Bus Accident Attorney in Sedalia, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Sedalia, MO. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a catastrophic 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 receive the same attention as plane or train accidents, even though the can often be similarly dangerous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Sedalia, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and obey the rules. When they eschew their obligations and break the rules it can have terrible, sometimes permanent consequences for you or the people you care about. Your Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you get the maximum compensation that you are entitled to for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than two decades of experience fighting for the rights of the injured in Sedalia and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who egocentrically do not want to take responsibility for their reckless actions. Our Sedalia, MO clients have put their cases and their futures in our trustworthy hands, and in total we have recovered for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, devotion, persistence, knowledge and experience to help secure justice in personal injury cases and help Sedalia, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose work, pay for sky-high medical bills and also work through the emotional toll of your injury just because another person broke the rules. If you or a family member has been injured in a Sedalia, MO bus accident, contact 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 claim straight away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win you the compensation you are owed.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Sedalia, MO because of someone else's thoughtless behavior, learn how much your damages may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Sedalia, 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 got on the bus under the impression that that the correct safety protocols were obeyed. Sedalia, MO bus companies and drivers have strict rules they have a responsibility to follow, but sometimes they neglect those obligations and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is typically exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to really heal from, may have permanent consequences or in the most terrible cases can even cause wrongful death. The Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand in your corner so you do not need to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we begin working on your case straight away, and will not let up until you recover the maximum compensation you deserve. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Sedalia, MO individuals and families into accepting a lower recovery than they are owed. Those Sedalia, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the complicated cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, seasoned 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 unforgiving to Sedalia, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial skills 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 Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney team, we manage every detail of your claim. You can expect a seasoned and talented bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the accident site immediately. When you call us, we can have a bus accident lawyer at the site at any time of the day or night in order to obtain important evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also experienced injuries in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry a variety of passengers, there are generally a lot of people who want the same answers and financial recovery you need. Eyewitness testimony is a important part of proving your case.
• Acquire further evidence such as tire marks, security footage, 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 maintenance was done on the bus. Many different factors give rise to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney will determine why the crash happened and who needs to be held liable.
• Work alongside our network of Sedalia, MO accident and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and compute exactly 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 receive it.
• Stand up to resistant Sedalia, MO insurance companies who are more interested in 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 obligation to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those ploys 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 expert litigation skills to win you a great financial recovery for your damages.

Beyond that, our bus accident attorney team will be in your corner entire time. We manage all communication, documentation and litigation so that you can focus all of your energy on healing and making your family whole again. You owe us no attorneys fees until you get full compensation. If you or a family member has been hurt in a calamitous bus accident, contact an expert and dedicated bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Because bus drivers, companies and manufacturers all have a role to play in operating a bus safely you will first need to discover the cause of the accident before determining who is liable. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney like those at Burger Law have seen every kind of car accident, truck accident and bus accident case and will be able to determine who needs to be held accountable for your injuries.

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

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that recently licensed drivers under the age of 25, as well as more experienced drivers over the age of 55 were more likely to be driving when a bus accident took place.
• Driver behavior. While the same study stated that only 4 percent of bus accidents were owing to a serious offense such as drunk driving, another study by the University of Michigan stated that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus crashes had been cited with driving errors, for instance, speeding, being drowsy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A good deal of bus drivers, especially those 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 at the wheel. While most busing companies have regulations about how many hours a driver can drive during a day 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 enforced or obeyed.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ size and the difficulty of steering them, slick roads or Sedalia, MO construction areas can be particularly hazardous for bus riders. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company is liable. 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 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 personnel responsible for inspections of over 765,000 commercial motor vehicles, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors frequently cannot stay ahead of the amount of inspections required. Some Sedalia, MO bus companies do not correctly repair their vehicles, causing them to be dangerous. Additionally, bus companies are mandated to ensure that their drivers are sufficiently trained and do not drive too long without a break.
• Hazardous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can result in a driver losing control and crashing. Some common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Faulty or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for instance branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Insufficient lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The longer the dangerous condition has been on the Sedalia, MO street, the better your chances of holding the at-fault parties accountable. The at-fault party may be a local Sedalia, MO government, or a third party whom the government paid to repair the issue but either did not do so quickly enough or did not properly repair it.

Once your experienced Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney deduces the reasons for your crash, they will be able to establish who is liable for your injuries and how to proceed with securing you the best possible financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are frequently found liable in bus accident cases.

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 look out for their safety. Part of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not driving too many hours in a day. In despite of insisting that safety is their foremost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not following its own rules in regards to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically mandated 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 followed as too many breaks could result in financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study found that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were owing to driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound customers have said that their driver was eating when the crash transpired, which constitutes distracted driving.

Making sure that Sedalia, MO buses are adequately inspected and repaired and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also part of the bus company's duty. A bus accident could be because of a bus company either failing to perform routine inspections or failing to fix a broken part or component. Older buses are especially prone to breaking down and bus companies need to keep their fleets updated.

Lastly, bus companies need to be diligent 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 Sedalia, 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 ensure the safety of their products and quickly issue recalls if a product is found to be dangerous. If they approve an inherently dangerous 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 try to shift the blame to someone else, your Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure at-fault parties are held responsible for their behavior.

The Sedalia or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be disastrous because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they generally transpire in densely populated areas. While you can seek compensation from the Sedalia, MO government, there are special procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental entities 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 essential to contact a Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney right 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 reckless 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 driving when they were feeling overly tired, did not pay attention to the Sedalia, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the foolish decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable just like their employers 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 sure that the dedicated and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.

The Other Driver

Like any type of motor vehicle collision, there are frequently two or more drivers, and in some instances they each may bear 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 harm you. If you were injured in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and veteran Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney will help you establish 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 crash we most typically see in Sedalia 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 Sedalia, MO may also be held accountable, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were especially poor or they did not perform 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 Sedalia, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you receive in a bus accident case will typically be based on the gravity of your injuries and the consequences they have on your life. You may have received a mild concussion that only required a quick trip to an emergency room in Sedalia, MO and a short time off work. Or, you may have experienced a disastrous spinal cord injury that leaves you disabled and in need of special equipment for the rest of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will ensure 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 capacity

  We utilize our network of medical and economic experts to quantify the exact dollar amount you are owed, 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 Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly to ensure that you recover 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 Sedalia, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every kind of bus accident case and know the immense pain and devastating effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Sedalia, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, straightforward and relentless and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have acquired over the past two decades to win you the maximum 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 consultation.