Bus Accident

Injured in a Bus Accident? Here’s What You Need to Know About Your Rights and Legal Options.

For hundreds of thousands of people in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura and the surrounding counties, the bus is how they get to work, school, the doctor and home again. When something goes wrong, a bus accident can injure people on the bus, drivers and passengers in nearby cars, pedestrians in the crosswalk and cyclists in the bike lane. Because buses are heavy, tall and hard to stop, the injuries are often severe.Speak with our personal injury and wrongful death attorneys to schedule a FREE consultation and case evaluation.

Bus accident claims are also different from ordinary car accident claims. The law holds bus operators to a higher standard of care, but many buses are run by public agencies and those cases come with a very short deadline that catches many injured people off guard. If you were hurt or you lost someone, contact us now for your FREE consultation. We will explain your options and the deadlines that apply to you.

Bus Travel in Los Angeles and Southern California

Southern California relies on thousands of buses, including LA Metro, municipal transit systems, school buses, charter coaches, shuttles, and paratransit services. Buses travel busy corridors throughout Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Woodland Hills, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Glendale, and Burbank, sharing roads with cars, pedestrians, and cyclists. When a bus driver makes a mistake, the consequences can be severe. Taking prompt legal action can help protect your rights and pursue compensation for your injuries. 

How Often Do Bus Accidents Happen?

Nationwide data on school transportation gives a sense of the risk and shows something many people do not expect: most people killed in school bus-related crashes are not on the bus.

Transit and charter bus crashes are tracked separately by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and by state agencies. Whatever the national count, the lesson for injured Californians is the same: the size and weight of a bus mean that the people around it are often the ones most at risk.

Common Causes of Bus Accidents

• Speeding, aggressive driving and sudden braking or acceleration
• Failure to see or yield to pedestrians and cyclists, especially during turns
• Poor maintenance, such as worn brakes, bad tires, steering problems or faulty doors and lifts
• Inadequate driver hiring, screening, training or supervision by the bus company
• Improperly secured wheelchairs or passengers
• Other drivers who cut off, tailgate or collide with a bus
• Dangerous road conditions or poorly designed bus stops and lanes
• Passenger-on-passenger assaults that a carrier should have anticipated or prevented, in some circumstances

Types of Buses and Why They Matter

The kind of bus involved changes who is responsible, what insurance is available and which deadlines apply.

Who Is Injured in Bus Accidents?

• Passengers on the bus, including standing passengers
• Riders getting on or off the bus
• Drivers and passengers in cars and trucks struck by a bus
• Motorcyclists, scooter riders and bicyclists hit by a bus
• Pedestrians in crosswalks or at bus stops
• Bus drivers, who may have workers’ compensation claims and sometimes separate claims against third parties

Injuries range from sprains and whiplash to broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, crush injuries and death. Older riders and children are especially vulnerable.

California Law: A Higher Standard for Bus Operators

The Common Carrier Duty

Under California Civil Code §§ 2100–2101, bus operators carrying passengers for payment must use the utmost care and diligence for passenger safety and ensure their vehicles are safe. This higher duty applies to public transit agencies and private operators (Lopez v. Southern California Rapid Transit District (1985) 40 Cal.3d 780), but does not guarantee passenger safety.

Negligence, Employers and Public Entities

Bus companies and transit agencies may be liable for drivers’ negligence and their own failures in hiring, training, scheduling or maintenance. Government Code § 815.2 and Vehicle Code § 17001 address public-entity liability for negligent vehicle operation. Public entities generally cannot be ordered to pay punitive damages (Gov. Code § 818).

Other Drivers and Other Defendants

If another motorist caused the crash, an ordinary negligence claim lies against that driver. Product liability claims may be available if a defective brake, tire, door or wheelchair lift contributed. California’s comparative negligence rule applies: your recovery is reduced, not eliminated, if you were partly at fault (Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804).

Pedestrians, Cyclists and School Buses

Drivers, including bus drivers, must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks (Vehicle Code section 21950). Drivers must stop when a school bus displays flashing red lights (Vehicle Code section 22454), and school bus drivers and routes are subject to state regulation, including California Highway Patrol oversight.

Claims Against Public Agencies: The Six-Month Rule

If a public entity, such as LA Metro, a city transit system or a school district, operated the bus, you generally must file a written claim within six months of the injury (Government Code § 911.2).

1. File the claim: Include the required details about the injury, incident and damages.
2. Await a response: The agency generally has 45 days to respond. If it sends a written rejection, you usually have six months from the notice to file a lawsuit. If it does not respond, different deadlines apply (Gov. Code §§ 912.4, 945.6).
3. Late claims: You may request permission to file late, generally within one year, but approval is limited and not guaranteed (Gov. Code § 911.4).

Private contractors may have different deadlines, and claims may involve both the operator and the public agency. Contact us promptly for a FREE consultation to help protect your rights.

Insurance and Claim-Handling Tactics

Commercial bus operators carry insurance, while public agencies may be self-insured or use claims administrators. Common tactics to limit payouts include:

• Requesting recorded statements soon after the accident.
• Offering quick, low settlements before injuries are fully understood.
• Blaming passengers for not holding on or citing pre-existing conditions.
• Shifting blame to another driver.
• Delaying claims or allowing deadlines to pass.
• Failing to preserve or disclose bus video footage.

What Compensation Can You Recover?

Economic Damages

• Past and future medical, hospital, surgical, rehabilitation, psychological and dental care
• Lost wages and lost earning capacity, including time missed even if you were paid sick leave or vacation.
• Property damage, such as a totaled or damaged vehicle, a broken phone or other personal property, plus rental costs and loss of use
• Diminished value of a repaired vehicle in some cases

Non-Economic Damages

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress and anxiety, including fear of riding buses or driving near them
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Scarring and disfigurement

Wrongful Death

When a bus accident kills a family member, certain relatives and the estate may bring claims under Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60 and following for loss of companionship and support, funeral and burial costs and related losses. Claims against a public agency are subject to the same six-month claim deadline.

Deadlines at a Glance

These are general rules with exceptions. If the identity of the operator is unclear, treat the shortest deadline as the one that applies.

Why Choose Walch Law for Your Bus Accident Claim?” 

Bus accident cases can involve multiple parties, complex safety rules and strict deadlines. An experienced attorney can identify liable parties, preserve evidence, handle government claims, work with experts, negotiate with insurers and pursue fair compensation.

Gary K. Walch, A Law Corporation, has handled California personal injury and wrongful death cases for more than 50 years. As a family-owned firm, we treat clients with care, honesty and personal attention.We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no attorney fee unless we recover compensation. Your initial consultation is FREE and confidential.

We represent bus accident victims throughout Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, Kern, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties, including Beverly Hills, Calabasas, Woodland Hills, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, Tarzana, Burbank, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Glendale, and the San Fernando Valley.
Bus accidents can cause serious injuries, lost income and mounting medical bills. Contact us promptly to protect your rights and discuss your legal options. Reach us 24/7:

• Toll-free: 866-465-8792 (after hours, dial 1)
• Phone: 818-222-3400 (after hours, dial 1)
• Email: info@WalchLaw.com
• Online: Complete our contact form