Missouri Bus Accident Lawyer
Missouri bus accidents pose unique challenges compared to car crashes as they are owned by multiple corporations and municipalities. In Missouri, a bus accident often results in severe injuries or fatalities, leading to heavy medical bills, lost wages, and disabilities.
It’s vital to seek representation from a bus accident lawyer knowledgeable in personal injury cases, whether involving school, city, commercial, or tour buses. Their expertise in personal injury law can help you tactfully deal with the insurance company of the at-fault party, ensuring fair compensation for the victim’s losses and damages.
Contact an experienced St. Louis bus accident attorney and schedule a free case evaluation today. Let’s begin your journey to justice and hold the negligent parties accountable.
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Contact our Missouri bus accident lawyers to schedule a free consultation. All confidential or sensitive information shared with your Missouri bus accident lawyer remains private through an attorney-client relationship.
Missouri Bus Accident Statistics and Facts to Know
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) notes that despite being statistically safer, bus transportation still sees over 30,000 annual injuries from accidents in recent years.
In 2022, there were 15,033 bus accidents, resulting in 219 fatalities.
A total of 13,268 individuals were injured in bus accidents during 2022.
Missouri prohibits texting and driving for those under 21, leaving only one other state without a similar law for people over 21.
A study in the Emergency Medicine Journal found that the most common injuries on public buses are to the limbs, vertebral column, and head, often non-collision related.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, improper timekeeping led to 80 bus accidents, failure to yield caused 75 accidents, improper lane changes resulted in 58 accidents, and distracted driving contributed to 57 bus collisions.
Reasons Why Bus Accident Cases Happen in Missouri
Missouri bus drivers are required to have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and undergo thorough training before transporting passengers. Bus companies are responsible for maintaining their vehicles and hiring qualified bus drivers. When bus accidents do happen, it’s usually because a bus driver, owning company, or vehicle manufacturer is negligent.
These large vehicles are also vulnerable to unique risk factors due to their sheer size and the number of passengers on board.
Some of the common reasons behind a fatal crash are as follows:
- Excessive speeding especially on narrow city streets and congested highways
- Following too closely behind other vehicles can lead to rear-end collisions
- Reckless driving actions such as sudden lane changes or aggressive driving
- Distracted driving while using maps, interacting with passengers, or talking on phone calls
- Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or prescription medications impair drivers’ judgment and reaction times
- Driver fatigue due to long hours of driving and inadequate rest periods
- Failure to obey traffic signals like running stop signs or red lights
- Failure to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks or at intersections
- Defective bus components like poorly maintained buses with brake or tire failures
- Failure to check blind spots and suddenly changing lanes
Common Injuries Bus Accident Victims Suffer
Most buses lack safety features for passengers like seat belts and airbags, putting them at higher risk of serious injuries. Buses, significantly larger than most vehicles in Missouri, pose a grave risk in collisions with objects or other passenger vehicles. The sheer size disparity often leads to catastrophic consequences for everyone affected.
We are committed to pursuing the full compensation you deserve for bus accident injuries such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Head and brain trauma including concussions, skull fractures, and nerve damage
- Leg and arm bone fractures
- Whiplash and herniated discs
- Spinal cord damage leading to paralysis
- Third-degree burns from motor vehicle fires or explosions
- Internal injuries like bleeding, organ damage, or punctured lungs
- Limb amputations
- Dislocated shoulders and knees
- Road rash, lacerations, and contusions
- Broken wrists and ankles
- Death
We will also help you recover compensation for psychological harms, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. It’s critical to prove that your injuries are a direct and proximate result of your bus accident caused by the negligent party. Hence, records of medical expenses are key evidence for St. Louis bus accident lawyers to demand financial compensation.
Missouri Driving Laws Related to School Buses
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, when drivers in Missouri are operating their vehicles alongside a school bus, there are some regulations to consider:
- On two-lane roads, stop for school buses when their stop arms are extended, irrespective of the direction you are traveling. Wait until the bus’s flashing lights cease, the stop arm retracts, and the bus resumes movement.
- For four-lane roads, only vehicles moving in the same direction as the school bus need to stop.
- On divided highways with medians, stop if you are traveling in the same direction as the school bus.
- On wider roads with no children crossing, only drivers trailing the school bus must stop.
Remember, violating these rules could lead to a 90-day license suspension in Missouri, with harsher penalties if a child is harmed or killed. Following these traffic times helps avoid fatal bus accidents in Missouri.
Who May Be Held Liable in a Missouri Bus Accident?
From the period 2012 to 2021, approximately 23% of fatal bus accidents in the United States took place at an intersection. Liability in a Missouri bus accident liability depends on the unique circumstances of the accident, which your attorney investigates to establish fault.
Different entities like bus drivers, bus-owning companies, vehicle manufacturers, and government agencies owe passengers a duty of care. In Missouri, liable parties include those who breach this duty, potentially leading to serious accidents and injuries.
School Buses
In Missouri bus accidents, the school district or board is typically liable for school bus incidents. If they outsource operations to a private operator, such as a bus company, both parties may share liability. Consulting a Missouri bus accident lawyer is crucial to identifying the liable party and ensuring fair financial compensation for injuries and damages.
City Buses
In Missouri bus accidents involving city buses, cities or municipalities of the involved bus are generally liable. Government entities such as city services or the public school system, if they fail to ensure their vehicles are safe and their drivers are reliable, can be held liable for bus accidents. If the city contracted services to a private company or contractor, they too may share liability.
Tour Buses
Companies owning and operating charter or tour buses bear direct responsibility for any bus accidents in Missouri. Victims of such accidents should seek immediate assistance from St. Louis bus accident lawyers to understand their rights. With their help, victims can recover damages for their injuries, medical bills, and other losses resulting from the bus accident.
Other Drivers
In Missouri bus accidents, negligent drivers who cause collisions can also be held liable for resulting damages and injuries. Victims injured in bus accidents should seek the services of personal injury lawyers to assess liability, gather evidence, and hold at-fault parties responsible.
Bus or Bus Component Manufacturers
If a bus component malfunctions due to a manufacturing defect, the manufacturer may be held liable for resulting accidents and injuries in Missouri. For instance, a faulty brake system or defective tires when blown out could lead to an uncontrolled bus and cause a bus accident.
Missouri personal injury lawyers can help victims pursue claims against the above-mentioned responsible parties effectively.
When Must I File a Bus Accident Claim in Missouri?
Missouri offers a generous five-year statute of limitations (Section 516.120 of the Missouri Revised Statutes) for filing bus accident claims. This period applies to personal injury cases, with minors having the option to file until their 18th birthday.
Note that evidence and witness testimonies degrade over time, so it’s important to file bus accident lawsuits the soonest. Filing a bus accident claim on time increases your chances of securing maximum compensation. Exceeding the statute of limitations can lead to courts dismissing your lawsuit, barring you from recovering compensation from the insurance company of the at-fault party.
Injured in a Missouri Bus Crash? Our Missouri Bus Accident Lawyers Can Help You Pursue Compensation
If you have suffered injuries in a St. Louis, Missouri bus crash, attorneys at the Injury Lawyer Team in Missouri are ready to help you. Our reliable legal assistance by personal injury lawyers involves:
- We will begin by thoroughly investigating the accident, and gathering various pieces of evidence such as medical records, bus driver logs, photos of the accident scene, bus camera footage, and police reports.
- Investigation ensures we identify the liable party responsible for your injuries or property damage in a bus accident.
- Next, our bus accident attorneys document your expenses and losses to pursue the maximum compensation you deserve.
- With accident reconstruction experts, we build a strong bus accident case on your behalf.
- Our law firm is committed to advocating for your rights, whether through determining the liable parties, negotiations with the insurance company, or pursuing litigation when necessary.
- However, if negotiations fail to secure fair amounts, our bus accident attorneys are prepared to take your personal injury case to court, ensuring your interests are rightfully defended.
Our priority is securing a fair and full settlement for you. With our experienced Missouri bus accident attorney by your side, you can rest assured that we will fight tirelessly to protect your rights while you focus on your recovery.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Bus Accident Lawyer
A bus accident often leads to devastating injuries like traumatic brain injury, fractures, nerve damage, burns, and mental suffering due to negligence by a bus driver or bus service companies. If you or a loved one endured harm in a bus accident, our Injury Lawyer Team is here for you.
Whether you were a passenger or involved in another vehicle during a bus accident, our personal injury lawyers will fight for your rights. Let us help you recover compensation through skilled litigation or settlements. Our skilled bus accident lawyer accepts all personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning our legal services are 100% free unless we win your bus accident case.
Contact us today at (888) 424-5757 to schedule a free consultation and case evaluation. All confidential or sensitive information about the case you share with our law firm will remain private under an attorney-client relationship.