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Bus Accident Attorney in Cuba, MO
Bus Accident Attorney in Cuba, MO. If you or a loved one has been injured in a destructive 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 the same attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can often be just as hazardous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Cuba, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and respect the rules. When they break that trust and break the rules it can have terrible, sometimes permanent effects for you or the people you care about. Your Cuba, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you recover the maximum compensation that you deserve for your damages.
At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than two decades of experience fighting for the rights of the injured in Cuba and throughout Missouri and standing up to bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to be held accountable for their reckless behavior. Many Cuba, MO residents have put their claims and their futures in our capable hands, and in total we have collected for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, dedication, resolution, knowledge and experience to help find justice in personal injury cases and help Cuba, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose wages, pay for pricey medical costs and also deal with the emotional impact of your injury just because another person broke the rules. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a Cuba, MO bus accident, call the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case review. We start working on your case right 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 Cuba, MO because of somebody else's negligent actions, discover 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 Cuba, MO Bus Accident Attorney?
If you have received injuries in a bus accident, you are likely feeling especially unprotected. After all, you were not the driver and you got on the bus supposing that the appropriate safety protocols were followed. Cuba, MO bus companies and drivers have strict rules they have a responsibility to obey, but sometimes they fail in those responsibilities and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is typically exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to really recover from, may have lifelong consequences or in the worst cases can even cause wrongful death. The Cuba, 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 working on your case at once, and work relentlessly until you receive the maximum compensation you are owed. We have seen every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Cuba, MO individuals and families into accepting a lower recovery than they are owed. Those Cuba, 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, seasoned and aggressive bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you protect your family’s future and help make you whole again.
Legal procedures are complex and can be difficult to comprehend for Cuba, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial skills of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over 20 years fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Cuba, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every detail of your claim. You can bank on a veteran and skilled 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 obtain key evidence for your claim.
- Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were close by. As buses carry a lot of passengers, there are often a lot of people who want the same answers and financial recovery you seek. We will conduct official depositions of eyewitnesses to help in your case.
- Obtain further evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, 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 give rise to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Cuba, MO bus accident attorney will find out why the crash happened and who needs to be held responsible.
- Utilize our network of Cuba, MO accident and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and put a figure on 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 ensure you receive it.
- Fight back against resistant Cuba, MO insurance companies who are more concerned for 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 duty to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those ploys 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 win you a great financial recovery for your damages.
Furthermore, 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 charge no attorneys fees until you get the best possible compensation. If you or a family member has been injured in a ruinous bus accident, contact an expert and committed 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 safely you will first need to determine the cause of the accident before determining who is liable. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Cuba, 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 liable for your injuries.
What Causes Bus Accidents? | Cuba, MO Bus Accident Attorney
- The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that inexperienced 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 occurred.
- Driver action. While the same study stated that just 4 percent of bus accidents were due to a grave offense such as the driver being intoxicated, a different study by the University of Michigan stated that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus wrecks had been cited with driving errors, such as speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
- Driver fatigue. A lot of bus drivers, particularly the ones that are employed by commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that necessitate drivers to drive hundreds of miles at all hours of the day or night, become sleepy and can even fall asleep behind 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 rules 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 maneuvering them, slick roads or Cuba, MO construction areas can be especially hazardous for bus passengers. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company will be negligent. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you decide if that applies 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 over 765,000 trucks and buses, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews often cannot keep up with the quantity of inspections required. Some Cuba, MO bus companies do not adequately repair their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Additionally, bus companies need to make certain that their drivers are adequately trained and do not drive too many hours without a break.
- Dangerous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can lead to a driver losing control and crashing. Some common examples are:
- Potholes
- Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
- Faulty or missing traffic signals
- Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
- Inadequate lighting
- Excessive grades
The more time the hazardous condition has been on the Cuba, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the negligent parties responsible. The at-fault party may be a local Cuba, MO government, or a third party whom the government hired to repair the problem but either did not do so quickly enough or did not adequately repair it.
Once your expert Cuba, MO bus accident attorney establishes the cause of your accident, they will be able to establish who is responsible for your injuries and how to proceed with winning you full compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are typically found liable in bus accident cases.
Commercial Bus Companies
Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their passengers to look out for their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to make sure that their drivers are not driving too many miles without a break. In despite of insisting that safety is their top priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules concerning driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically required to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to stave off drowsiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often followed 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 because of driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound passengers have said that their driver was eating during the time of a crash, which constitutes distracted driving.
Making sure that Cuba, MO buses are sufficiently inspected and maintained and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also part of the bus company's obligation. A bus accident may be a consequence of a bus company either neglecting to carry out routine inspections or failing to repair a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are particularly at risk of breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.
Finally, bus companies cannot use negligent hiring practices. All drivers need to be properly licensed and trained, and should only be permitted to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Cuba, 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 transpired.
A Bus Manufacturer
Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation to certify the safety of their products and immediately announce recalls in the event of a defective product. 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 might try to place the blame on someone else, your Cuba, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure reckless parties are held accountable for their behavior.
The Cuba or Missouri Government or a Public Entity
Public transportation accidents can frequently be ruinous because of the number of people who could be injured and because they often take place in densely populated areas. While you can file a suit against the Cuba, MO government, there are special procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury claims. 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 crucial to get in touch with a Cuba, MO bus accident attorney immediately 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 careless public bus driver in Missouri.
The Bus Driver
Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a crash because of negligence. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or texting, did not pull over when they were feeling fatigued, did not pay attention to the Cuba, 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 responsibility seriously and causes you injury, you can be confident that the devoted and aggressive bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.
The Other Driver
Like any type of motor vehicle collision, there are often two or more drivers, and in some instances they each may bear 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 harm you. If you were hurt in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and accomplished Cuba, MO bus accident attorney will help you establish if they are liable and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.
School Districts
School bus accidents are the the kind of bus accident we most commonly see in Cuba 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 Cuba, 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 carry out 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 Cuba, MO Recover For Me?
The compensation you recover 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 mild concussion that only needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Cuba, MO and a week or two off work. Or, you may have received a catastrophic spinal cord injury that leaves you disabled and in need of assistive devices for the remainder of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Cuba, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain that you receive a maximum 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 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 severe your injuries and however much they have affected your life, Burger Law's Cuba, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly 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 Cuba, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today
We have seen every kind of bus accident case and know the immense anguish and disastrous effect it can have on your and your family. Your Cuba, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is empathetic, accomplished, honest and relentless and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have acquired over the past 20 years to secure you the the best possible recovery you are rightfully owed. If you or a loved one has been harmed in a bus accident, do not delay. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary case review.