Bus Accident Attorney in Rolla, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Rolla, MO. If you or a loved one 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 get equal attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can often be similarly hazardous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Rolla, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and obey the rules. When they break that trust and do not respect the rules it can have ruinous, sometimes permanent consequences for you or your loved ones. Your Rolla, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you recover the maximum 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 Rolla and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to take responsibility for their negligent behavior. Many Rolla, MO families have put their claims 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 determination, commitment, persistence, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Rolla, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose work, pay for pricey medical bills and also deal with the emotional toll of your injury only because someone else disregarded the rules. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Rolla, MO bus accident, reach out to the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case evaluation. We begin working on your case at once, and we do not charge any fees until we win you the financial recovery you deserve.

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

Do I Need a Rolla, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have experienced injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially unprotected. After all, you were not the one driving and you got on board the bus assuming that the adequate safety protocols were obeyed. Rolla, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent laws they have an obligation to adhere to, but sometimes they fail in those responsibilities and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is frequently caused by bus accidents, injuries can take years to really heal from, may have lifelong effects or in the worst cases can even cause wrongful death. The Rolla, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand in your corner so you do not have to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we begin investigating on your case straight away, and work tirelessly until you recover the full compensation you deserve. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident claim and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Rolla, MO individuals and families into settling for a lower recovery than they are owed. Those Rolla, MO insurance companies fear 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 tenacious bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal proceedings are complex and can be unforgiving to Rolla, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial experience 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 Rolla, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every facet of your case. You can expect a seasoned and savvy 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 acquire key evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were close by. As buses carry many passengers, there are generally many people who want the same answers and compensation you need. We will conduct official depositions of eyewitnesses to aid in your case.
• Obtain further evidence such as tire marks, surveillance footage, police reports, as well as important details such as how far the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and maintenance was done on the bus. Several different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Rolla, MO bus accident attorney will find out why the crash happened and who needs to be held liable.
• Use our network of Rolla, MO auto wreck and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and put a figure on precisely how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will implement our experience and expertise to ensure you collect it.
• Fight back against resistant Rolla, MO insurance companies who are more interested in their profits 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 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 constantly trained litigation skills to win you a great financial recovery for your injuries.

Furthermore, our bus accident attorney team will be keeping you informed whole time. We manage 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 loved one has been hurt in a ruinous bus accident, contact an expert and dedicated bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Since it takes 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 is liable. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Rolla, 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 is liable for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Rolla, 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, in addition to more experienced drivers over the age of 55 were more likely to be driving when a bus accident transpired.
• Driver error. While the same study found that a mere 4 percent of bus accidents were due to a serious offense such as driving while intoxicated, another study by the University of Michigan found that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus wrecks had committed driving errors, such as speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A good deal of bus drivers, especially the ones that drive for commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that require 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 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 required or followed.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ size and the intricacy of driving them, slick roads or Rolla, MO construction areas can be especially risky for bus passengers. Occasionally a third party such as a construction company will be at fault. 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 inspectors responsible for reviews for more than 765,000 trucks and buses, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors frequently cannot keep up with the amount of inspections needed. Some Rolla, MO bus companies do not adequately inspect their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Additionally, bus companies are required to make certain that their drivers are adequately trained and are not overworked.
• Hazardous roads. Hazards in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. A Few typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Faulty or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the hazardous condition has been on the Rolla, MO road, the better chance you have of holding the liable parties responsible. The at-fault party may be a local Rolla, MO government, or a third party whom the government hired to eliminate the condition but either did not do so in a timely fashion or did not sufficiently repair it.

Once your accomplished Rolla, MO bus accident attorney ascertains the reasons behind your crash, they will be able to determine who is at-fault for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward winning you full compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are typically found at-fault in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their customers to look out for their safety. Part of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not driving too many miles without a break. In despite of insisting that safety is their utmost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules concerning driver fatigue. Drivers are technically obliged to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to hold off sleepiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is usually not obeyed 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 reported that their driver was eating when the accident happened, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making certain that Rolla, MO buses are adequately inspected and repaired and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also part of the bus company's responsibility. A bus accident might be a consequence of a bus company either failing to provide routine inspections or neglecting to repair a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are especially at risk of breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies cannot use negligent hiring practices. All drivers need to be properly licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Rolla, 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 transpired.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to confirm the safety of their products and swiftly issue recalls if a product is found to be dangerous. 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 might try to place the blame on somebody else, your Rolla, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure reckless parties are held responsible for their behavior.

The Rolla or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be devastating because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they often transpire in densely populated areas. While you can file a suit against the Rolla, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental bodies and government employees than for the average citizen in tort suits. If you seek 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 imperative to contact a Rolla, MO bus accident attorney right away after your injury. 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 a negligent or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a wreck owing to driver error. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or texting, did not stop when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the Rolla, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the foolish decision to drive drunk, they need to be held responsible just like their employers sometimes have to be. When you get on a bus you trust that driver with your health and your life. If a bus driver does not take that duty seriously and causes you injury, you can be confident that the devoted and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle crash, two or more drivers are frequently involved, and in some cases they each may shoulder 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 hurt you. If you were hurt in a bus crash where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and accomplished Rolla, MO bus accident attorney will help you confirm if they are responsible and if you can make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the the category of bus accident we most typically see in Rolla 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 liable, a school district in Rolla, MO may also be held responsible, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were especially dangerous 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 Rolla, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you are awarded in a bus accident case will usually depend on the gravity of your injuries and the consequences they have on your life. You may have gotten a mild concussion that merely needed a quick trip to an emergency room in Rolla, MO and a week or two off work. Or, you may have experienced a catastrophic 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 Rolla, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure that you receive 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 expenses, such as hospital bills, physical therapy, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential

  We use our network 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 grave your injuries and however much they have affected your life, Burger Law's Rolla, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly to ensure that you are awarded 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 Rolla, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every type of bus accident case and know the incalculable anguish and disastrous effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your Rolla, 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 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 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 complimentary consultation.