Hazelwood Charter Bus Accident Lawyer

Hazelwood Charter Bus Accident Attorney

Charter and other private buses are statistically safer forms of transportation than other roadway travel, but they can be involved in accidents. Unfortunately, recovering compensation after these accidents can be harder, and injuries can be serious. If you are a passenger on a private bus or you were in another vehicle involved in a bus crash, you need a Hazelwood charter bus accident lawyer who knows how to handle these complex personal injury cases and can protect your rights.

Legal Representation for Victims of Bus Accidents

When you are a passenger on a private bus, you are likely covered by the company’s commercial insurance carrier. This allows for higher coverage but can also be harder to recover. These commercial carriers have substantial resources and do what they can to avoid paying full compensation.

Some insurance adjusters may even engage in underhanded tactics to avoid paying good faith cases at all. Adjusters are less likely to do this when you have legal counsel.

The Cagle Law Firm has represented injured individuals throughout Missouri for decades, working on many complex personal injury cases, including charter bus accidents. When you are an injured passenger, your primary concern is getting coverage for your injuries. We work to help you secure the most compensation available. We negotiate with the insurance carriers on your behalf, helping you financially recover from a crash.

Governmental Regulation in the Private Bus Industry

The operation and upkeep of buses are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration  to improve safety. Private bus companies must follow these federal regulations. If a company fails to maintain its buses, fails to vet its drivers, or encourages drivers to break certain requirements, the company may be liable for additional damages if an accident results from that non-compliance. An attorney can review the crash and investigate if these regulations were violated. Some of the relevant regulations include:

• The bus driver’s hours of service, including when they must take breaks.
• Bus registration.
• Expected regular maintenance of the bus.
• Passenger and weight capacity limits.
• Safety requirements onboard the bus.
• Bus driver training
• Drug testing of drivers.

It’s important that you find an attorney who understands these complex regulations, both state and federal, and how they affect the collision you were in.

Why Do I Need a Bus Accident Lawyer?

You are more likely to be successful in securing full and fair compensation when you work with a bus accident lawyer. Not only can your case be more successful, but you will not have to deal with insurance carriers and complex legal issues yourself. An attorney can:

• Calculate the financial and personal cost of your injuries, which ensures a better position during negotiations.
• Protect your rights and financial interests in the face of a bus company and its insurer.
• Determine what insurance carrier or carriers can be liable.
• Investigate the accident and gather available evidence to prove your financial losses.
• Negotiate with the commercial insurance carrier.
• Take the case to court if fair compensation cannot be reached in negotiations.
• Personalize your legal representation based on your specific injuries

Corporations like private and charter bus companies are prepared to deal with these accidents. They have resources, legal guidance, and skilled insurance attorneys. It is important that you are also prepared. By working with legal representatives, you can give yourself protection against these companies and protect your financial future.

What Causes Bus Accidents?

There are many potential causes of bus accidents, including:

• Distracted drivers.
• Fatigued and overworked drivers.
• Reckless or aggressive driving.
• Improper bus maintenance.
• Malfunctioning car or bus part.
• Lack of training for bus drivers.
• Poor road or visibility conditions.
• Driving under the influence.

FAQs About Hazelwood, MO Charter Bus Accident Laws

How Long Does a Person Have to File an Accident Report in Missouri?

Drivers who are involved in accidents have a responsibility to file a police report within 30 days in most cases. However, in a bus accident where you are a passenger, filing this report is not your responsibility. While it is not your specific responsibility, you should call the police immediately to ensure help arrives and a report is taken. The police report will be the first crucial piece of evidence in your case. This may include taking statements from you as a passenger. Provide information about the facts of the accident if they request a statement from you.

What Is the Statute of Limitations on an Accident in Missouri?

If you are involved in a charter bus accident, the statute of limitations in Hazelwood for personal injuries is five years from the date of the accident. However, you should not wait this long and should get in contact with an attorney as soon as possible to begin pursuing compensation.

Many people may be injured in a bus accident. Acting early can benefit your case. If you miss the statute of limitations, you can be forever barred from recovering compensation, regardless of your case’s merits.

What Is the Compensation for Bus Accidents?

The compensation you can recover after a charter bus accident depends mostly on the severity of your injuries. More serious injuries are likely to have higher medical costs and can require extensive medical treatment and loss of work. These are financial losses that may be compensated.

It can also depend on what insurance coverage applies and whether you work with an attorney. An attorney can gather available evidence to support fault and negotiate with the insurer to hold them accountable.

How Do You Prove Fault in a Charter Bus Accident?

When you are the passenger in a charter bus accident, you are not often responsible for proving fault or lack of fault on your behalf since you are a passenger. However, as an injured person, evidence supporting the fault of the bus driver or other drivers is still critical. However, if you are a driver in a bus accident, you may need to prove your fault using available evidence from the scene, showing that another driver or party was negligent. Whether you were a driver or a passenger, a skilled bus accident attorney is crucial to navigating this case and proving fault.

Protecting Your Financial and Personal Interests with The Cagle Law Firm

A private bus crash can be a scary situation. At The Cagle Law Firm, we can provide you with compassionate legal representation and help you financially recover. We know that these serious injuries and legal cases can be frustrating, and we want to limit your stress so that you can focus on your physical recovery. Contact The Cagle Law Firm today if you or a loved one was involved in a bus collision