Bus Accident Attorney in Odessa, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Odessa, MO. If you or a family member has been harmed in a catastrophic bus accident, take control of your recovery by calling Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or by contacting us online.

Bus accidents rarely ever receive equal attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can frequently be similarly hazardous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Odessa, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and follow the rules. When they eschew their obligations and break the rules it can have ruinous, sometimes lifelong consequences for you or your loved ones. Your Odessa, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you secure the maximum compensation that you are owed for your damages.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over two decades of experience fighting for the rights of the injured in Odessa and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like deceptive insurance companies and people who egocentrically do not want to be held responsible for their thoughtless actions. Our Odessa, MO clients have put their cases and their futures in our knowledgeable hands, and in total we have won them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, devotion, relentlessness, knowledge and experience to help secure justice in personal injury cases and help Odessa, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose work, pay for ridiculous medical bills and also manage the emotional scars of your injury just because someone else broke the rules. If you or a family member has been harmed in a Odessa, 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 case review. We get started on your claim at once, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your case.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Odessa, 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 Odessa, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, you are likely feeling especially powerless. After all, you were not the one driving and you went aboard the bus assuming that the adequate safety measures were adhered to. Odessa, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent laws they have a responsibility to adhere to, but sometimes they fail in those duties and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is generally caused by bus accidents, injuries can take years to fully recover from, may have lifelong consequences or in the worst instances can even result in wrongful death. The Odessa, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand in your corner so you are not required to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we begin working on your case straight away, and work tirelessly until you recover the maximum compensation you are entitled to. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident claim and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Odessa, MO individuals and families into accepting a lower recovery than they are owed. Those Odessa, MO insurance companies are afraid of 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 tenacious bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

The legal process is complex and can be difficult to comprehend for Odessa, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial capabilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have more than 20 years of experience fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Odessa, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every facet of your claim. You can expect an experienced and talented bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the crash site immediately. 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 obtain key evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also experienced injuries in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are generally other people who want the same answers and financial recovery you seek. Eyewitness testimony is a vital part of proving your case.
• Acquire additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance videos, police reports, as well as important details such as how long the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and repairs were done on the bus. A lot of different factors cause bus accidents, and your Burger Law Odessa, MO bus accident attorney will find out why the crash happened and who needs to be held accountable.
• Utilize our network of Odessa, MO crash and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and put a figure on exactly how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will utilize our know-how and expertise to make certain you receive it.
• Fight back against resistant Odessa, MO insurance companies who care more about their bottom line than your well-being. 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 schemes will not work in your case.
• Take your case to trial 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 damages.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be keeping you informed 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 we win your case. If you or a family member has been hurt 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 it takes so many people to run a bus safely, from manufacturers, to bus companies to drivers, you will first need to discover the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Odessa, 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 what entity needs to be held liable for your injuries.

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

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that beginner 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 happened.
• Driver error. While the same study found that a mere 4 percent of bus accidents were due to a severe 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 accidents had been cited with driving errors, for example, speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A lot of bus drivers, particularly those that work for commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that require drivers to drive hundreds of miles in the middle of the night, become sleepy and can even fall asleep behind the wheel. While most busing companies have rules about how many hours a driver can drive during without a break 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 obligated or followed.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ mass and the intricacy of maneuvering them, icy roads or Odessa, MO construction areas can be especially hazardous for bus riders. Occasionally a third party such as a construction company will be negligent. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you understand if that is true in your case.
• Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are overseen by regulatory bodies, 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 inspections of more than 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews frequently cannot stay ahead of the quantity of inspections required. Some Odessa, MO bus companies do not adequately maintain their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Additionally, bus companies need to ensure that their drivers are properly trained and do not drive too long without a break.
• Hazardous roads. Hazards in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. Some typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Defective 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 Odessa, MO street, the better your odds of holding the liable parties responsible. The liable party may be a local Odessa, MO government, or a third party whom the government hired to eliminate the problem but either did not do so in a timely fashion or did not correctly repair it.

Once your experienced Odessa, MO bus accident attorney ascertains the cause of your crash, they will be able to confirm who is responsible for your injuries and how to proceed with delivering you full compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are frequently found negligent in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are regarded as common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to maintain their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not being overworked. In despite of saying that safety is their utmost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not following its own rules when it comes to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically required to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to inhibit 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 found that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were due to driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound passengers have said that their driver was eating when the accident occurred, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making certain that Odessa, MO buses are sufficiently inspected and maintained and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also the responsibility of the bus company. A bus accident may be a consequence of a bus company either failing to provide routine maintenance or failing to repair a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are especially susceptible to breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies need to be mindful in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be correctly licensed and trained, and should only be permitted to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Odessa, 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 crash happened.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to guarantee the safety of their products and quickly announce recalls in the event of a defective product. If they approve an inherently unsafe 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 attempt to place the blame on somebody else, your Odessa, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure at-fault parties are held accountable for their actions.

The Odessa or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be devastating because of the amount of people involved and because they often happen in metropolitan areas. While you can file a suit against the Odessa, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in injury liability 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 necessary to call a Odessa, 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 driving a motor vehicle “within the course of their employment.” This means that you can sue or make a claim against an at-fault or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident owing to driver error. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or texting, did not stop driving when they were feeling sleepy, did not pay attention to the Odessa, 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 ascend a bus you trust that driver with your safety and your life. If a bus driver does not take that responsibility to heart and causes you injury, you can be confident that the dedicated and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto wreck, there are frequently two or more drivers, 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 harm you. If you were harmed in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and experienced Odessa, MO bus accident attorney will help you ascertain if they are at fault and if you can make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the the kind of bus accident we most typically see in Odessa 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 at fault, a school district in Odessa, MO may also be held responsible, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were especially dangerous or they did not conduct sufficient 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 Odessa, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you are awarded in a bus accident case will typically be based on the severity of your injuries and the consequences they have on your life. You may have sustained a sprained wrist that just needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Odessa, MO and a couple weeks off work. Or, you may have received a disastrous 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 Odessa, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will ensure 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 costs, such as hospital bills, physical therapy, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential

  We use our team of medical and economic experts to calculate 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 severe your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Odessa, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly to ensure that you collect 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 Odessa, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every category of bus accident case and know the incalculable pain and calamitous effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your Odessa, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is empathetic, accomplished, trustworthy and persistent and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have gained over the past 20 years to secure you the the best possible recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been harmed 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.