Bus Accident Attorney in Greenwood, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Greenwood, MO. If you or a family member has been harmed 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 almost never receive the same attention as plane or train crashes, even though the can often be just as harmful and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Greenwood, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and obey the rules. When they break that trust and disregard the rules it can have devastating, sometimes lifelong consequences for you or your loved ones. Your Greenwood, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you collect the full 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 Greenwood and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who egotistically do not want to be held accountable for their negligent behavior. Many Greenwood, MO families have put their cases and their futures in our knowledgeable hands, and in total we have secured for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, dedication, resolution, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Greenwood, MO residents become whole again. You should not have to lose work, pay for ridiculous medical costs and also handle the emotional impact of your injury only because somebody else did not respect the rules. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a Greenwood, MO bus accident, reach out to 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 claim immediately, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.

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

Do I Need a Greenwood, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have experienced injuries in a bus accident, you are likely feeling especially powerless. After all, you were not the one driving and you boarded the bus under the impression that that the adequate safety protocols were followed. Greenwood, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent laws 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 generally exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to fully recover from, may have permanent consequences or in the most tragic cases can even cause wrongful death. The Greenwood, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight on your behalf so you do not have to go it alone. When you hire us we start working on your case immediately, and work relentlessly until you recover the best possible 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 Greenwood, MO individuals and families into accepting less money than they deserve. Those Greenwood, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the difficult cases. Call us today and let the empathetic, veteran and tenacious bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you protect your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal procedures are complicated and can be unforgiving to Greenwood, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial experience of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over two decades standing up to bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Greenwood, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every detail of your claim. You can bank on 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 during the day or night in order to acquire key evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were close by. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are typically other people who want the same answers and compensation you need. Eyewitness testimony is a important part of winning your case.
• Collect additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, police reports, as well as 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 Greenwood, MO bus accident attorney will discover why the crash happened and who needs to be held responsible.
• Work alongside our network of Greenwood, MO accident and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and calculate precisely how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are owed and we will utilize our knowledge and expertise to make certain you recover it.
• Fight back against resistant Greenwood, 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 avoid their duty to compensate you. 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 will not offer a fair settlement, we will use our constantly trained litigation skills to secure you a full financial recovery for your injuries.

Furthermore, 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. We collect no attorneys fees until you are fairly compensated. If you or someone you care about has been harmed in a ruinous 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 operating a bus safely you will first need to learn the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Greenwood, 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 determine who needs to be held responsible for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Greenwood, 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 55 years old were more likely to be driving when a bus accident happened.
• Driver action. While the same study stated that just 4 percent of bus accidents were due to a grave offense such as drunk driving, a different study by the University of Michigan stated that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus collisions had committed driving errors, for example, speeding, being sleepy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A lot of bus drivers, particularly those that are employed by commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that necessitate drivers to drive hundreds of miles at all hours of the day or 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 without a break or how often 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 enforced or obeyed.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ weight and the awkwardness of steering them, slick roads or Greenwood, MO construction areas can be particularly dangerous for bus passengers. In some cases a third party such as a construction company is at fault. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you discover 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 people responsible for reviews for more than 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or only 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews generally cannot stay ahead of the amount of inspections needed. Some Greenwood, MO bus companies do not correctly maintain their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Additionally, bus companies are required to ensure that their drivers are properly trained and are not overworked.
• Hazardous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can result in a driver losing control and crashing. A Few typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Malfunctioning or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the hazardous condition has been on the Greenwood, MO road, the better your odds of holding the at-fault parties responsible. The liable party may be a local Greenwood, MO government, or a third party whom the government hired to repair the condition but either did not do so soon enough or did not properly repair it.

Once your knowledgeable Greenwood, MO bus accident attorney deduces the reasons for your crash, they will be able to confirm who is responsible for your injuries and how to go forward with delivering you a maximum financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are generally found liable in bus accident cases.

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 patrons to maintain their safety. One facet of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite saying that safety is their foremost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules concerning driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically 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 not often followed 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 owing to driver fatigue. Additionally, many Greyhound passengers have reported that their driver was eating when the crash transpired, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making sure that Greenwood, MO buses are correctly 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 failing to carry out routine inspections or neglecting to repair a broken part or component. Older buses are particularly susceptible 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 adequately licensed and trained, and should only be permitted to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Greenwood, 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 responsibility to verify the safety of their products and swiftly issue recalls if a product is found to be unsafe. 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 attempt to place the blame on someone else, your Greenwood, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure negligent parties are held accountable for their behavior.

The Greenwood or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be calamitous because of the number of people involved and because they usually occur in metropolitan areas. While you can make a claim against the Greenwood, 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 tort 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 crucial to call a Greenwood, MO bus accident attorney immediately 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 driving a motor vehicle “within the course of their employment.” This means that you can sue or make a claim against an at-fault or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident due to driver error. 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 Greenwood, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the dangerous decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable just like their employers sometimes have to be. When you ascend a bus you trust that driver with your safety and your life. If a bus driver does not take that obligation to heart and causes you injury, you can be certain that the committed and aggressive bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them responsible.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle collision, two or more drivers are often involved, and in some instances they each may share 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 harmed in a bus wreck where there was another driver or drivers involved, your skilled and seasoned Greenwood, 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 most common type of bus accident in Greenwood 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 Greenwood, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were especially poor or they did not conduct 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 Greenwood, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you receive in a bus accident case will generally depend on the gravity of your injuries and how they have affected and will impact they have on your life. You may have gotten a sprained ankle that merely required a quick trip to an emergency room in Greenwood, 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 assistive devices for the rest of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Greenwood, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will ensure that you secure a full 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, physical therapy, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We work with our network of medical and economic experts to compute the exact dollar amount you are owed, 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 grave your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Greenwood, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly to ensure that you collect 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 Greenwood, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every kind of bus accident case and know the immense anguish and ruinous effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your Greenwood, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is empathetic, accomplished, trustworthy and persistent and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have obtained over the past two decades to secure you the full recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a bus accident, do not delay. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a free case evaluation.