Bus Accident Attorney in Marceline, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Marceline, MO. If you or a loved one has been hurt 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 receive equal attention as plane or train crashes, even though the can frequently be just as hazardous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Marceline, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and obey the rules. When they break that trust and break the rules it can have devastating, sometimes permanent outcomes for you or your loved ones. Your Marceline, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you collect the full compensation that you are owed for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than two decades of experience defending the injured in Marceline and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who carelessly do not want to be held responsible for their careless actions. Our Marceline, MO clients have put their cases and their futures in our knowledgeable hands, and to date we have won them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their determination, devotion, persistence, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Marceline, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose work, pay for extortionate medical costs and also handle the emotional toll of your injury only because someone else disregarded the rules. If you or a family member has been injured in a Marceline, 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 evaluation. We begin working 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 Marceline, MO because of someone else's thoughtless behavior, discover how much your claim may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Marceline, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have sustained injuries in a bus accident, you are probably feeling especially vulnerable. After all, you were not the driver and you boarded the bus under the assumption that the appropriate safety arrangements were obeyed. Marceline, MO bus companies and drivers have strict laws they have a duty to obey, but sometimes they neglect those duties 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 truly recover from, may have permanent consequences or in the most tragic instances can even lead to wrongful death. The Marceline, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight on your behalf so you do not need to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we begin investigating on your case at once, and will not let up until you are awarded the full compensation you are entitled to. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Marceline, MO individuals and families into settling for less money than they are owed. Those Marceline, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the tough cases. Call us today and let the empathetic, experienced and aggressive bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal procedures are convoluted and can be unforgiving to Marceline, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial abilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have over two decades of experience fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Marceline, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every aspect of your claim. You can anticipate 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 during the day or night in order to acquire important evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are generally other passengers who want the same answers and compensation you do. Eyewitness testimony is a vital part of winning your case.
• Collect additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, police reports, as well as important details such as how long the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and repairs were performed on the bus. Several different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Marceline, MO bus accident attorney will determine the "whys" of the accident and who needs to be held responsible.
• Work with our network of Marceline, MO auto wreck and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and assess exactly how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are owed and we will use our savvy and expertise to ensure you get it.
• Stand up to resistant Marceline, 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 weasel their way out of their responsibility to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those deceptive maneuvers 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 finely honed litigation skills to secure you a great financial recovery for your injuries.

Furthermore, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the 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. We charge no attorneys fees until you get maximum compensation. If you or a family member has been hurt in a disastrous bus accident, contact an expert and committed bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Since it takes so many people to run a bus safely, from manufacturers, to bus companies to drivers, you will first need to determine the cause of the accident before determining who caused your injuries. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Marceline, 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 what entity is responsible for your injuries.

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

• Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that inexperienced drivers under the age of 25, 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 reported that only 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by a grave offense such as driving while intoxicated, another study by the University of Michigan stated that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus collisions had been cited with driving errors, for instance, speeding, being sleepy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A lot of bus drivers, particularly the ones that are employed by commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that necessitate drivers to drive hundreds of miles in the middle of the night, become drowsy and can even fall asleep behind the wheel. While most busing companies have regulations about how many hours a driver can drive during without a break or how frequently 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 conditions. Given buses’ weight and the awkwardness of steering them, icy roads or Marceline, MO construction areas can be especially dangerous for bus passengers. Occasionally a third party such as a construction company is liable. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you discover if that is the 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 inspectors responsible for inspections of over 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors frequently cannot stay ahead of the number of inspections needed. Some Marceline, MO bus companies do not correctly inspect their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Additionally, bus companies are obligated to ensure that their drivers are sufficiently trained and do not drive too many hours without a break.
• Hazardous 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 signals
  • Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The longer the hazardous condition has been on the Marceline, MO street, the better your chances of holding the at-fault parties responsible. The liable party may be a local Marceline, MO government, or a third party whom the government contracted to fix the problem but either did not do so soon enough or did not properly repair it.

Once your knowledgeable Marceline, MO bus accident attorney establishes the reasons behind your wreck, they will be able to establish who is liable for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward delivering you maximum compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are typically found liable in bus accident cases.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are deemed common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their patrons to maintain their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not being overworked. In despite of saying that safety is their principal priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not following its own rules when it comes to driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to stave off fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is rarely obeyed as too many breaks could result in 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 customers have said that their driver was eating during the time of a crash, which is an example of distracted driving.

Ensuring that Marceline, MO buses are properly inspected and maintained and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also part of the bus company's duty. A bus accident could be the result of a bus company either failing to perform routine inspections or neglecting to repair a broken part or component. Older buses are especially predisposed 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 adequately licensed and trained, and should only be able to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Marceline, 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 occurred.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to verify the safety of their vehicles and immediately issue recalls if a product is discovered to be defective. If they approve an inherently faulty 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 place the blame on someone else, your Marceline, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure reckless parties are held responsible for their behavior.

The Marceline or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be catastrophic because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they frequently occur in densely populated areas. While you can seek compensation from the Marceline, MO government, there are special procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in injury liability claims. If you seek 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 necessary to contact a Marceline, MO bus accident attorney at once 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 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 owing to negligence. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or texting, did not pull over when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the Marceline, 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 their employers sometimes have to be. When you board a bus you trust that driver with your well-being and your life. If a bus driver does not take that duty to heart and causes you injury, you can be sure that the dedicated and aggressive bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them responsible.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle crash, two or more drivers are often involved, and in some cases they each may be responsible for 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 injure you. If you were hurt in a bus wreck where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and accomplished Marceline, 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 type of bus accident we most commonly see in Marceline 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 liable, a school district in Marceline, MO may also be held responsible, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when road 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 Marceline, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you collect in a bus accident case will typically depend on the seriousness of your injuries and how they have impacted and will affect they have on your life. You may have sustained a sprained ankle that only needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Marceline, 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 Marceline, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will ensure that you secure 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 expenses, such as hospital bills, rehabilitation, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We use our network of medical and economic experts to quantify 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 grave your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Marceline, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively 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 Marceline, 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 Marceline, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is empathetic, accomplished, honest and relentless and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have obtained 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 free case review.