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Bus Accident Attorney in Perryville, MO
Bus Accident Attorney in Perryville, MO. If you or a loved one 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 rarely ever receive the same attention as plane or train crashes, even though the can often be just as dangerous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Perryville, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and respect the rules. When they break that trust and break the rules it can have devastating, sometimes lifelong effects for you or your family. Your Perryville, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you win the maximum compensation that you deserve for your injuries.
At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than two decades of experience defending the injured in Perryville and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to be held responsible for their thoughtless behavior. Our Perryville, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our accomplished hands, and in total we have won 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 Perryville, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose work, pay for extortionate medical bills and also deal with the emotional toll of your injury just because somebody else did not respect the rules. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a Perryville, MO bus accident, call the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation. We start 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 Perryville, MO because of someone else's negligent actions, learn how much your damages may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.
What's The Process to Settle My Personal Injury Claim?
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Do I Need a Perryville, MO Bus Accident Attorney?
If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially unprotected. After all, you were not the one driving and you boarded the bus presuming that the appropriate safety arrangements were followed. Perryville, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent regulations they have a duty to obey, 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 heal from, may have permanent effects or in the worst instances can even result in wrongful death. The Perryville, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight on your behalf so you are not required to go it alone. When you hire us we start investigating on your case straight away, and will not let up until you receive 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 Perryville, MO individuals and families into settling for a lower recovery than they deserve. Those Perryville, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the tough cases. Call us today and let the passionate, experienced and aggressive bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you protect your family’s future and help make you whole again.
Legal proceedings are convoluted and can be difficult to comprehend for Perryville, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial skills of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over 20 years fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Perryville, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every facet of your claim. You can anticipate an accomplished and knowledgeable 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 on the scene at any time of the day or night in order to obtain key evidence for your claim.
- Interview eyewitnesses who were either also received injuries in the crash or were close by. As buses carry a variety of passengers, there are almost always a lot of passengers who want the same answers and compensation you seek. We will perform official depositions of eyewitnesses to aid in your case.
- Acquire additional evidence such as tire marks, security videos, police reports, in additional to important details such as how many miles the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and maintenance was performed on the bus. Many different factors give rise to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Perryville, MO bus accident attorney will determine why the crash happened and who needs to be held accountable.
- Work alongside our network of Perryville, MO crash and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and work out precisely how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are owed and we will use our experience and expertise to make certain you receive it.
- Fight back against resistant Perryville, MO insurance companies who care more about their bottom line than your health. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and devalue your damages. When you hire us, you can be sure those deceptive maneuvers will not work in your case.
- Take your case in front of a judge and jury if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will use our constantly trained litigation skills to secure you a great financial recovery for your injuries.
Beyond that, our bus accident attorney team will be keeping you informed whole time. We handle 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 get fair compensation. If you or a loved one 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?
Because bus drivers, companies and manufacturers all have a part to play in operating a bus safely you will first need to learn the cause of the accident before determining who is liable. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Perryville, 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 discover what entity needs to be held accountable for your injuries.
What Causes Bus Accidents? | Perryville, MO Bus Accident Attorney
- Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that beginner 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 took place.
- Driver error. While the same study reported that just 4 percent of bus accidents were owing 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 wrecks had been cited with driving errors, for example, speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
- Driver fatigue. Many bus drivers, especially the ones that are employed by commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that necessitate 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 specifications 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 obligated or followed.
- Road hazards. Given buses’ weight and the awkwardness of maneuvering them, slick roads or Perryville, MO construction areas can be especially dangerous for bus passengers. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company is negligent. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you determine if that is true in your case.
- Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are regulated, 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 inspectors responsible for reviews for more than 765,000 trucks and buses, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors often cannot stay ahead of the amount of inspections required. Some Perryville, MO bus companies do not correctly repair their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Additionally, bus companies are obligated to make certain that their drivers are sufficiently trained and are not overworked.
- Dangerous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can lead to a driver losing control and crashing. Some common examples are:
- Potholes
- Cracked or uneven pavement
- Malfunctioning or missing traffic lights
- Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
- Inadequate lighting
- Excessive grades
The longer the hazardous condition has been on the Perryville, MO road, the better your chances of holding the negligent parties accountable. The at-fault party may be a local Perryville, MO government, or a third party whom the government contracted to repair the issue but either did not do so soon enough or did not sufficiently repair it.
Once your talented Perryville, 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 go forward with getting you full compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are often found at-fault in bus accident cases.
Commercial Bus Lines
Transport buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their passengers to look out for their safety. One facet of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not driving too many miles without a break. In despite of insisting that safety is their principal priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules when it comes to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically required to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to prevent fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often obeyed as too many breaks could result in financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study reported that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were owing to driver fatigue. Moreover, many Greyhound passengers have said that their driver was eating during the time of an accident, which constitutes distracted driving.
Making sure that Perryville, MO buses are properly inspected and repaired and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also the responsibility of the bus company. A bus accident could be the result of a bus company either neglecting to carry out routine inspections or neglecting to repair a broken part or component. Older buses are especially vulnerable to breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.
Lastly, bus companies need to be vigilant 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 Perryville, 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 crash occurred.
A Bus Manufacturer
Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to guarantee the safety of their vehicles and quickly issue recalls if a product is discovered to be dangerous. If they approve an inherently defective 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 might attempt to place the blame on someone else, your Perryville, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure careless parties are held accountable for their behavior.
The Perryville or Missouri Government or a Public Entity
Public transportation accidents can often be ruinous because of the amount of people involved and because they usually take place in metropolitan areas. While you can seek compensation from the Perryville, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in tort 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 essential to contact a Perryville, MO bus accident attorney straight away 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 careless public bus driver in Missouri.
The Bus Driver
Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a wreck due to recklessness. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not stop the bus when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the Perryville, 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 ascend a bus you trust that driver with your safety and your life. If a bus driver does not take that duty seriously and causes you injury, you can be certain that the devoted and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.
The Other Driver
Like any type of auto collision, two or more drivers are frequently involved, and in some cases they each may shoulder a portion 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 skilled and experienced Perryville, MO bus accident attorney will help you establish if they are responsible and if you can make a claim against their insurance company.
School Districts
School bus accidents are the the type of bus accident we most commonly see in Perryville 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 responsible, a school district in Perryville, MO may also be held accountable, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were especially bad 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 Perryville, MO Recover For Me?
The compensation you collect in a bus accident case will typically depend on the severity of your injuries and how they have impacted and will affect they have on your life. You may have sustained a mild concussion that just required a quick trip to an emergency room in Perryville, MO and a week or two off work. Or, you may have sustained a disastrous 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 Perryville, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain that you secure a great 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 potential
We work with our team 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 affected your life, Burger Law's Perryville, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly 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 Perryville, 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 your loved ones. Your Perryville, 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 hurt in a bus accident, do not wait another second. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a free case review.