Bus Accident Attorney in Kearney, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Kearney, MO. If you or a loved one has been hurt 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 get the same attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can often be similarly hazardous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Kearney, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and obey the rules. When they eschew their duty and disregard the rules it can have ruinous, sometimes permanent outcomes for you or your family. Your Kearney, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make certain that you collect the full compensation that you are entitled to for your damages.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over 20 years of experience defending the injured in Kearney and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who egotistically do not want to take responsibility for their negligent actions. Our Kearney, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our trustworthy hands, and in total we have won them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, devotion, relentlessness, knowledge and experience to help find justice in personal injury cases and help Kearney, MO residents become whole again. You should not have to lose work, pay for pricey medical costs and also manage the emotional impact of your injury just because somebody else did not respect the rules. If you or someone you care about has been injured in a Kearney, 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 complimentary case evaluation. We start working on your case straight away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win you the financial recovery you deserve.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Kearney, MO because of someone else's reckless behavior, find out how much your damages may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Kearney, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, you are probably feeling especially vulnerable. After all, you were not the one driving and you went aboard the bus assuming that the adequate safety arrangements were followed. Kearney, MO bus companies and drivers have strict rules they are supposed to respect, but sometimes they fail in those obligations 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 really heal from, may have lifelong consequences or in the most tragic cases can even result in wrongful death. The Kearney, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight by your side so you are not required to go it alone. When you hire us we begin working on your case straight away, and will not let up until you recover the best possible compensation you are owed. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident claim and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Kearney, MO individuals and families into accepting a lower recovery than they entitled to. Those Kearney, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the tough cases. Call us today and let the empathetic, accomplished and tenacious bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you protect your family’s future and help make you whole again.

The legal process is complicated and can be unforgiving to Kearney, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial capabilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have over 20 years of experience standing up to bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Kearney, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every aspect of your claim. You can expect an experienced 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 at the site at any time of the day or night in order to secure important 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 other passengers who want the same answers and financial recovery you need. We will perform official depositions of eyewitnesses to help in your case.
• Obtain further evidence such as tire marks, security 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 done on the bus. A lot of different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Kearney, MO bus accident attorney will find out the "whys" of the crash and who needs to be held accountable.
• Work with our network of Kearney, MO crash and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and assess exactly how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will use our experience and expertise to make sure you recover it.
• Fight back against resistant Kearney, MO insurance companies who are more concerned for their bottom line than your health. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and weasel their way out of their obligation 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 finely honed litigation skills to secure you a great financial recovery for your injuries.

Beyond that, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the whole time. We oversee 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 we win your case. If you or a loved one 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?

Since bus drivers, companies and manufacturers all have a role 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 Kearney, MO bus accident attorney like those at Burger Law have seen every variety of car accident, truck accident and bus accident case and will be able to determine what entity needs to be held accountable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Kearney, MO Bus Accident Attorney

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that novice drivers under 25 years old, as well as more experienced drivers over 55 years old were more likely to be driving when a bus accident occurred.
• Driver behavior. While the same study found that only 4 percent of bus accidents were owing to a serious offense such as the driver being intoxicated, another study by the University of Michigan found that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus collisions had committed driving errors, such as speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. Many bus drivers, particularly those that drive for 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 regulations 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 conditions. Given buses’ mass and the awkwardness of driving them, slick roads or Kearney, MO construction areas can be especially dangerous for bus passengers. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company is liable. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you decide if that applies case.
• Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are overseen by regulatory entities, 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 motor carriers, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors frequently cannot keep pace with the number of inspections needed. Some Kearney, MO bus companies do not adequately maintain their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Furthermore, bus companies are obligated to ensure 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
  • Defective or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the hazardous condition has been on the Kearney, MO street, the better chance you have of holding the at-fault parties responsible. The at-fault party may be a local Kearney, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to eliminate the issue but either did not do so in a timely fashion or did not sufficiently repair it.

Once your knowledgeable Kearney, MO bus accident attorney ascertains the cause of your accident, they will be able to determine who is responsible for your injuries and how to go forward with getting you the best possible compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are often found at-fault in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are regarded as common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their riders to maintain their safety. One facet of that duty of care is to make sure that their drivers are not driving too many miles without a break. In despite of saying that safety is their highest priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules regarding driver fatigue. Drivers are technically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to hold off 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 stated that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were owing to driver fatigue. Additionally, many Greyhound riders have said that their driver was eating when the accident transpired, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making sure that Kearney, MO buses are adequately inspected and repaired and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also part of the bus company's responsibility. A bus accident might be the result of a bus company either neglecting to provide routine maintenance or failing to fix 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 need to be vigilant in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be correctly licensed and trained, and should only be able to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Kearney, 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 accident took place.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation to confirm the safety of their vehicles and immediately announce 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 properly, they are guilty of product liability. While they may try to place the blame on somebody else, your Kearney, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure careless parties are held accountable for their behavior.

The Kearney or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be calamitous because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they often transpire in densely populated areas. While you can make a claim against the Kearney, MO government, there are special procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in tort cases. 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 imperative to reach out to a Kearney, 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 a negligent or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident through driver error. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not stop driving when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the Kearney, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the horrible decision to drive drunk, they need to be held responsible just like their employers 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 duty seriously 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 auto accident, there are often two or more drivers, and in some instances they each may share 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 hurt you. If you were hurt in a bus crash where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and accomplished Kearney, MO bus accident attorney will help you confirm if they are at fault and if you can make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the the category of bus crash we most typically see in Kearney 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 at fault, a school district in Kearney, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were especially dangerous or they did not conduct adequate 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 Kearney, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you recover in a bus accident case will typically be based on the seriousness of your injuries and how they have affected and will affect they have on your life. You may have sustained a mild concussion that only needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Kearney, MO and a couple weeks off work. Or, you may have received 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 Kearney, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain that you are awarded 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 utilize our network of medical and economic experts to quantify 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 serious your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Kearney, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively to ensure that you get the best possible 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 Kearney, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every category of bus accident case and know the tremendous pain and calamitous effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Kearney, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is empathetic, accomplished, straightforward and determined and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have acquired over the past 20 years to secure you the maximum 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.