Bus Accident Attorney in Maryland Heights, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Maryland Heights, 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 receive the same attention as plane or train accidents, 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 Maryland Heights, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and follow the rules. When they eschew their responsibilities and do not respect the rules it can have ruinous, sometimes lifelong consequences for you or your loved ones. Your Maryland Heights, 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 over 20 years of experience defending the injured in Maryland Heights and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who egocentrically do not want to be held accountable for their thoughtless actions. Our Maryland Heights, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our capable hands, and to date 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 Maryland Heights, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose work, pay for pricey medical bills and also manage the emotional impact of your injury just because another person did not respect the rules. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a Maryland Heights, MO bus accident, contact 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 case at once, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Maryland Heights, MO because of another person's reckless behavior, learn how much your claim may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Maryland Heights, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, you are likely feeling especially unprotected. After all, you were not the one driving and you went aboard the bus under the impression that that the adequate safety measures were adhered to. Maryland Heights, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent regulations they have a duty to respect, but sometimes they fail in those responsibilities and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is typically caused by bus accidents, injuries can take years to fully recover from, may have permanent effects or in the worst instances can even result in wrongful death. The Maryland Heights, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand by your side so you are not required to go it alone. When you hire us we begin investigating on your case straight away, and will not let up until you are awarded the maximum compensation you deserve. We have seen every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Maryland Heights, MO individuals and families into settling for a lower recovery than they deserve. Those Maryland Heights, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the complicated cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, accomplished 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 difficult to comprehend for Maryland Heights, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial experience 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 Maryland Heights, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every facet of your claim. You can bank on a veteran and knowledgeable bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the crash site immediately. 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 acquire vital evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry a variety of passengers, there are often other passengers who want the same answers and financial recovery you do. We will perform official depositions of eyewitnesses to aid in your case.
• Obtain further evidence such as tire marks, security footage, police reports, as well as key details such as how long the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and maintenance was conducted on the bus. Many different factors cause bus accidents, and your Burger Law Maryland Heights, MO bus accident attorney will discover the "whys" of the accident and who needs to be held responsible.
• Utilize our network of Maryland Heights, MO auto wreck 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 savvy and expertise to make sure you recover it.
• Fight back against resistant Maryland Heights, MO insurance companies who are more concerned for 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 to trial if the insurance company will not offer a fair settlement, we will use our expert litigation skills to win you a full financial recovery for your injuries.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the whole 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 harmed in a calamitous bus accident, contact an expert and devoted bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Since it necessitates so many people to operate a bus safely, from manufacturers, to bus companies to drivers, you will first need to determine the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Maryland Heights, MO bus accident attorney like those at Burger Law have seen every type of car accident, truck accident and bus accident case and will be able to determine who needs to be held liable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Maryland Heights, 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, as well as more experienced drivers over the age of 55 were more likely to be driving when a bus accident happened.
• Driver behavior. While the same study found that only 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by a grave offense such as drunk driving, another study by the University of Michigan found that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus accidents had committed driving errors, for example, speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. Many bus drivers, particularly those that are employed by commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that require drivers to drive hundreds of miles at all hours of the day or night, become fatigued and can even fall asleep at the wheel. While most busing companies have specifications about how many hours a driver can drive during a day or how often 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 obeyed.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ mass and the intricacy of maneuvering them, slippery roads or Maryland Heights, MO construction areas can be particularly hazardous for bus riders. Occasionally a third party such as a construction company is negligent. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you understand if that applies case.
• Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are overseen by regulatory entities, but not nearly 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 over 765,000 trucks and buses, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors often cannot keep pace with the amount of inspections needed. Some Maryland Heights, MO bus companies do not correctly repair their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Additionally, bus companies need to make sure that their drivers are sufficiently trained and do not drive too many hours without a break.
• Dangerous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can result in a driver losing control and crashing. Some common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Faulty or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the hazardous condition has been on the Maryland Heights, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the at-fault parties responsible. The negligent party may be a local Maryland Heights, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to eliminate the problem but either did not do so soon enough or did not correctly repair it.

Once your talented Maryland Heights, MO bus accident attorney establishes the reasons behind your accident, they will be able to determine who is at-fault for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward getting you a maximum financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are generally found at-fault in bus accident cases.

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 patrons to look out for 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 insisting that safety is their top priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules in regards to driver fatigue. Drivers are theoretically obliged to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to stave off drowsiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often 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 caused by driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound customers have stated that their driver was eating during the time of a crash, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making certain that Maryland Heights, MO buses are sufficiently 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 perform routine maintenance or neglecting to repair a broken part or component. Older buses are particularly susceptible to breaking down and bus companies must 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 able to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Maryland Heights, 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 accident transpired.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to certify the safety of their products and swiftly announce recalls in the event of a malfunctioning 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 may attempt to place the blame on somebody else, your Maryland Heights, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure careless parties are held accountable for their behavior.

The Maryland Heights or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be catastrophic because of the number of people involved and because they typically transpire in metropolitan areas. While you can seek a financial recovery from the Maryland Heights, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in personal injury claims. 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 urgent to reach out to a Maryland Heights, MO bus accident attorney at once 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 reckless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a crash because of recklessness. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or texting, did not pull over when they were feeling fatigued, did not pay attention to the Maryland Heights, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the terrible decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable 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 duty to heart and causes you injury, you can be confident that the dedicated and aggressive 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 be responsible for a percentage of the blame. Another driver’s thoughtlessness, 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 crash where there was another driver or drivers involved, your skilled and veteran Maryland Heights, 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 Maryland Heights and Missouri. Nationally, school bus accidents account for 40 percent of all fatal bus crashes. While often the driver, bus company or bus manufacturer is liable, a school district in Maryland Heights, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were particularly dangerous 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 Maryland Heights, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you are awarded in a bus accident case will typically depend on the gravity of your injuries and how they have affected and will impact they have on your life. You may have received a sprained wrist that just required a quick trip to an emergency room in Maryland Heights, MO and a short time off work. Or, you may have sustained a catastrophic 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 Maryland Heights, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain that you secure a maximum 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 potential

  We work with our network of medical and economic experts to quantify the exact dollar amount you are entitled to, 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 Maryland Heights, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly 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 Maryland Heights, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every sort of bus accident case and know the tremendous pain and devastating effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your Maryland Heights, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, honest and determined and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have gained over the past two decades to get you the maximum recovery you rightfully deserve. 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 complimentary consultation.