Bus Accident Attorney in Jackson, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Jackson, MO. If you or a loved one 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 hardly ever get the same attention as plane or train wrecks, 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 Jackson, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and obey the rules. When they eschew their duty and break the rules it can have terrible, sometimes lifelong effects for you or your family. Your Jackson, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you receive the best possible compensation that you are entitled to for your damages.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than two decades of experience defending the injured in Jackson and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who egotistically do not want to be held responsible for their thoughtless behavior. Our Jackson, MO clients have put their cases and their futures in our trustworthy hands, and to date we have collected for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, commitment, tenacity, knowledge and experience to help deliver justice in personal injury cases and help Jackson, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose work, pay for expensive medical bills and also work through the emotional toll of your injury just because someone else did not respect the rules. If you or someone you care about has been harmed in a Jackson, 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 free consultation. We begin working on your claim straight away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your case.

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

Do I Need a Jackson, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, you are probably feeling especially powerless. After all, you were not the one driving and you got on board the bus under the impression that that the adequate safety arrangements were followed. Jackson, MO bus companies and drivers have firm rules they are supposed to obey, but sometimes they neglect 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 truly recover from, may have permanent consequences or in the worst cases can even lead to wrongful death. The Jackson, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight by your side so you are not required to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we start working on your case immediately, and work tirelessly until you receive the best possible 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 Jackson, MO individuals and families into accepting a lower recovery than they deserve. Those Jackson, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the hard cases. Call us today and let the passionate, accomplished and tenacious bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal proceedings are complex and can be difficult to comprehend for Jackson, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial skills of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have more than 20 years of experience standing up to bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Jackson, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every facet of your claim. You can expect an accomplished and skilled 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 close by. As buses carry a lot of passengers, there are often other people who want the same answers and compensation you seek. Eyewitness testimony is a important part of winning your case.
• Obtain additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance videos, police reports, and key details such as how many miles the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and maintenance was done on the bus. Many different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Jackson, MO bus accident attorney will determine why the crash happened and who needs to be held liable.
• Work alongside our network of Jackson, MO accident and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and calculate exactly how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will implement our experience and expertise to make certain you receive it.
• Fight back against resistant Jackson, MO insurance companies who care more about their profits than your well-being. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and avoid their responsibility to compensate you. 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 does not offer a fair settlement, we will use our expert litigation skills to win you a great financial recovery for your injuries.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be in your corner entire 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. You owe us no attorneys fees until you are fully compensated. If you or someone you care about has been harmed 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 bus drivers, companies and manufacturers all have a role to play in operating a bus safely you will first need to find out the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Jackson, 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? | Jackson, 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, in addition to 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 stated that only 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by a grave offense such as drunk driving, another study by the University of Michigan reported that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus crashes had been cited with driving errors, such as speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A large portion of bus drivers, particularly those that drive for commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that require drivers to drive hundreds of miles at all hours of the day or night, become drowsy and can even fall asleep behind 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 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 hazards. Given buses’ size and the difficulty of steering them, slippery roads or Jackson, MO construction areas can be especially dangerous for bus passengers. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company is 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 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 just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews generally cannot stay ahead of the number of inspections needed. Some Jackson, MO bus companies do not correctly inspect their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Furthermore, bus companies need to make sure that their drivers are adequately trained and are not overworked.
• Dangerous roads. Hazards in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. A Few common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Malfunctioning or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for instance branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

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

Once your expert Jackson, MO bus accident attorney confirm the reasons behind your accident, they will be able to establish who is liable for your injuries and how to proceed with winning you the best possible financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are generally found negligent in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Lines

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are regarded as common carriers under the law, 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 certain that their drivers are not driving too many miles without a break. Despite saying that safety is their highest priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules regarding driver fatigue. Drivers are technically required 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 obeyed as too many breaks could cause financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study stated that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were owing to driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound passengers have stated that their driver was eating during the time of an accident, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making sure that Jackson, MO buses are adequately inspected and maintained and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also the responsibility of the bus company. A bus accident may be a consequence of a bus company either neglecting to conduct routine inspections or failing to repair a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are especially vulnerable to breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies need to be diligent in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be sufficiently licensed and trained, and should only be permitted to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Jackson, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will carry out a complete investigation into the bus company's hiring practices and the person who was driving when the accident occurred.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation to certify the safety of their vehicles and immediately issue recalls in the event of a faulty product. If they approve an inherently flawed 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 try to shift the blame to somebody else, your Jackson, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure at-fault parties are held responsible for their behavior.

The Jackson or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be ruinous because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they often occur in metropolitan areas. While you can seek compensation from the Jackson, MO government, there are specific procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury cases. 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 essential to reach out to a Jackson, 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 driving 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 because of negligence. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not pull over when they were feeling overly tired, did not pay attention to the Jackson, 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 bus companies sometimes have to be. When you get on 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 sure that the devoted and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle wreck, there are frequently two or more drivers, and in some cases 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 injured in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and accomplished Jackson, MO bus accident attorney will help you confirm if they are at fault 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 typically see in Jackson and Missouri. Nationally, school bus accidents account for 40 percent of all fatal bus accidents. While often the driver, bus company or bus manufacturer is responsible, a school district in Jackson, MO may also be held accountable, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when road 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 Jackson, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you get in a bus accident case will generally be based on the severity of your injuries and the ramifications they have on your life. You may have sustained a sprained wrist that just needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Jackson, MO and a couple weeks off work. Or, you may have sustained a devastating spinal cord injury that leaves you disabled and in need of special equipment for the remainder of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Jackson, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain that you are awarded 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 work alongside our network of medical and economic experts to determine 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 Jackson, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively to ensure that you receive 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 Jackson, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every kind of bus accident case and know the incalculable pain and ruinous effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your Jackson, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, trustworthy and determined and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have obtained 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 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 evaluation.