Bus Accident Attorney in Westport, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Westport, MO. If you or someone you care about has been harmed in a devastating bus accident, take control of your recovery by calling Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or by contacting us online.

Bus accidents hardly ever get the same attention as plane or train wrecks, even though the can oftentimes be similarly hazardous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Westport, MO bus drivers and bus companies to keep us safe and obey the rules. When they break that trust and do not respect the rules it can have devastating, sometimes lifelong effects for you or your loved ones. Your Westport, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make certain that you win the maximum compensation that you deserve for your damages.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than 20 years of experience defending the injured in Westport and throughout Missouri and standing up to bullies like dishonest insurance companies and people who egotistically do not want to be held responsible for their negligent behavior. Our Westport, MO clients have put their cases and their futures in our accomplished 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, tenacity, knowledge and experience to help find justice in personal injury cases and help Westport, MO residents become whole again. You should not have to lose work, pay for exorbitant medical costs and also deal with the emotional shock of your injury just because another person broke the rules. If you or a family member has been harmed in a Westport, MO bus accident, call the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation. We start working on your claim right away, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Westport, MO because of somebody else's careless actions, discover how much your damages may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Westport, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you were caused injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially unprotected. After all, you were not the driver and you boarded the bus under the assumption that the adequate safety protocols were followed. Westport, MO bus companies and drivers have stringent laws they are supposed to respect, 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 truly heal from, may have lifelong consequences or in the most tragic instances can even result in wrongful death. The Westport, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will stand in your corner so you are not required to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we start working on your case at once, and work relentlessly until you receive the best possible compensation you deserve. We have experienced with every type of bus accident injury and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Westport, MO individuals and families into accepting less money than they are owed. Those Westport, 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 empathetic, seasoned and aggressive 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 unforgiving to Westport, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial skills of an accomplished bus accident attorney. For over 20 years fighting back against bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Westport, MO bus accident attorney team, we handle every aspect of your case. You can bank on a seasoned and talented 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 at the site at any time of the day or night in order to acquire important evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also sustained injuries in the crash or were close by. As buses carry multiple passengers, there are almost always a lot of passengers who want the same answers and financial recovery you seek. We will conduct official depositions of eyewitnesses to help in your case.
• Obtain further evidence such as tire marks, security footage, police reports, and key details such as how far the driver had driven that day or when the last inspection and repairs were done on the bus. A lot of different factors contribute to bus accidents, and your Burger Law Westport, MO bus accident attorney will find out why the crash happened and who needs to be held responsible.
• Work with our network of Westport, MO accident and medical experts to determine liability for your bus accident injuries and put a figure on 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 ensure you recover it.
• Fight back against resistant Westport, MO insurance companies who care more about their bottom line than your well-being. 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 deceptive maneuvers 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 expert litigation skills to secure you a great financial recovery for your injuries.

Furthermore, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the entire time. We handle 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 we win your case. If you or someone you care about has been injured 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 it necessitates so many people to operate a bus safely, from manufacturers, to bus companies to drivers, you will first need to find out the cause of the accident before determining who was negligent. Thankfully, an accomplished and skilled Westport, 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 who is liable for your injuries.

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

• The age of the driver and their experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that novice 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 action. While the same study stated that just 4 percent of bus accidents were due to a grave offense such as drunk driving, another study by the University of Michigan stated that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus collisions had been cited with driving errors, for example, speeding, being fatigued or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. Many bus drivers, particularly those that are employed by commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that necessitate drivers to drive hundreds of miles in the middle of the 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 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 awkwardness of steering them, icy roads or Westport, MO construction areas can be particularly risky for bus commuters. Occasionally a third party such as a construction company will be at fault. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you decide 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 personnel responsible for inspections of more than 765,000 trucks and buses, or only 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews frequently cannot keep up with the number of inspections required. Some Westport, MO bus companies do not properly maintain their vehicles, causing them to be less safe. Additionally, bus companies are mandated to make sure that their drivers are sufficiently trained and are not overworked.
• Dangerous roads. Hazards in the road and road conditions can cause a driver to lose control and crash. A Few typical examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Cracked or uneven pavement
  • Malfunctioning or missing traffic signals
  • Obstacles on the road, for example branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Poor lighting
  • Excessive grades

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

Once your experienced Westport, MO bus accident attorney determines the cause of your wreck, they will be able to confirm who is liable for your injuries and how to take the next steps toward winning you a full financial recovery. Below are some examples of parties who are generally found at-fault in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transportation buses such as Greyhounds are regarded as common carriers under the law, which means they have a duty of care to their patrons to look out for their safety. Part of that duty of care is to ensure that their drivers are not being overworked. Despite insisting that safety is their utmost priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not obeying its own rules when it comes to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically required to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to inhibit fatigue. 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 due to driver fatigue. Furthermore, many Greyhound passengers have reported that their driver was eating during the time of a crash, which is an example of distracted driving.

Making sure that Westport, MO buses are adequately inspected and maintained and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also part of the bus company's duty. A bus accident might be a consequence of a bus company either failing to provide routine inspections or neglecting to fix a broken part or component. Buses with more miles under their wheels are particularly prone 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 adequately licensed and trained, and should only be able to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Westport, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will conduct a full 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 ensure the safety of their products and quickly issue recalls if a product is discovered to be dangerous. If they approve an inherently defective 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 attempt to shift the blame to someone else, your Westport, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over 20 years of experience making sure negligent parties are held accountable for their actions.

The Westport or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can often be catastrophic because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they frequently take place in densely populated areas. While you can seek compensation from the Westport, 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 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 crucial to call a Westport, 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 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 crash through recklessness. If they became distracted by eating or talking, did not pull over when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the Westport, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the dangerous decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable just like bus companies sometimes have to be. When you get on a bus you trust that driver with your well-being and your life. If a bus driver does not take that obligation seriously and causes you injury, you can be certain that the devoted and aggressive 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 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 harmed in a bus wreck where there was another driver or drivers involved, your skilled and seasoned Westport, MO bus accident attorney will help you ascertain if they are responsible and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the most common type of bus accident in Westport 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 Westport, 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 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 Westport, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you receive in a bus accident case will typically depend on the severity of your injuries and how they have affected and will impact they have on your life. You may have gotten a sprained wrist that only required a quick trip to an emergency room in Westport, 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 assistive devices for the remainder of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Westport, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will ensure that you receive a maximum 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 potential

  We utilize our network of medical and economic experts to compute 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 severe your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Westport, MO bus accident attorney team will fight aggressively to ensure that you recover 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 Westport, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every type of bus accident case and know the tremendous anguish and devastating effect it can have on your and the people you care about. Your Westport, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is passionate, accomplished, honest and relentless and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities 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, there is no time to wait. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary case review.