St. Louis Bus Accident Lawyer

St Louis bus accident attorneys represent victims who have been injured by a xschool bus, public transportation, or other bus vehicles. The following information is a general overview of what a St Louis bus accident lawyer can do for you and should not be taken as legal advice. Rather, it is to give you an overview of how a lawyer helps victims of bus crashes. If you want personalized advice from personal injury attorney in St.Louis, then give us a call today to schedule your free consultation.

What should I look for in an attorney?

For starters, never hire an attorney based solely upon advertisements. The attorney-client relationship is a vital one, as your attorney will be very involved in your personal matters such as your health and

 your finances related to the crash. If the other party does not settle, then you will need to file a lawsuit with an attorney representing you that you trust. 

Most personal injury attorneys offer a free case evaluation to hear more about your bus crash and the injuries you have sustained as a result of the accident. When you call us, we can schedule a time to meet with you virtually to tell us more about the accident and your injuries. We then explain more to you about liability, negligence, dealing with the insurance companies, and Missouri laws as they pertain to your case. We hope that you choose our law firm not just because we have a 99% success rate, but because of the individual attention we pay to each of our clients.

Who is liable for my St. Louis bus accident?

Just like with car accidents in St.Louis, liability could fall on any number of people. Depending on the circumstances of your accident and what the investigation into the auto accident reveals, it could be:

• The bus company: bus companies sometimes don’t run thorough background checks on bus drivers. They may also prove negligence by not regularly inspecting vehicles. 
• The bus driver: if you were injured in a bus accident and the bus driver was intoxicated at the time, they may be liable. There are a number of other reasons why a driver may be responsible for accidents. Speak with an attorney about your potential lawsuit to learn more.
• The bus manufacturer: The companies that manufacture buses owe a duty of care to drivers and other road users.
• School bus driver: School buses and their drivers are subject to very specific laws and regulations to keep students safe. When there is a breach in the safety security protocols, children can be harmed on their way from or to school.
• A government agency: Public transportation is convenient but can be dangerous. If you have been involved in an accident with a public bus, the Illinois or Missouri government agency may be held liable.

What should I say after a bus accident?

After a car accident tensions can be very high. You don’t know what was going on in the other drivers’ and passengers’ lives before the crash. Since you do not know how an interaction with the others is going to be, it’s best not to speak with them more than is necessary to exchange information at the scene of the crash. 

Instead, let your attorney speak for you. Sometimes the insurance companies intentionally ask you questions that try to get you to admit to something that they can use to argue for a lower settlement for you. This is why it’s important for you to call us after you have sought medical treatment for your injuries. We can handle the insurance companies for you.

While we strive to answer as many questions as possible, the best way to get answers is to call us at Hipskind & McAninch, LLC  to schedule a free consultation to speak to a St Louis bus accident lawyer.

How much can I receive in damages from my bus accident injuries?

There are two different types of damages that a person can file for in most personal injury cases: economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages are those that can be calculated based on the actual expenses that you have incurred. These expenses include: 

• Medical bills from the date of the accident
• Medical bills from ongoing medical treatment such as physical therapy
• Lost wages from time missed from work
• Future lost earnings anticipated
• Property damage if your vehicle was significantly damaged as well as any valuables inside

The next type of damages is non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering. Because there is no direct way to calculate how much someone is suffering, it’s going to be up to your accident lawyer to fight for your compensation for your pain and suffering. Pain and suffering recognizes the human aspect of being injured and how the bus crash injury affects your life and family. Your injuries have left you incapable of enjoying life the way you used to, especially activities you are no longer physically able to do. Then you may be eligible to receive higher compensation as a result of your significant life change. Examples of non-economic damages include:

• Loss of companionship if the accident resulted in the death
• Pain and suffering
• Humiliation and anguish
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Depression 
• Anxiety

Understanding the concept of the duty of care can go a long way when navigating a personal injury case. A duty of care is a legal term and an obligation to act in a reasonably safe way when doing any activity that could harm another person. The same is true for bus drivers and, by extension, the bus companies they work for. A bus company assumes vicarious liability for the buses that they own or operate. If you are involved in an accident with a bus, the bus company and their insurer are responsible for your compensation.

What are the common causes of bus accidents?

The common causes for bus accidents are similar to the common reasons why other types of auto accidents occur. They include:

• Distracted driving: if a driver was texting and took their attention off the road even for a second, that could lead to a crash.
• Heavily trafficked areas: intersections, where there are a lot of cars and pedestrians on the streets and sidewalks, are dangerous and provide more opportunities for accidents.
• Product defects with the bus: if it is found that the manufacturer was faulty or negligent in the design for manufacturing of the bus, they can be held liable for damages.

What is a duty of care, and how does it relate to my case?

A duty of care is a legal responsibility to act in accordance with set safety standards when doing any activity that could cause harm. There are many different applications of a duty of care. Every time you get inside of a vehicle, you owe a duty of care to other drivers to be sober, alert, and focused behind the wheel. Other drivers owe you a duty of care when they use the roads, too. Other examples of duty of care include a surgeon who owes a duty of care to his patients or a car manufacturer owing a duty of care to their consumers who will buy their vehicles with the expectation that they run safely and will protect them in an accident.

Why Hipskind & McAninch, LLC

Call us at Hipskind & McAninch, LLC to schedule your consultation with a St. Louis, MO personal injury attorney. Our bus accident lawyers will be happy to listen to you and guide you on your next steps. Our lawyers have received numerous accolades and recovered millions for their clients.