Bus Accident Attorney in Manchester, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Manchester, MO. If you or a family member 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 almost never get equal attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can oftentimes be similarly harmful and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Manchester, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and follow the rules. When they break that trust and do not respect the rules it can have ruinous, sometimes permanent consequences for you or the people you care about. Your Manchester, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you secure the full compensation that you deserve for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than 20 years of experience fighting for the rights of the injured in Manchester and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like deceptive insurance companies and people who egotistically do not want to take responsibility for their negligent actions. Many Manchester, MO individuals have put their cases and their futures in our trustworthy 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 Manchester, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose wages, pay for sky-high medical bills and also handle the emotional trauma of your injury just because another person did not respect the rules. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Manchester, MO bus accident, reach out to the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case review. We begin 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 Manchester, MO because of another person's thoughtless behavior, learn how much your claim may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Manchester, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have received injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially unprotected. After all, you were not the driver and you got on the bus under the impression that that the correct safety protocols were obeyed. Manchester, MO bus companies and drivers have strict laws they have a responsibility 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 really recover from, may have lifelong consequences or in the worst cases can even lead to wrongful death. The Manchester, 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 at once, and work tirelessly until you win the best possible compensation you deserve. We have seen every type of bus accident claim and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Manchester, MO individuals and families into accepting less compensation than they deserve. Those Manchester, 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 empathetic, veteran and aggressive 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 difficult to comprehend for Manchester, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial abilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over two decades standing up to bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Manchester, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every aspect of your claim. You can anticipate an experienced and talented 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 at the site at any time of the day or night in order to secure important evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also received injuries in the crash or were close by. As buses carry a lot of passengers, there are generally a lot of people who want the same answers and compensation you do. We will perform official depositions of eyewitnesses to aid in your case.
• Collect further evidence such as tire marks, surveillance videos, police reports, as well as key details such as how long the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and repairs were performed on the bus. Many different factors cause bus accidents, and your Burger Law Manchester, MO bus accident attorney will discover the "whys" of the crash and who needs to be held accountable.
• Use our network of Manchester, MO accident and medical experts to determine negligence 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 know-how and expertise to ensure you recover it.
• Stand up to resistant Manchester, MO insurance companies who are more interested in their bottom line than your well-being. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and avoid their obligation to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those tricks will not work in your case.
• Take your case to trial if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will use our expert 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 take control of all communication, documentation and litigation so that you can spend all of your energy on healing and making your family whole again. You owe us no attorneys fees until you are fairly compensated. If you or a family member has been injured in a catastrophic 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 was negligent. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Manchester, 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 is responsible for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Manchester, 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 the age of 25, in addition to more experienced drivers over 55 years old were more likely to be driving when a bus accident occurred.
• Driver error. While the same study found that a mere 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by an egregious offense such as driving while intoxicated, a different study by the University of Michigan reported that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus accidents had been cited with driving errors, for example, speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A lot of bus drivers, particularly the ones that are employed by commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that require 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 specifications about how many hours a driver can drive during without a break or how frequently 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 required or complied with.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ mass and the difficulty of driving them, icy roads or Manchester, MO construction areas can be particularly risky for bus riders. In some cases a third party such as a construction company will be liable. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you discover if that is the 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 inspectors often cannot keep up with the amount of inspections needed. Some Manchester, MO bus companies do not properly inspect their vehicles, causing them to be dangerous. Furthermore, bus companies need to make certain that their drivers are adequately trained and do not drive too long without a break.
• Hazardous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can result in a driver losing control and causing an accident. Some common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Faulty or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Insufficient lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The longer the hazardous condition has been on the Manchester, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the at-fault parties accountable. The liable party may be a local Manchester, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to eliminate the problem but either did not do so in a timely fashion or did not correctly repair it.

Once your expert Manchester, MO bus accident attorney ascertains the cause of your accident, they will be able to determine who is liable for your injuries and how to proceed with winning you the best possible compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are often found liable in bus accident cases.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are deemed common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their riders to look out for their safety. Part of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite insisting that safety is their foremost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules regarding driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to prevent sleepiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is usually not followed 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 caused by driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound riders have said that their driver was eating when the crash transpired, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making sure that Manchester, MO buses are correctly 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 failing to carry out routine maintenance or failing to fix a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are especially at risk of breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies need to be prudent 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 Manchester, 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 accident took place.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have an obligation to ensure the safety of their vehicles and immediately issue recalls in the event of a malfunctioning product. If they approve an inherently dangerous 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 shift the blame to someone else, your Manchester, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure liable parties are held responsible for their actions.

The Manchester or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be catastrophic because of the number of people who could be injured and because they typically occur in metropolitan areas. While you can seek compensation from the Manchester, MO government, there are specific procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury cases. If you seek to file a suit 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 vital to reach out to a Manchester, MO bus accident attorney immediately 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 liable 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 eating or texting, did not pull over when they were feeling overly tired, did not pay attention to the Manchester, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the terrible 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 safety and your life. If a bus driver does not take that obligation seriously and causes you injury, you can be confident that the committed and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto crash, two or more drivers are often involved, and in some cases they each may bear a percentage of the blame. Another driver’s negligence, such as speeding, driving while intoxicated or pulling in front of the bus too quickly can harm you. If you were harmed in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and accomplished Manchester, MO bus accident attorney will help you establish if they are responsible and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the the type of bus accident we most typically see in Manchester 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 Manchester, MO may also be held responsible, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were particularly 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 Manchester, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you receive 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 sprained ankle that only required a quick trip to an emergency room in Manchester, MO and a short time off work. Or, you may have received a devastating 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 Manchester, 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, rehabilitation, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We use our team of medical and economic experts to calculate the exact dollar amount you deserve, 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 impacted your life, Burger Law's Manchester, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly to ensure that you are awarded maximum 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 Manchester, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every category of bus accident case and know the incalculable anguish and calamitous effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Manchester, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, honest and tenacious and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have acquired over the past two decades to get you the the best possible recovery you are rightfully owed. If you or a loved one has been injured 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 case review.