Bus Accidents

Los Angeles Bus Accident Lawyer

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California Metro Bus & Transit Accident Attorneys

Injured on a bus or by a bus? Here is what to know.

Yaghmai Law Firm represents bus accident victims in Los Angeles, Sherman Oaks, and the San Fernando Valley.
We handle LA Metro, Big Blue Bus, LADOT DASH, school bus, charter, tour, intercity (Greyhound, FlixBus), and private shuttle crashes.
California generally allows 2 years to sue under CCP §335.1 — but only 6 months to file a government claim against LA Metro, school districts, or any public-transit operator under CA Gov Code §911.2. Miss the deadline and your case is barred.
No fees unless we recover compensation. Free case review.
Call or text (888) 800-6731 or submit your case online.

A bus accident lawyer Los Angeles claimants need must file a government claim within six months under California Government Code 911.2 when LA Metro or LADOT is involved. Bus crashes in Los Angeles fall into a different legal category than most car wrecks. When LA Metro, Big Blue Bus, LADOT DASH, a school district, or a charter operator is involved, your case is governed by the California Government Claims Act — with a hard 6-month deadline to put the agency on notice. Even private intercity carriers like Greyhound and FlixBus are held to a heightened “common carrier” standard that ordinary drivers are not. Yaghmai Law Firm handles bus accident claims throughout Los Angeles County and the San Fernando Valley for passengers, pedestrians struck by buses, and drivers of other vehicles hit by transit operators.

We move fast on bus cases because of those government deadlines, and we move thoroughly because the agencies and insurers on the other side have full-time legal departments built to fight back. We preserve onboard video, pull dispatch logs and maintenance records, identify every responsible carrier and contractor, and build the medical and economic record needed to recover the full value of your claim. If you or someone you love was hurt in a bus crash in Los Angeles, call or text (888) 800-6731, or submit your case online for a free, no-fee review.

If you or a loved one was hurt in a bus crash, we are ready to help.

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No Win, No Fee

Yaghmai Law Firm handles bus accident cases on a pure contingency. You owe nothing up front, nothing during the case, and nothing if we do not recover compensation. Our fee comes only out of the settlement or verdict we secure, so our incentives are aligned with yours from day one. The initial case review is free and confidential, and you are never obligated to hire us by talking with our team.

We front the costs of investigation, expert witnesses, accident reconstruction, medical record retrieval, and litigation. That matters in bus cases because government carriers and corporate insurers count on victims being unable to afford a real fight — we make sure you can.

Types of Bus Accident Cases We Handle

Buses are not one category. The rules, insurance, and deadlines depend on who owns the bus and who employs the driver. We represent injured clients in every common bus scenario in Los Angeles, including:

LA Metro buses — Metro Local, Metro Rapid, Metro Liner, and Metro Express routes operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Big Blue Bus (Santa Monica), Culver CityBus, Long Beach Transit, Foothill Transit, and other municipal carriers.
LADOT DASH and Commuter Express routes operated under City of Los Angeles contracts.
School bus accidents involving LAUSD and other Los Angeles County school districts, including injuries to students, drivers of other vehicles, and pedestrians.
Intercity carriers like Greyhound, FlixBus, and Megabus on the I-5, I-10, and I-15 corridors.
Charter and tour buses for casino trips, sightseeing, weddings, and corporate events.
Hotel, airport, and employee shuttle buses, including LAX and Burbank Airport shuttles.
Church, day camp, and senior center vans operated by private organizations.

We also represent pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and drivers struck by any of the above. The right defendant, the right insurance policy, and the right deadline depend on which category applies — getting that analysis right is half the case.

Common Causes of Bus Accidents in Los Angeles

Bus crashes rarely happen for one reason alone. We routinely investigate and litigate the following causes:

Distracted or fatigued driving — long routes, phones, and shift overruns are leading causes of urban bus crashes (see our Los Angeles car accident lawyer page for related driver-error claims).
Speeding and aggressive lane changes, especially on Wilshire, Vermont, and the 405/101 transit corridors.
Inadequate driver training, screening, and supervision — transit and charter operators have a duty to vet drivers carefully.
Mechanical failure — brake failure, tire blowouts, steering, and door defects.
Improper maintenance and inspection failures, including missed CHP terminal inspections.
Negligent third-party drivers — cars, big rigs (see our Los Angeles truck accident lawyer page), and rideshare vehicles cutting off buses.
Pedestrian and bicyclist strikes — buses turning across crosswalks or pulling away from the curb (see our Los Angeles pedestrian accident attorney page).
Sudden stops and rapid acceleration that throw standing or seated passengers into stanchions, seats, or windshields.
Rail-bus interactions at Metro Rail crossings (see our Los Angeles train accident lawyer page).

Multiple causes often combine. Holding every responsible party accountable usually means suing the operator, the agency, the maintenance contractor, and any negligent third-party driver in the same case.

Common Bus Accident Injuries

Bus passengers usually have no seatbelt and no airbag. Add a vehicle that weighs 30,000+ pounds and the injuries are often severe. We see the following on a weekly basis:

Whiplash and neck, shoulder, and lumbar spine injuries.
Traumatic brain injury from striking stanchions, seats, or windows — see our Los Angeles brain injury lawyer page.
Broken bones in the arms, wrists, ankles, ribs, and hips.
Internal injuries, including organ damage and internal bleeding.
Knee, hip, and shoulder joint trauma.
Lacerations and road rash from shattered glass.
Burns from fuel, electrical, or onboard fires.
Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression after a serious bus crash.
Fatal injuries — see our Los Angeles wrongful death attorney page.

Many of these injuries do not show their full severity for days or weeks. Get medical attention immediately, follow up consistently, and keep every record.

What Is a Los Angeles Bus Accident Case Worth?

Bus accident case values vary widely. The biggest drivers are the severity and permanence of your injuries, your medical costs (past and projected), your lost income and lost earning capacity, the strength of liability evidence, and the insurance or self-insured retention available from the defendant.

Categories of damages we routinely recover include:

Past and future medical expenses, including surgery, physical therapy, pain management, and rehabilitation.
Lost wages and lost earning capacity, including reduced hours and missed promotions.
Pain, suffering, and emotional distress.
Disfigurement and loss of bodily function.
Loss of consortium for spouses and registered domestic partners.
Property damage to your vehicle, mobility devices, electronics, and personal items.
Punitive damages against private operators in cases of egregious conduct (punitive damages are not available against public entities under Gov Code §818, but they often are against private bus companies and individual drivers).

Government bus agencies are typically self-insured for large retentions, then carry excess insurance on top. Private charter and intercity carriers usually carry $5 million to $25 million policies because of federal and state common-carrier requirements. Identifying every layer of coverage early is one of the most important things a bus lawyer can do.

California Bus Accident Law

Several California rules drive bus accident cases differently than ordinary car cases:

The 6-month government claim deadline (CA Gov Code §911.2) is the single most important rule on this page. If your case is against LA Metro, LADOT, Big Blue Bus, Culver CityBus, Long Beach Transit, a school district, or any other public entity, you must present a written government claim to that entity within six months of the date of the injury. Miss this deadline and your case is permanently barred, even if you would otherwise have two years to sue. The agency then has 45 days to act on the claim. If it denies the claim or fails to respond, you have 6 months from the denial (or 2 years from the injury if no formal denial was mailed) to file suit under Gov Code §945.6. Read CA Gov Code §911.2 on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.

Common carrier duty of utmost care. Under California Civil Code §§2100-2101 and CACI 902, a common carrier — including buses, light rail, taxis, and rideshare in transit mode — owes its passengers the utmost care and diligence for their safe carriage. This is a higher standard than the ordinary “reasonable care” required of most drivers, and it applies to LA Metro, Big Blue Bus, school buses, Greyhound, FlixBus, and charter operators alike.

Two-year personal-injury statute of limitations. For non-government defendants — e.g., a private charter operator, an at-fault third-party driver, or a maintenance contractor — you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file suit under California Code of Civil Procedure §335.1. Read CCP §335.1 on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.

No punitive damages against public entities (Gov Code §818). You can still recover punitive damages against private operators and individual drivers who engage in malicious, oppressive, or reckless conduct.

Comparative fault (Civil Code §1431.2). California uses pure comparative fault. Even if you were partially at fault — for example, walking outside a crosswalk — you can still recover, but your award is reduced by your percentage of fault.

The interaction of these rules is why bus cases require an attorney who handles them frequently. Calling early is not just convenient — it protects your right to recover at all.

Talk to a Los Angeles bus accident lawyer today. No fees unless we win.

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Why Yaghmai Law Firm for Your Bus Accident Case

Bus accident cases are not interchangeable with ordinary car wrecks. We are a focused personal injury and immigration firm based in Sherman Oaks. Our practice is deliberately small, our attorney-led communication is direct, and we choose cases we can pursue thoroughly — not just process at volume.

“Bus cases reward two things: speed and precision. The 6-month government-claim deadline takes most lawyers by surprise, and by the time a family finds the right firm, onboard video has already been overwritten on the carrier’s rolling buffer. We move on day one to preserve that footage, dispatch logs, and maintenance records, and we treat every Metro and school bus case like a federal trucking case — because the defense will.”

— Houtan Yaghmai, Esq., President & Managing Attorney

Our team speaks English, French, and Persian (Farsi) fluently, and we work with Spanish interpreters when needed. We handle calls, texts, and online intake the same day — no office visit required. Whether your bus crash involved LA Metro, a school bus, a charter operator, or an intercity carrier, we are ready to help. Submit your case for a free review or call or text (888) 800-6731.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to sue after a Los Angeles bus accident?

It depends on who owns the bus. Against a public agency like LA Metro, Big Blue Bus, LADOT, or a school district, you must present a written government claim within 6 months of the injury under CA Gov Code §911.2 — not 2 years. Against private carriers (Greyhound, FlixBus, charter operators) and at-fault third-party drivers, you generally have 2 years from the date of the crash under CCP §335.1. Call us immediately to identify which deadline applies to your case.

What happens if I miss the 6-month government claim deadline?

In most cases your claim against the public entity is permanently barred. Limited late-claim relief is available under Gov Code §911.4 (within one year of accrual) for minors, disability, mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect, but the agency can refuse, and courts often deny relief. Do not assume late-claim relief will be granted — meet the 6-month deadline.

Can I sue LA Metro directly?

You cannot sue Metro until you first present a written government claim and either receive a denial or wait the statutory period for action. Once that prerequisite is met, you have 6 months from the denial (or 2 years from the injury if no formal written rejection is mailed) to file suit in Los Angeles Superior Court under Gov Code §945.6.

What if my child was hurt on a school bus?

You file a government claim with the school district (and any school district transportation contractor) within 6 months of the injury. The 6-month clock for a minor still runs; minors do not get the same tolling on government claims that they get on ordinary personal injury suits. Late-claim relief under Gov Code §911.4 is sometimes available for minors, but it is not automatic. Call us right away.

Do I have a case if I was a passenger and not wearing a seatbelt?

Yes, in most cases. Most Los Angeles transit buses do not have passenger seatbelts and California does not require their use on most public buses. Even where seatbelts are present, California is a pure comparative fault state, so an injury does not bar recovery — your award is simply reduced by your percentage of fault, if any.

What if I was the driver of a car that a bus hit?

You may have a claim against the bus operator (public or private), the driver personally, and any negligent third party. Public-entity defendants still require a 6-month government claim. Private-bus and third-party-driver defendants follow the ordinary 2-year personal-injury statute of limitations.

How much does it cost to hire your firm?

Nothing up front. We handle bus accident cases on a contingency: no fees and no costs unless we recover compensation for you. The initial case review is free and confidential.

What information should I gather right after a bus crash?

Photograph the scene, the bus number, the route number, the driver, and your injuries; get witness names and phone numbers; get medical attention immediately; preserve clothing and personal items; keep every receipt and bill; and do not give a recorded statement to any insurance carrier or claims investigator before speaking with a lawyer.

Related Personal Injury Practice Areas

Bus crashes often involve injuries and legal theories we handle on related practice-area pages. Explore the topics that fit your situation:

Reviewed by Houtan Yaghmai, Esq., President & Managing Attorney. Admitted to practice law in California (State Bar No. 298487). He represents personal injury and immigration clients statewide.

Last updated: May 30, 2026.