LOS ANGELES
BUS ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS
In 2009, 23 people died in California bus accidents, and hundreds more suffered injuries serious enough to warrant hospitalization. School buses, Greyhound buses, charter buses, and other vehicles classified as motor coaches weigh tens of thousands of pounds. When they strike another object or roll over in an accident, passengers can be thrown from their seats and often suffer very serious, even fatal, injuries. We are Los Angeles bus accident attorneys who have a proven record of success in helping injured people receive the maximum possible compensation for their injuries. If you or a close family member has experienced an injury in a bus accident and you want to seek damages, contact us today.
If you’ve suffered an injury in a bus accident, you deserve effective, experienced legal representation. Call us at 949-558-2156 or fill out a contact form today!
NEGLIGENCE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF BUS ACCIDENTS
There are many different kinds of bus accidents, but a common thread that runs through them all is negligence. We have successfully represented clients in cases against negligent drivers, bus companies, bus manufacturers and designers, and others, and this experience is essential for helping our clients receive fair and just compensation for their injuries. Through court awards and settlements, we have helped clients injured through negligence involving the following:
- Bus companies that cut corners on proper maintenance and safety to save money
- Drivers operating buses while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Bus companies that hire inexperienced drivers and put their passenger’s lives at risk
- Employers who unlawfully force their drivers to work long hours behind the wheel without proper rest
- Bus manufacturers that design buses that are prone to rollovers
- Drivers who drive aggressively to meet scheduled stops risk the safety of their passengers
Los Angeles Bus Accident Attorneys Working Hard for Clients
Unlike other law firms who consult with a client and hand the case to a junior member of the firm, we handle each case personally and give each client and case the individual attention they deserve. We use our experience, skills, resources, and knowledge of the law to build effective cases for clients to help them receive the maximum compensation for their injuries, pain and suffering, and other damages. If you have experienced an injury in a bus accident and have questions about your case, paperwork that someone has asked you to sign, or anything else, call us today Law office of Samer Habbas at 949-558-2156 to put our experience to work for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can actually be held responsible after a Los Angeles bus accident?
More than one party can be held responsible. The driver can be liable for running a light, braking too hard, or driving distracted, but so can the transit agency or charter company for skipping maintenance or putting an undertrained driver behind the wheel. If a mechanical failure caused the crash, the parts manufacturer may share liability too. We investigate maintenance logs, driver personnel files, and black box data before we ever tell a client who’s on the hook.
I was hurt on an LA Metro bus. Is the filing deadline different than a regular car accident?
Yes, and it’s a short one. Because Metro (LACMTA) and LAUSD school buses are government-operated, California’s Government Claims Act requires a formal claim to be filed within six months of the crash, not the usual two years. Miss that window and you can lose your right to sue entirely, regardless of how strong your case is. This is the single most common way legitimate claims get thrown out, so call as soon as you’re able.
I wasn’t riding the bus. I got hit by one as a pedestrian or in my car. Do I still have a claim?
You can absolutely still pursue compensation. Pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers struck by a bus have the same right to file a claim as a passenger would, and the same six-month notice deadline applies if a public bus was involved. The bus company’s insurance and the driver’s employer are still the parties who owe you a duty of care.
Most city buses don’t have seatbelts. Does that hurt my case?
No. California doesn’t require seatbelts on transit buses, and courts don’t hold passengers responsible for injuries caused by that design choice. What matters is whether the driver, the bus company, or another vehicle acted negligently. Insurance adjusters sometimes bring this up anyway to try to shift blame, which is exactly why you want someone pushing back on your behalf.
What can I recover financially after a serious bus crash?
Damages typically cover emergency and ongoing medical treatment, lost income during recovery, reduced future earning capacity if the injury is lasting, and pain and suffering. In cases involving a fatality, surviving family members may bring a separate wrongful death claim. The final number depends heavily on how well the injury and its long-term impact are documented early on.
What usually causes bus accidents in LA in the first place?
Driver fatigue and distraction top the list, followed by poorly maintained brakes and tires, aggressive schedule-driven driving, and inexperienced drivers who weren’t properly trained or vetted before being hired. We’ve also handled cases tied to defective bus design, particularly rollover risk on older motor coach models. Pinning down the cause early shapes who ends up named in the claim.
How is a bus accident claim different from an ordinary car accident case?
The biggest differences are the deadline and the number of potentially responsible parties. A bus accident may involve a private company, a public transit agency, a manufacturer, and sometimes a maintenance contractor, all with different insurers and different rules for how a claim has to be filed. Government-entity claims in particular follow a stricter, faster process than a standard auto claim between two drivers.
What should I do in the hours and days right after a bus crash?
Get medical attention first, even if you feel okay, since injuries like whiplash or concussions don’t always show symptoms immediately. Photograph the scene, get contact information from other passengers or witnesses if you can, and avoid giving a recorded statement to the bus company’s insurer before speaking with an attorney. Early evidence, like surveillance footage, has a habit of disappearing within days if no one requests it.
What does it cost to hire a bus accident lawyer in Los Angeles?
Nothing upfront. We work on contingency, which means there’s no fee unless we recover money for you, and the initial consultation is free. You can reach our office at 949-558-2156 or submit a case form from the website and we’ll walk you through whether the six-month government deadline applies to your situation.
The bus that hit me was a private tour or charter company, not Metro. Does that change anything?
It changes the deadline but not your right to sue. Private charter, tour, and shuttle companies aren’t subject to the six-month government claims window, so you generally have California’s standard two-year statute of limitations for personal injury. That said, out-of-state charter operators can complicate service of process and insurance coverage, which is another reason to get a case reviewed quickly rather than assuming the timeline is the same as a Metro claim.
13 Injured After Greyhound Loses Tire, Crashing Into SUV on 10 Freeway Near Cabazon 
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