Bus Accident Attorney in St. Joseph, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in St. Joseph, MO. If you or someone you care about has been injured 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 get the same attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can often be similarly harmful and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust St. Joseph, 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 terrible, sometimes permanent effects for you or the people you care about. Your St. Joseph, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make certain that you get the full 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 St. Joseph and throughout Missouri and fighting back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and people who carelessly do not want to be held accountable for their negligent behavior. Many St. Joseph, MO residents have put their cases and their futures in our knowledgeable 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, commitment, resolution, knowledge and experience to help find justice in personal injury cases and help St. Joseph, MO residents heal. You should not have to lose work, pay for exorbitant medical bills and also deal with the emotional trauma of your injury only because somebody else broke the rules. If you or a loved one has been injured in a St. Joseph, 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 review. We get started on your case immediately, 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 St. Joseph, MO because of somebody else's reckless behavior, learn how much your claim may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a St. Joseph, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have sustained injuries in a bus accident, you are likely feeling especially vulnerable. After all, you were not the driver and you got on the bus under the impression that that the correct safety protocols were adhered to. St. Joseph, MO bus companies and drivers have strict laws they have an obligation to obey, but sometimes they fail in those obligations 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 recover from, may have permanent consequences or in the most tragic cases can even cause wrongful death. The St. Joseph, 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 start investigating on your case at once, and work tirelessly until you get the full compensation you are entitled to. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured St. Joseph, MO individuals and families into settling for less compensation than they entitled to. Those St. Joseph, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the difficult cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, seasoned and relentless bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal procedures are convoluted and can be unforgiving to St. Joseph, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial experience of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over 20 years fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard cases. When you hire our St. Joseph, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every aspect of your claim. You can bank on an experienced and knowledgeable 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 during the day or night in order to secure essential evidence for your case.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also involved in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry many passengers, there are almost always other passengers who want the same answers and financial recovery you seek. Eyewitness testimony is a important part of winning your case.
• Acquire additional evidence such as tire marks, security videos, police reports, as well as important details such as how many miles the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and maintenance was conducted on the bus. A lot of different factors give rise to bus accidents, and your Burger Law St. Joseph, MO bus accident attorney will determine the "whys" of the crash and who needs to be held accountable.
• Work with our network of St. Joseph, MO accident and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and calculate exactly how much your damages are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are owed and we will implement our experience and expertise to make certain you receive it.
• Stand up to resistant St. Joseph, 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 devalue your claim. When you hire us, you can be sure those tricks will not work in your case.
• Take the fight 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 win you a full financial recovery for your damages.

Beyond that, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the entire time. We oversee 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 the best possible compensation. If you or a family member 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?

Because it necessitates 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 caused your injuries. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled St. Joseph, 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 what entity needs to be held responsible for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | St. Joseph, MO Bus Accident Attorney

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that novice drivers under the age of 25, in addition to more experienced drivers over the age of 55 were more likely to be driving when a bus accident happened.
• Driver behavior. While the same study reported that a mere 4 percent of bus accidents were because of 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 collisions had been cited with driving errors, for instance, speeding, being sleepy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A lot of bus drivers, especially the ones 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 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 regulations are often <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/23/us/greyhound-investigation/" target="_blank” rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener title="CNN"not mandatory or followed.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ size and the difficulty of maneuvering them, icy roads or St. Joseph, MO construction areas can be especially dangerous for bus riders. Sometimes a third party such as a construction company will be negligent. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you determine if that is the 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 inspections of over 765,000 motor carriers, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means inspectors often cannot stay ahead of the number of inspections required. Some St. Joseph, MO bus companies do not adequately repair their vehicles, causing them to be dangerous. Furthermore, bus companies are obligated to ensure that their drivers are adequately trained and are not overworked.
• Hazardous roads. Faults in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. A Few common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Faulty or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, for instance branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The longer the dangerous condition has been on the St. Joseph, MO road, the better your odds of holding the negligent parties responsible. The negligent party may be a local St. Joseph, MO government, or a third party whom the government contracted to repair the issue but either did not do so quickly enough or did not adequately repair it.

Once your skilled St. Joseph, MO bus accident attorney confirm the reasons behind your wreck, they will be able to establish who is responsible for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward delivering you a full financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are often found liable in bus accident cases.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers under the law, 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 driving too many hours in a day. Despite saying that safety is their top priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules concerning driver fatigue. Drivers are technically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to stave off fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often followed as too many breaks could cause 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 stated that their driver was eating during the time of an accident, which is an example of distracted driving.

Ensuring that St. Joseph, MO buses are sufficiently inspected and maintained and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also part of the bus company's responsibility. A bus accident could be the result of a bus company either neglecting to perform routine maintenance or neglecting to fix a broken part or component. Older buses are especially predisposed to breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Finally, bus companies need to be prudent in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be properly licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing strict background checks. Your St. Joseph, 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 accident occurred.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to certify the safety of their vehicles and swiftly issue recalls in the event of a faulty product. If they approve an inherently faulty 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 attempt to place the blame on someone else, your St. Joseph, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure liable parties are held accountable for their behavior.

The St. Joseph or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be calamitous because of the amount of people involved and because they frequently happen in metropolitan areas. While you can seek compensation from the St. Joseph, 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 personal injury 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 necessary to reach out to a St. Joseph, MO bus accident attorney straight 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 careless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a wreck through negligence. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not pull over when they were feeling overly tired, did not pay attention to the St. Joseph, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the horrible decision to drive drunk, they need to be held responsible just like bus companies sometimes have to be. When you go on board a bus you trust that driver with your health and your life. If a bus driver does not take that duty to heart and causes you injury, you can be confident that the dedicated and tenacious 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 instances they each may bear a percentage of the blame. Another driver’s recklessness, such as speeding, driving while intoxicated or pulling in front of the bus too quickly can injure you. If you were hurt in a bus wreck where there was another driver or drivers involved, your skilled and seasoned St. Joseph, 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 crash we most commonly see in St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph, MO may also be held accountable, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were particularly poor or they did not perform 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 St. Joseph, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you receive in a bus accident case will usually be based on the severity of your injuries and the repercussions they have on your life. You may have gotten a mild concussion that just needed a quick trip to an emergency room in St. Joseph, 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 remainder of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished St. Joseph, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will ensure that you collect a fair 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 capacity

  We utilize our team 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 serious your injuries and however much they have affected your life, Burger Law's St. Joseph, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively to ensure that you get 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 St. Joseph, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every type of bus accident case and know the tremendous pain and ruinous effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your St. Joseph, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, straightforward and determined and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have acquired over the past two decades to get you the maximum 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 free case evaluation.