Have you or your child been hurt in a bus accident in St. Louis, MO? Bus crashes in Missouri may involve city buses, charter buses, or school buses. If someone else was responsible for your accident, you may be entitled to money for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and other losses.
Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers has represented bus accident victims and their families for over two decades. Call our law office at (314) 400-0000 to schedule a free case review with a St. Louis bus accident lawyer. We will help you explore your legal options for holding the responsible party accountable.
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How Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Bus Accident in St. Louis
A bus accident can happen in a moment, but they often result in serious injuries. If you or your child were injured in a bus accident, you should not have to fight an insurance company for the financial compensation you deserve. An experienced St. Louis personal injury lawyer can be your advocate.
Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers was founded by E. Ryan Bradley, who began his career defending insurance companies. He now uses his skills and insights to fight insurance companies on behalf of his clients.
Your choice of a lawyer is important; you can count on Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers to:
- Conduct an investigation into your crash to gather evidence
- Handle all negotiations and paperwork
- Provide dependable legal advice and guidance
- Work with specialists to value your damages
- Negotiate with the insurance company to reach a settlement offer
- Take your case to trial if necessary
Don’t take on the bus company or an insurer alone. Call our law office for your free consultation with a St. Louis bus accident injury lawyer today. It may be the most important decision you can make for getting full compensation for your injuries.
How Common Are Bus Accidents in St. Louis, MO?
Bus accidents, truck accidents, and car accidents are all are common in Missouri. In 2019, there were 16,775 commercial vehicle crashes in Missouri. Over 1,615 of these accidents occurred in St. Louis, causing 566 injuries and nine deaths. Eleven percent of Missouri’s commercial vehicle accidents involved buses
The following types of bus accidents occurred in the state in 2019:
- 1,006 school bus accidents. 184 resulted in injuries, and three crashes were fatal.
- 83 intercity bus accidents. 19 resulted in injuries.
- 633 transit and commuter bus accidents. 159 resulted in injuries, and one crash was fatal.
- 63 charter and tour bus accidents; 23 resulted in injuries.
- Other buses were involved in 111 crashes, with 23 injuries and one fatal crash.
Accidents involving school buses are the most common type of bus accident in Missouri. School bus crashes caused 480 injuries and three deaths in 2019 alone. Of these injuries, 169 were victims under 18.
What is My St. Louis Bus Accident Case Worth?
There is no easy way to estimate the value of your personal injury claim.
A St. Louis personal injury attorney will consider many factors to estimate your case’s value, including:
- Were you partially at fault for the crash?
- How much insurance coverage is available?
- How serious were your injuries?
- Are you able to return to your job?
- How will your injuries impact your future health, medical needs, ability to work, relationships, and quality of life?
- How strong is your evidence and negligence case?
Generally, the more serious and long-lasting your injuries, the more your case is worth. However, pursuing the full compensation you deserve requires extensive evidence and testimony. Many losses you suffered are subjective or hard to calculate.
Contact Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation to discuss your case’s worth and how we will help.
What Damages Can I Recover After a Bus Accident in St. Louis, Missouri?
If your case is successful, you are entitled to recover compensation from the at-fault party for all the losses you suffered. Personal injury damages are divided into two categories: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages represent your financial losses after an injury. Non-economic damages compensate you for the personal, non-financial damages you sustained.
You may be entitled to compensation for:
- Property damage
- Current medical bills
- Future anticipated medical care
- Lost wages
- Lost or diminished earning capacity and benefits of employment
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement or scarring
Rare bus accident cases are also eligible for punitive damages. Juries award these to punish the defendant for gross negligence or wanton disregard for human life.
At Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we will help you prove the full extent of your damages. We will also build a compelling case for the value of your non-economic losses.
Am I Still Entitled to Compensation if I’m Partially at Fault for a Bus Accident in Missouri?
Missouri uses a pure comparative negligence doctrine in cases involving shared blame. You are still entitled to recover damages for the losses you suffered even if you are partially or mostly at fault for an accident,
You can recover money if you are 0% to 99% at fault. However, your recovery is reduced based on your share of assigned fault. For instance, if you have $50,000 in damages but 40% of the blame, you will recover $20,000 (60%).
Do not let the insurance company shift fault to reduce their liability. A St. Louis bus accident lawyer at Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers can help if you are being blamed for your crash.
We Will Fight for Fair Compensation for All Your Bus Accident Injuries
At Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we understand just how serious a bus accident can be. Many buses do not have safety features for passengers like seat belts and airbags.
We are committed to pursuing the full compensation you deserve for injuries such as:
- Brain injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Fractures
- Facial injuries
- Internal injuries
- Joint injuries
- Crush injuries
- Soft tissue injuries like road rash and lacerations
- Seat belt injuries
We will also help you pursue compensation for your personal harms, such as PTSD, psychological harm, and reduced quality of life. Contact our law firm today to schedule your free case review.
What Causes Most Bus Accidents in St. Louis, Missouri?
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the following are the most common contributing factors in bus accidents:
- Improper turn (80 accidents in 2019)
- Failure to yield (75 accidents)
- Improper lane change or usage (58 accidents)
- Distracted or inattentive driving (57 accidents)
- Improper backing (38 accidents)
- Following too closely (30 accidents)
- Obstructed vision (17 accidents)
- Object in the road (12 accidents)
- Driving too fast for conditions (12 accidents)
- Overcorrecting (9 accidents)
- Vehicle defects (7 accidents)
- Violating a traffic signal or sign (6 accidents)
Bus crashes can happen for many reasons. Sometimes a bus driver is responsible. Other times it’s another driver’s fault. Many crashes are ultimately attributed to vehicle defects or improper maintenance.
How Can I Prove Negligence After My Bus Accident in St. Louis?
Multiple parties may share liability for a serious bus crash, including:
- Bus drivers
- Other motorists
- Bus drivers’ employers
- Third parties responsible for hiring drivers or performing maintenance
- Bus owners
- Bus or vehicle component manufacturers
There are many forms of evidence St. Louis personal injury lawyers may use to prove negligence in a bus crash. This includes witness testimony, photos of the accident scene, expert testimony, dash and traffic cam footage, maintenance logs, training practices, and more.
Negligence and liability can be very complex in a bus accident case in St. Louis. A public school district or government entity may even be liable. That’s why it’s crucial to work with an experienced personal injury lawyer to help you build your negligence case.
How Long Do I Have to File a Bus Accident Injury Lawsuit in Missouri?
You have a limited amount of time to file your personal injury lawsuit after a bus crash. There is a 5-year statute of limitations for bus accident lawsuits in Missouri. If you miss this crucial deadline, you will be barred from recovering anything.
If you have a claim against a government entity, your claim must be filed with the Office of Administration’s Risk Management Division. This must be done within just 90 days.
It’s crucial to pursue your case as quickly as possible to preserve evidence. Contact Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation and learn more about an attorney client relationship.
Contact a St. Louis Bus Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Do not let the insurance company undervalue your case or unfairly blame you. Call today for a free consultation with a St. Louis bus accident lawyer committed to giving you the best representation possible.
You will pay nothing out of pocket for our help; you only pay attorney’s fees if and when we successfully recover compensation on your behalf!
Our St. Louis personal injury law firm also provides:
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