Standing by your side
Bus Accident Attorney in Webb City, MO
Bus Accident Attorney in Webb City, MO. If you or a family member 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 ever receive equal attention as plane or train crashes, even though the can often be equally as hazardous and fatal. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Webb City, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and respect the rules. When they eschew their responsibilities and break the rules it can have devastating, sometimes permanent effects for you or your loved ones. Your Webb City, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make certain that you receive the maximum compensation that you are entitled to for your injuries.
At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has over 20 years of experience defending the injured in Webb City and throughout Missouri and pushing back against bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who egotistically do not want to take responsibility for their negligent behavior. Many Webb City, MO families have put their cases and their futures in our capable hands, and to date we have collected for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, devotion, tenacity, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Webb City, MO residents on their road to recovery. You should not have to lose wages, pay for expensive medical bills and also manage the emotional scars of your injury only because someone else broke the rules. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a Webb City, MO bus accident, call 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 claim at once, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.
If you were injured in a bus accident in Webb City, MO because of someone else's thoughtless behavior, find out how much your claim may be worth by filling out our personal injury calculator.
What's The Process to Settle My Personal Injury Claim?
Click to view video
Do I Need a Webb City, MO Bus Accident Attorney?
If you have experienced injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially powerless. After all, you were not the one driving and you got on the bus assuming that the proper safety protocols were adhered to. Webb City, MO bus companies and drivers have strict rules they are supposed to follow, but sometimes they neglect those obligations 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 fully heal from, may have permanent consequences or in the worst cases can even cause wrongful death. The Webb City, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand by your side so you do not need to go it alone. When you hire us we start working on your case straight away, and work relentlessly until you receive the full compensation you are owed. We have made a claim for every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and defraud injured Webb City, MO individuals and families into accepting less compensation than they entitled to. Those Webb City, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the hard cases. Call us today and let the passionate, veteran and relentless bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you safeguard your family’s future and help make you whole again.
The legal process is convoluted and can be difficult to comprehend for Webb City, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial capabilities of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have more than 20 years of experience fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Webb City, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every detail of your case. You can expect an accomplished and knowledgeable bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:
- Investigate the crash 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 acquire vital evidence for your claim.
- Interview eyewitnesses who were either also received injuries in the crash or were nearby. As buses carry a lot of passengers, there are almost always a lot of passengers who want the same answers and compensation you need. Eyewitness testimony is a important part of winning your case.
- Acquire additional evidence such as tire marks, surveillance videos, police reports, as well as important details such as how many miles the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and maintenance was conducted on the bus. Several different factors cause bus accidents, and your Burger Law Webb City, MO bus accident attorney will find out the "whys" of the crash and who needs to be held responsible.
- Utilize our network of Webb City, MO accident and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and assess exactly how much your damages 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.
- Fight back against resistant Webb City, 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 obligation to compensate you. 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 will not offer a fair settlement, we will use our constantly trained litigation skills to secure you a great financial recovery for your damages.
Additionally, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the entire 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 you are fairly compensated. If you or a family member has been harmed in a ruinous bus accident, contact an expert and devoted bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.
Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?
Since bus drivers, companies and manufacturers all have a part to play in operating a bus in a safe manner you will first need to learn the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Webb City, 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 find out who needs to be held accountable for your injuries.
What Causes Bus Accidents? | Webb City, MO Bus Accident Attorney
- Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that novice drivers under 25 years old, in addition to more experienced drivers over 55 years old were more likely to be driving when a bus accident took place.
- Driver action. While the same study found that only 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by a severe offense such as drunk driving, a different study by the University of Michigan stated that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus wrecks had committed driving errors, for instance, speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
- Driver fatigue. A good deal of bus drivers, especially the ones that work for commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that necessitate 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 rules about how many hours a driver can drive during a day or how often they have to take a break, those regulations 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 complied with.
- Road conditions. Given buses’ size and the difficulty of steering them, slippery roads or Webb City, MO construction areas can be particularly dangerous for bus commuters. In some cases a third party such as a construction company is negligent. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you decide if that is the case.
- Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are overseen by regulatory entities, 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 commercial motor vehicles, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews often cannot keep up with the quantity of inspections needed. Some Webb City, MO bus companies do not correctly inspect their vehicles, causing them to be dangerous. Additionally, bus companies are obligated to make sure that their drivers are correctly trained and do not drive too many hours 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
- Cracked or uneven pavement
- Defective or missing traffic signals
- Obstacles on the road, for instance branches or vehicle wreckage
- Inadequate lighting
- Excessive grades
The longer the dangerous condition has been on the Webb City, MO street, the better chance you have of holding the at-fault parties responsible. The liable party may be a local Webb City, 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 skilled Webb City, MO bus accident attorney establishes the reasons behind your crash, they will be able to confirm who is liable for your injuries and how to proceed with getting you full compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are typically found at-fault in bus accident claims.
Commercial Bus Companies
Transport buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their riders to look out for their safety. Part of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not being overworked. In despite of saying that safety is their top priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not complying with its own rules in regards to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically mandated to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the vehicle to hold off drowsiness. However, the rule is not enforced and is usually not obeyed as too many breaks could lead to financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study found that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were caused by driver fatigue. Additionally, many Greyhound passengers have said that their driver was eating during the time of a crash, which constitutes distracted driving.
Ensuring that Webb City, MO buses are adequately inspected and maintained and that safety equipment such as seatbelts are present and up-to-date are also part of the bus company's duty. A bus accident could be a consequence of a bus company either neglecting to conduct routine maintenance or failing to fix a broken part or component. Older buses are particularly at risk of breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.
Finally, bus companies need to be vigilant in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be adequately licensed and trained, and should only be permitted to drive after passing stringent background checks. Your Webb City, 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 occurred.
A Bus Manufacturer
Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a responsibility to guarantee the safety of their vehicles and swiftly announce recalls if a product is found to be unsafe. 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 might try to place the blame on somebody else, your Webb City, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure liable parties are held accountable for their actions.
The Webb City or Missouri Government or a Public Entity
Public transportation accidents can often be ruinous because of the number of people involved and because they usually transpire in densely populated areas. While you can seek a financial recovery from the Webb City, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has sovereign immunities for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in injury liability cases. 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 Webb City, MO bus accident attorney straight away after your injury. 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 an at-fault or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.
The Bus Driver
Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause a crash owing to driver error. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or texting, did not pull over when they were feeling sleepy, did not pay attention to the Webb City, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the horrible decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable just like bus companies sometimes have to be. When you go on board 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 devoted and aggressive bus accident attorney at Burger Law will hold them responsible.
The Other Driver
Like any type of auto accident, there are frequently two or more drivers, and in some instances they each may share 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 crash where there was another driver or drivers involved, your knowledgeable and veteran Webb City, MO bus accident attorney will help you confirm if they are at fault and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.
School Districts
School bus accidents are the most common type of bus crash in Webb City 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 at fault, a school district in Webb City, MO may also be held accountable, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when weather conditions were especially 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 Webb City, MO Recover For Me?
The compensation you get in a bus accident case will typically be based on the severity of your injuries and the ramifications they have on your life. You may have received a sprained wrist that only required a quick trip to an emergency room in Webb City, MO and a couple weeks off work. Or, you may have received a catastrophic 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 Webb City, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make certain that you receive a full 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, physical therapy, assistive devices and medications
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
We use our team of medical and economic experts to determine 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 grave your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Webb City, MO bus accident attorney team will fight relentlessly to ensure that you collect the best possible 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 Webb City, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today
We have seen every category of bus accident case and know the incalculable pain and calamitous effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Webb City, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, honest and relentless and will use every bit of the knowledge and skills we have gained 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 injured 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 free consultation.