Bus Accident Attorney in Sikeston, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Sikeston, MO. If you or a family member has been injured in a devastating 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 crashes, even though the can frequently be just as hazardous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Sikeston, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and respect the rules. When they eschew their responsibilities and do not respect the rules it can have devastating, sometimes lifelong consequences for you or your loved ones. Your Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will ensure that you recover the best possible compensation that you are owed for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over two decades of experience defending the injured in Sikeston and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like deceptive insurance companies and people who selfishly do not want to take responsibility for their thoughtless actions. Our Sikeston, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our capable hands, and in total we have collected for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, dedication, resolution, knowledge and experience to help find justice in personal injury cases and help Sikeston, MO residents become whole again. You should not have to lose wages, pay for expensive medical bills and also work through the emotional shock of your injury just because somebody else broke the rules. If you or a family member has been injured in a Sikeston, 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 consultation. We start working on your case immediately, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.

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

Do I Need a Sikeston, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have experienced injuries in a bus accident, you are probably feeling especially powerless. After all, you were not the driver and you went aboard the bus supposing that the adequate safety measures were obeyed. Sikeston, MO bus companies and drivers have strict rules they have an obligation to adhere to, but sometimes they neglect those duties and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is generally exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to really heal from, may have lifelong effects or in the most terrible cases can even result in wrongful death. The Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight by your side so you are not required to go it alone. When you hire us we begin working on your case at once, and work relentlessly until you recover the maximum compensation you are entitled to. We have seen every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Sikeston, MO individuals and families into settling for less compensation than they are owed. Those Sikeston, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes on – and wins – the difficult cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, veteran and relentless bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal proceedings are convoluted and can be difficult to comprehend for Sikeston, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial skills of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over 20 years standing up to bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every facet of your claim. You can anticipate an accomplished and savvy 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 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 many passengers who want the same answers and compensation you seek. Eyewitness testimony is a vital part of winning your case.
• Collect further evidence such as tire marks, surveillance videos, police reports, in additional to key details such as how far the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and repairs were conducted on the bus. A lot of different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney will discover why the crash happened and who needs to be held accountable.
• Work alongside our network of Sikeston, MO accident and medical experts to determine negligence 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 utilize our know-how and expertise to make sure you receive it.
• Fight back against resistant Sikeston, 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 avoid their duty to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those tricks 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 finely honed litigation skills to win you a full financial recovery for your damages.

Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be keeping you informed entire 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 someone you care about has been hurt in a catastrophic bus accident, contact an expert and committed 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 running a bus safely you will first need to determine the cause of the accident before determining who is liable. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney like those at Burger Law have seen every variety of car accident, truck accident and bus accident case and will be able to determine who is liable for your injuries.

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

• Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that novice drivers under 25 years old, as well as more experienced drivers over 55 years old were more likely to be driving when a bus accident occurred.
• Driver behavior. While the same study stated that just 4 percent of bus accidents were owing to an egregious 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 crashes had been cited with driving errors, for instance, speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A good deal of bus drivers, especially those that drive for commercial bus lines such as Greyhound that necessitate 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 regulations about how many hours a driver can drive during a day or how often they have to take a break, those rules 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 complied with.
• Road conditions. Given buses’ mass and the difficulty of driving them, slippery roads or Sikeston, MO construction areas can be especially risky for bus riders. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company will be liable. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you discover if that applies case.
• Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are regulated, 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 commercial motor vehicles, or a mere 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors generally cannot stay ahead of the quantity of inspections needed. Some Sikeston, MO bus companies do not properly repair their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Furthermore, bus companies are mandated to make sure that their drivers are adequately trained and are not overworked.
• Dangerous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can lead to a driver losing control and crashing. A Few common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Defective or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, such as branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The more time the dangerous condition has been on the Sikeston, MO road, the better your chances of holding the at-fault parties responsible. The liable party may be a local Sikeston, MO government, or a third party whom the government hired to repair the condition but either did not do so soon enough or did not sufficiently repair it.

Once your talented Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney deduces the cause of your wreck, they will be able to establish who is at-fault for your injuries and how to proceed with securing you the best possible financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are generally found negligent in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their passengers to maintain their safety. One aspect of that duty of care is to make certain that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite insisting that safety is their highest priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules when it comes to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically obligated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to hold off sleepiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is usually not followed as too many breaks could lead to financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study reported that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were due to driver fatigue. Additionally, many Greyhound riders have reported that their driver was eating when the accident happened, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making certain that Sikeston, 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 might be because of a bus company either neglecting to perform routine maintenance or neglecting 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 cannot use negligent hiring practices. All drivers need to be sufficiently licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Sikeston, 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 wreck happened.

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 if a product is found to be defective. If they approve an inherently defective design or do not recall a component that they knew or should have known was not functioning correctly, they are guilty of product liability. While they may try to place the blame on somebody else, your Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure at-fault parties are held accountable for their behavior.

The Sikeston or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be catastrophic because of the number of people who could be injured and because they generally take place in metropolitan areas. While you can make a claim against the Sikeston, MO government, there are specific procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in tort suits. If you want 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 necessary to call a Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney immediately 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 careless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a wreck owing to driving mistakes. If they became distracted by eating or texting, did not stop when they were feeling overly tired, did not pay attention to the Sikeston, 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 their employers sometimes have to be. When you get on a bus you trust that driver with your safety and your life. If a bus driver does not take that obligation to heart and causes you injury, you can be certain that the committed and relentless bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them accountable.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto collision, there are often two or more drivers, and in some instances they each may be responsible for 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 hurt in a bus wreck where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and experienced Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney will help you confirm if they are at fault and if you can make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the the category of bus crash we most commonly see in Sikeston 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 Sikeston, MO may also be held responsible, for instance if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were particularly poor or they did not perform adequate 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 Sikeston, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you recover in a bus accident case will usually depend on the severity of your injuries and the consequences they have on your life. You may have sustained a sprained ankle that merely required a quick trip to an emergency room in Sikeston, MO and a couple weeks off work. Or, you may have sustained 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 Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure that you are awarded 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, 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 severe your injuries and however much they have affected your life, Burger Law's Sikeston, 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 Sikeston, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every kind of bus accident case and know the incalculable anguish and catastrophic effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your Sikeston, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, honest and persistent and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have obtained over the past 20 years to win you the full recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been harmed in a bus accident, do not delay. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary case evaluation.