Mass Transit Accident Lawyer in Overland Park

With more than 21 years of extensive experience, Attorney Mark Grover is dedicated to protecting and advocating for the rights of mass transit accident victims and their families. As a skilled Kansas personal injury attorney, he can thoroughly evaluate your situation’s facts and explore your possible legal options to seek damages. Personal Injury Attorney Mark Grover will fight vigorously to protect your best interests, identify and hold the responsible parties liable, and help seek fair financial compensation for your injuries, lost income, additional pain and suffering, and other potential damages.

GroverLawKC proudly serves the entire Kansas City area, including but not limited to cities such as Overland Park, Prairie Village, Independence, Shawnee, Liberty, Olathe, Lee’s Summit, Kansas City, and beyond.

Common Causes of Mass Transit Accidents

Mass transit accidents occur due to a variety of reasons, including:

• Operator negligence, including speeding, driving fatigued, inexperience, distracted driving, alcohol or drug impairment, and disobeying traffic signals
• Faulty or defective vehicles or parts
• Lack of or inadequate vehicle maintenance
• Lack of training and supervision
• Damage to roads or rails
• Incorrect dispatching
• Defectively designed or poorly maintained roads or rails
• Inadequate lighting, security, or safety measures

Unfortunately, injuries in mass transit accidents are often severe since airbags, seatbelts, or other essential safety features don’t protect commuters. An experienced personal injury attorney can evaluate every aspect of your unique circumstances and determine who is liable for the accident.

Who is Liable

Proving liability in a mass transit accident case may not be as straightforward as proving liability in a car accident. Many parties may be held responsible for the mass transit accident, depending on the circumstances and events leading to the incident. Possible responsible parties include:

Bus Driver: The bus driver may be liable if the accident occurred while the driver was speeding, driving while under the influence, committing a traffic infraction, driving distracted, driving fatigued, or driving with improper training.

Government Entity: A government agency or private contractor that failed to properly maintain the highway may be held liable if the accident occurred due to defectively designed or poorly maintained roads or rails.

Transit System: The Kansas or Missouri transit system may be held liable for an accident that occurred due to insufficient safety inspections or recruiting an inexperienced driver

The Driver Of Another Vehicle: The driver of another vehicle may be held liable if their negligence or carelessness caused the mass transit accident.

Parts Manufacturer: If the incident occurred due to a defective part, the parts manufacturer could be held responsible for damages.

Maintenance Personnel: The maintenance personnel could be held liable if the crash happened due to their negligence or sheer oversight in performing their designated duties, such as routine safety checks, scheduled maintenance, or inspection of the engine, brakes, electronic systems, and fluids.

A skilled mass transit accident attorney can investigate every last detail of your case, determine the liable parties, and help seek fair financial compensation on your behalf.

Filing a Claim in Kansas

Kansas is a “no-fault” insurance state. This means that your insurance policy (PIP coverage) will pay for your medical expenses, lost income, and other losses—up to the coverage limit—if you’re injured in an accident, regardless of the responsible party.

You may, however, be able to step outside the no-fault system in Kansas after exceeding your PIP coverage and if your injuries qualify as “serious.” Under Kansas law, serious injuries include:

• Permanent disfigurement
• Permanent injury
• Fracture of weight-bearing bone
• Compressed, compound, or displaced fracture of any bone
• Permanent loss of body function

If your injuries meet the required threshold, you may be eligible to hold the at-fault party responsible by filing a third-party injury claim or personal injury lawsuit. According to the Kansas personal injury statute of limitations, you will have up to two (2) years from the accident date to file a civil action against the liable party.

Kansas Wrongful Death

If the victim died in a mass transit accident in Kansas, any of the deceased’s “heirs at law” may be allowed to file a wrongful death lawsuit. These individuals include:

• The surviving spouse
• The surviving parents or grandparents
• Any surviving child or children
• The surviving siblings of the decedent

Filing a Claim in Missouri

Unlike Kansas, Missouri is an “at-fault” insurance state. This means that the person who caused the accident (at-fault party) will be held financially liable for medical bills, property damages, and other accident-related losses suffered by the victims. To recover damages, you can proceed by:

• Filing a claim with your insurance provider
• Filing a third-party claim against the insurance carrier of the at-fault party
• Filing a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party in civil court

According to the Missouri personal injury statute of limitations, an action seeking a remedy for an injury to the person must be commenced within five (5) years of the date of the accident or injury.

Missouri Wrongful Death

If the victim died in the mass transit accident, the following people are allowed to file a wrongful death claim in Missouri:

Class 1 – The surviving spouse, children, parents, or children’s descendants of the deceased person

Class 2 – If there are no persons in class 1 to file an action, then the deceased person’s surviving siblings or their descendants

Class 3 – If there are no persons in Class 1 or Class 2 to file an action, then a “plaintiff ad litem” appointed by the Missouri court can file the claim.

Under Missouri law, a civil remedy to recover damages for wrongful death must be commenced within three years from the date of the victim’s death.

How Legal Counsel Can Help

Being involved in a mass transit accident can be devastating and can affect your physical, mental, and financial well-being. Thankfully, victims of mass transit accidents may be eligible to seek fair compensation for their injuries and damages by identifying the responsible parties and filing injury claims. A skilled personal injury attorney can enlighten you about your options to pursue damages and help protect your best interests.

At GroverLawKC, Attorney Mark Grover is dedicated to providing detailed legal guidance and compassionate representation to clients in their injury cases. As your legal counsel, he can:

• Help identify the liable parties and work to hold them accountable
• Review all of the surrounding facts of your case and conduct a thorough, private investigation
• Gather and document relevant information and necessary evidence, including the police report and witness testimonies
• Seek to prove fault and establish liability
• Determine the full magnitude of your injuries and other losses and estimate the age value
• Handle all communications and negotiations with the insurer while you focus on your recovery
• Help negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance providers
• File a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit, if necessary

Personal Injury Attorney Mark Grover will fight diligently on your behalf to help protect your best interests and attempt to seek the maximum possible compensation for your injuries. Having him on your side can increase your chances of achieving a favorable outcome in your mass transit accident lawsuit.

Ready to get started? Schedule a free consultation with us today.