Bus Accident Attorney in Fulton, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Fulton, MO. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a disastrous 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 the same attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can oftentimes be similarly dangerous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Fulton, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and respect the rules. When they eschew their obligations and disregard the rules it can have terrible, sometimes lifelong consequences for you or the people you care about. Your Fulton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make certain that you secure the best possible compensation that you deserve 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 Fulton and throughout Missouri and standing up to bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to be held responsible for their reckless actions. Our Fulton, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our accomplished hands, and to date we have recovered for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, dedication, tenacity, knowledge and experience to help secure justice in personal injury cases and help Fulton, MO residents become whole again. You should not have to lose work, pay for sky-high medical costs and also deal with the emotional toll of your injury only because another person broke the rules. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Fulton, MO bus accident, call 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 case at once, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your case.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Fulton, MO because of someone else's negligent actions, learn how much your injury may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Fulton, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have experienced injuries in a bus accident, you are likely feeling especially undefended. After all, you were not the driver and you went aboard the bus under the impression that that the correct safety measures were followed. Fulton, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent laws they have a responsibility to respect, but sometimes they fail in those responsibilities and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is often caused by bus accidents, injuries can take years to truly heal from, may have lifelong consequences or in the most tragic cases can even lead to wrongful death. The Fulton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand in your corner so you do not need to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we start investigating on your case straight away, and work tirelessly until you get the maximum compensation you deserve. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident claim and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Fulton, MO individuals and families into settling for less compensation than they entitled to. Those Fulton, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the tough cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, seasoned and relentless bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

The legal process is convoluted and can be difficult to comprehend for Fulton, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial skills of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over two decades standing up to bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Fulton, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every facet of your case. You can anticipate an accomplished and savvy 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 at the site at any time during the day or night in order to acquire essential evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were close by. As buses carry many passengers, there are often other passengers who want the same answers and compensation you need. We will perform official depositions of eyewitnesses to aid in your case.
• Collect further evidence such as tire marks, surveillance videos, police reports, and key details such as how far the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and repairs were conducted on the bus. Several different factors cause bus accidents, and your Burger Law Fulton, MO bus accident attorney will find out why the crash happened and who needs to be held responsible.
• Work alongside our network of Fulton, MO crash and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and put a figure on exactly how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will use our know-how and expertise to ensure you receive it.
• Stand up to resistant Fulton, 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 devalue your claim. When you hire us, you can be sure those deceptive maneuvers will not work in your case.
• Take the fight in front of a judge and jury if the insurance company will not offer a fair settlement, we will use our constantly trained litigation skills to secure you a great financial recovery for your damages.

Furthermore, our bus accident attorney team will be in your corner entire time. We manage 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 a family member has been hurt in a ruinous bus accident, contact an expert and dedicated 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 discover the cause of the accident before determining who caused your injuries. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Fulton, MO bus accident attorney like those at Burger Law have seen every kind of car accident, truck accident and bus accident case and will be able to discover what entity is liable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Fulton, 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 25 years old, as well as more experienced drivers over the age of 55 were more likely to be driving when a bus accident occurred.
• Driver behavior. While the same study reported that only 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by a serious offense such as drunk driving, another study by the University of Michigan reported that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus accidents had committed driving errors, for example, speeding, being sleepy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A good deal of bus drivers, particularly those that drive for commercial bus lines 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 a day 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 mandatory or followed.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ weight and the intricacy of maneuvering them, slippery roads or Fulton, MO construction areas can be especially hazardous for bus riders. In some cases a third party such as a construction company will be at fault. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you determine if that is the case.
• Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are overseen by regulatory entities, 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 people responsible for reviews for more than 765,000 trucks and buses, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews often cannot keep pace with the amount of inspections required. Some Fulton, MO bus companies do not properly maintain their vehicles, causing them to be dangerous. Furthermore, bus companies are required to ensure that their drivers are correctly trained and are not overworked.
• Dangerous roads. Faults in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. A Few common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Malfunctioning or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Insufficient lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the dangerous condition has been on the Fulton, MO street, the better your odds of holding the liable parties responsible. The liable party may be a local Fulton, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to fix the problem but either did not do so quickly enough or did not correctly repair it.

Once your experienced Fulton, MO bus accident attorney confirm the cause of your wreck, they will be able to ascertain who is liable for your injuries and how to go forward with delivering you maximum compensation. 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 deemed common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to look out for their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not driving too many hours in a day. Despite insisting that safety is their top priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not following its own rules when it comes to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically obligated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to inhibit sleepiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is usually not obeyed as too many breaks could lead to 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 customers have stated that their driver was eating when the accident transpired, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making certain that Fulton, MO buses are adequately inspected and maintained and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also part of the bus company's duty. A bus accident may be the result of a bus company either neglecting to provide routine inspections or neglecting to repair a broken part or component. Older buses are particularly prone to breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies cannot use negligent hiring practices. All drivers need to be correctly licensed and trained, and should only be permitted to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Fulton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will perform a complete 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 an obligation to confirm the safety of their vehicles and quickly issue recalls in the event of a defective product. If they approve an inherently faulty 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 may try to shift the blame to someone else, your Fulton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure reckless parties are held accountable for their behavior.

The Fulton or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be ruinous because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they typically happen in densely populated areas. While you can seek a financial recovery from the Fulton, MO government, there are specific procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in injury liability claims. If you want to file a suit 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 essential to call a Fulton, MO bus accident attorney right away after your injury. 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 liable or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a crash due to driver error. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or texting, did not stop when they were feeling overly tired, did not pay attention to the Fulton, 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 bus companies sometimes have to be. When you go on board 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 sure that the devoted and aggressive bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them responsible.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle accident, there are frequently two or more drivers, and in some instances they each may bear a portion 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 harmed in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and experienced Fulton, MO bus accident attorney will help you determine if they are responsible 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 Fulton 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 Fulton, MO may also be held responsible, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were particularly bad 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 Fulton, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you recover in a bus accident case will generally be based on the seriousness of your injuries and how they have impacted and will affect they have on your life. You may have received a mild concussion that only needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Fulton, MO and a week or two off work. Or, you may have experienced a devastating 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 Fulton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain that you are awarded 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 use 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 serious your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Fulton, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively to ensure that you recover 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 Fulton, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every variety of bus accident case and know the immense pain and ruinous effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Fulton, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, straightforward and persistent and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have obtained over the past 20 years to secure you the full recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been harmed 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 complimentary consultation.