigation skills to secure you a great financial recovery for your injuries.
Furthermore, our bus accident attorney team will be in your corner entire time. We manage 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 someone you care about has been hurt in a calamitous bus accident, contact an expert and committed bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.
Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?
Because it requires 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. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Concord, 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 find out what entity needs to be held accountable for your injuries.
What Causes Bus Accidents? | Concord, MO Bus Accident Attorney
- Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that beginner 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 transpired.
- Driver behavior. While the same study stated that only 4 percent of bus accidents were because of a severe offense such as the driver being intoxicated, a different study by the University of Michigan found that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus wrecks had committed driving errors, for example, speeding, being sleepy or distracted driving.
- Driver fatigue. A large portion of bus drivers, especially the ones that are employed by commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that require drivers to drive hundreds of miles in the middle of the 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 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 obligated or complied with.
- Road conditions. Given buses’ size and the difficulty of steering them, icy roads or Concord, MO construction areas can be particularly risky for bus passengers. Occasionally a third party such as a construction company will be 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 bodies, but not nearly 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 trucks and buses, or only 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors frequently cannot keep pace with the number of inspections required. Some Concord, MO bus companies do not correctly repair their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Additionally, bus companies need to ensure that their drivers are correctly trained and do not drive too long without a break.
- Dangerous roads. Faults 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
- Defective or missing traffic signals
- Obstacles on the road, for instance branches or vehicle wreckage
- Inadequate lighting
- Excessive grades
The more time the hazardous condition has been on the Concord, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the liable parties accountable. The at-fault party may be a local Concord, MO government, or a third party whom the government contracted to eliminate the issue but either did not do so quickly enough or did not properly repair it.
Once your skilled Concord, MO bus accident attorney determines the reasons for your crash, they will be able to determine who is at-fault for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward delivering you a maximum financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are typically found at-fault in bus accident claims.
Commercial Bus Companies
Transport buses such as Greyhounds are regarded as common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their passengers to maintain their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not being overworked. In despite of saying that safety is their utmost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not following its own rules regarding driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically required to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to stave off fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often followed as too many breaks could cause financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study found that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were due to driver fatigue. Additionally, many Greyhound passengers have said that their driver was eating during the time of a crash, which constitutes distracted driving.
Making certain that Concord, MO buses are sufficiently inspected and repaired and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also part of the bus company's obligation. A bus accident may be the result of a bus company either failing to perform routine inspections or neglecting to fix a broken part or component. Older buses are especially susceptible to breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.
Finally, bus companies need to be mindful in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be properly licensed and trained, and should only be able to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Concord, 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 crash happened.
A Bus Manufacturer
Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a duty to guarantee the safety of their vehicles and swiftly announce recalls in the event of a defective product. If they approve an inherently dangerous 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 may try to shift the blame to somebody else, your Concord, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure liable parties are held accountable for their behavior.
The Concord or Missouri Government or a Public Entity
Public transportation accidents can frequently be catastrophic because of the number of people involved and because they typically take place in metropolitan areas. While you can make a claim against the Concord, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury suits. 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 urgent to get in touch with a Concord, MO bus accident attorney straight away 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 careless public bus driver in Missouri.
The Bus Driver
Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a wreck due to driving mistakes. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or texting, did not stop the bus when they were feeling fatigued, did not pay attention to the Concord, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the terrible 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 obligation to heart and causes you injury, you can be confident that the devoted and tenacious bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.
The Other Driver
Like any type of motor vehicle 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 negligence, 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 accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your skilled and accomplished Concord, MO bus accident attorney will help you establish if they are responsible and if you can make a claim against their insurance company.
School Districts
School bus accidents are the the type of bus crash we most typically see in Concord 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 Concord, MO may also be held responsible, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were especially bad or they did not carry out 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 Concord, MO Recover For Me?
The compensation you collect in a bus accident case will typically depend on the seriousness of your injuries and the consequences they have on your life. You may have received a sprained wrist that merely needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Concord, 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 special equipment for the rest of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Concord, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure 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 expenses, 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 compute 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 Concord, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively to ensure that you get 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 Concord, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today
We have seen every variety of bus accident case and know the immense pain and catastrophic effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your Concord, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, honest and tenacious and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have obtained over the past 20 years to win you the the best possible recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been injured 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 review.