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If a bus accident in Kansas City injured you, Missouri law gives you the right to seek payment for your injuries and other losses. But a claim against a public or private bus operator isn’t like a typical car accident case.
You could be up against a powerful opponent, whether it’s a private charter company or the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA). These organizations have deep resources to manage injury claims. More importantly, different rules and much shorter deadlines apply—especially when a government agency is involved.
Trying to figure out statutes and deadlines is the last thing you should be doing while recovering from an injury. Our firm has spent decades handling these kinds of injury claims, and we are ready to help you understand your options.
If you have questions about what happened, call Walner Law for a free consultation at (312) 410-8496.
For 50 years, our firm has focused on one thing: helping people injured in serious accidents. Founded in Chicago in 1974, we have represented over 10,000 clients, securing more than $1 billion for them. This history gives us a deep understanding of how to approach even the most challenging personal injury claims.
We have represented clients in cases across 17 states, taking on large corporations and government bodies. This experience is particularly helpful in bus accident claims, which are rarely straightforward and may involve several responsible parties.
Bus accident claims require a serious investment of time and resources to investigate correctly. Our firm has a team of over 45 staff members, including medical experts, who all contribute to building a solid case. We frequently work with accident reconstructionists and other professionals to determine exactly how a crash happened and who was at fault.
We prepare every case as if it will go to trial. This level of preparation shows defendants and their insurance carriers that we are serious, which typically leads to better settlement offers. They know we will not back down if a fair offer isn’t made.
One of the first steps in any bus accident investigation is identifying all potentially responsible parties. Depending on the details of the crash, responsibility could lie with several different people or entities:
To pinpoint fault, we conduct a thorough investigation that goes far beyond the initial police report. Our team works to secure and analyze every piece of evidence, which may include:
In Missouri, the general statute of limitations for personal injury is five years from the date of the injury. This means you typically have five years to file a lawsuit. However, this rule has a major exception. If your claim is against a government entity like KCATA, the rules are very different. Under the Missouri Tort Claims Act, you must provide a formal notice of your intent to file a lawsuit within just 90 days of the injury. Missing this deadline almost always permanently bars you from seeking any payment, no matter how severe your injuries are. This is why it is so important to speak with a Kansas City bus accident lawyer right away.
The purpose of a personal injury claim is to provide financial payment to cover the losses you suffered because of the accident. This payment, legally known as “damages,” is meant to make you whole again from a financial standpoint. These damages are generally divided into a few categories.
These are the direct financial losses that have a clear dollar amount. We will gather bills, receipts, pay stubs, and other financial documents to calculate these costs accurately.
These damages compensate you for the non-financial ways the injury has rewritten your life. They are harder to calculate but are just as real and can be even more significant than the economic losses.
Missouri uses a “pure comparative fault” rule. This legal concept means that your total compensation award may be reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurance companies frequently look for any way to argue you were partially at fault to reduce what they have to pay.
While a bus accident can happen on any street, certain roads and intersections in Kansas City see a higher number of crashes. This is usually due to heavy traffic, confusing layouts, and high speeds. Knowing these high-risk areas can help residents stay safer.
Data and local reports show that major thoroughfares are often the site of serious accidents. Some of the roads in Kansas City that frequently appear in crash reports include I-435, I-70, US 71 (Bruce Watkins Drive), Truman Road, and Prospect Avenue. These routes carry a massive volume of traffic, including commuters, commercial trucks, and public transit, which increases the chance of a collision.
Intersections with heavy traffic flow are particularly risky. Areas frequently mentioned in safety reports include:
Several factors contribute to the frequency and severity of bus accidents in the Kansas City area.
After a bus accident, you will likely have to deal with the bus company’s insurance provider or a claims administrator for a public entity like KCATA. These are large organizations with a well-defined process for handling claims. They are businesses, which means they must balance paying valid claims with protecting their financial interests. Their representatives conduct thorough investigations and will look for any evidence to argue that you were at fault or that your injuries are not as severe as you claim. Our role is to keep them accountable and ensure no amount of blame is unjustly put on you.
Having a law firm handle these communications protects you. We manage all the paperwork, deadlines, and negotiations. We build a case based on facts and evidence, presenting your claim in the strongest possible light to pursue the maximum compensation available under the law.
Yes. As a passenger, you have a right to a safe journey. Bus companies are considered “common carriers,” a legal term that means they are held to a very high standard of care for their passengers’ safety. You may have a claim against the bus company, the driver of another vehicle, or both, depending on who caused the accident.
While weather can be a factor, all drivers, especially professional bus operators, have a duty to adjust their driving for the conditions. This means slowing down and increasing following distance in rain, snow, or ice. Claiming bad weather does not automatically excuse them from responsibility if a reasonably careful driver would have been able to avoid the crash.
Yes. Some serious injuries, like concussions, internal damage, or soft-tissue injuries such as whiplash, may not show symptoms right away. Pain can flare up days or even weeks later. It is always a good idea to get a free consultation to understand your rights before you sign away any claim with an insurance company.
After a bus accident, your focus should be on your physical and emotional recovery. Let our team at Walner Law handle the legal process. We have the experience and resources to stand up to large transit companies and their insurers. We will work to hold the responsible parties accountable and pursue the full compensation you need to move forward.
Don’t let a strict deadline prevent you from getting justice. Contact us today for a free, confidential case review. Call Walner Law now at (312) 410-8496.
