Bus Accidents
Bus Accidents in California
A bus carries dozens of people who have placed their safety entirely in the operator’s hands, so when a crash happens, the injuries can be serious and the number of people affected large. Bus accident claims are also different from ordinary car accident claims: buses are held to a higher legal standard, more than one party may be responsible, and if a public agency operated the bus, a much shorter deadline applies. If a bus driver or company caused your injury, California law gives you the right to pursue compensation, and Abramson Labor Group is here to help you do it.
After a Bus Accident
What you do after a bus crash affects both your health and your claim. If you are able:
- Get medical attention immediately, even if you feel fine. Some serious injuries are not obvious at first.
- Report the crash and make sure a police report is filed.
- Note the bus number, route number, and the transit agency or company name.
- Document the scene: photos of the bus, your injuries, and the surroundings.
- Get the names of other passengers and witnesses, who are often key to these cases.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the bus company’s or agency’s insurer before speaking with an attorney.
Buses Are Held to a Higher Standard
Under California Civil Code section 2100, a bus is a “common carrier,” which means it owes passengers the utmost care and diligence for their safe transportation. This is a higher standard than the ordinary care that applies to a regular driver. In practical terms, even a small operator error, a delayed reaction, an inattentive lane change, a failure to brake in time, can be enough to establish liability toward an injured passenger. This heightened duty is one of the most important legal advantages available in a bus case.
Who Can Be Held Responsible
Bus crashes often involve more than one responsible party. Depending on the facts, that can include the driver, the bus company or transit agency, the vehicle’s owner, a maintenance contractor, the maker of a defective part, or another driver who contributed to the crash. The company is generally responsible for its driver’s actions on the job, and it can also face direct liability for hiring an unqualified driver, skipping required training, or ignoring maintenance.
Public Buses and the Six-Month Deadline
This is the single most important thing to know if a public bus was involved. If the bus was operated by a public transit agency or a public school district, your claim is governed by the California Government Claims Act, and you generally must file a written claim with that agency within six months of the crash, under Government Code section 911.2. This is not the lawsuit itself; it is a mandatory step you must complete first, and missing it can permanently bar your case.
Private bus operators, such as many intercity, charter, shuttle, and tour buses, generally follow the standard two-year personal injury deadline instead. Because it can take time to identify who actually operated the bus, and because the public deadline is so short, it is important to get legal guidance quickly.
How Fault Works in California
California follows a pure comparative negligence rule. You can recover compensation even if you were partly at fault, with your recovery reduced by your share of fault rather than eliminated. In bus cases, several insurers and agencies may point responsibility at each other, which is exactly the kind of dispute an attorney is there to handle.
Common Bus Accident Injuries
Bus crashes, and sudden stops or swerves even without a collision, can cause serious injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Broken bones
- Whiplash and neck injuries
- Internal injuries and lacerations
These injuries often mean long recoveries, significant medical bills, and time away from work, all of which can be part of a compensation claim.
How Abramson Labor Group Helps
Bus cases move on tight deadlines, especially when a public agency is involved, and transit agencies and bus companies are prepared to defend these claims. We work to identify who operated the bus, file any required government claim on time, hold the operator to the higher common-carrier standard, deal with the insurers so you can focus on recovering, and pursue the full value of your claim, including medical costs, lost income, and pain and suffering.
We work on a contingency basis. There are no fees unless we win your case.
Injured in a Bus Accident?
Talk to Abramson Labor Group about your case, and do not wait, because deadlines can be short. There are no fees unless we win. Get a free case evaluation.