Personal Injury Advocate
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Were you hurt in a bus crash?

We are sorry this happened to you. Whether you were on the bus, in another vehicle, or walking nearby, you are not alone.

Are you in an emergency right now?

  • Check yourself and others for injuries.
  • Call 911 if anyone is hurt or the scene is not safe.
  • Move away from traffic if you can do it safely.
  • Get medical care even if you feel fine.
  • This page is for after you are safe.

This page covers bus accident claim deadlines and what to do right now. We are the injured person's advocate. We connect you with a lawyer who handles cases like yours, so you get the full settlement your recovery deserves. Always free. Talk to an advocate. We usually reply within minutes, at most one business day.

In 2024, there were 13,452 bus crashes nationwide, and about 51% of them resulted in an injury (FMCSA).

Why bus claims get tricky

Most injury claims give you one to a few years to file. Bus claims can be very different, and it comes down to who owns the bus. A privately owned bus, like a tour company or charter, usually follows the normal rules for your state.

A government-run bus, like a city transit system or school district, often carries a much shorter deadline called a notice of claim, a formal written notice that must usually be filed long before the normal deadline to sue even opens. In Texas, the notice period for many government claims is six months. In New York, a notice of claim against the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) must generally be filed within 90 days. Some transit authorities require notice within 60 to 90 days. Miss that window and your claim can close permanently. Find out who operates the bus right away.

This overlaps with car crash claims when a bus collides with another vehicle. See our car crash guide for general documentation steps.

Protect your case

  1. Get medical care right away, even if you feel okay. This visit documents your injury.
  2. Talk to an advocate at WeHelpInjured. It is free.
  3. Find out who operates the bus: a private company, a school district, or a public transit authority. This changes your deadline.
  4. Get the bus number, route number, and the name of the transit agency or company.
  5. Take photos of the bus, the scene, and your injuries.
  6. Get names and contact information for other passengers or witnesses.
  7. Warning: don't wait! A government bus deadline is a trap. A city or transit-agency notice can be due in 60 to 90 days, far shorter than the normal injury clock, so people wait, and waiting kills cases. The longer you wait, the fuzzier memories get and the notice window can close for good. Talk to an advocate immediately. Find your state on our state pages.

Never do these

What real bus accident cases have involved

Government transit agencies negotiate seriously when a claim is well documented and injuries are significant, since a strong claim creates real exposure for a public agency's risk management office. Settlement and verdict amounts for bus crashes vary enormously by state, agency, and injury severity, and no single public database tracks every result. We are not a law firm, and no one can promise or predict what any case is worth. Check our state pages for what is documented about deadlines and rules where you live.

When it goes wrong: a true story

Short government notice deadlines catch people off guard constantly, precisely because they run counter to what most people assume about injury claims. A person hurt on a city bus may reasonably expect a year or more to sort things out, the way they would after a private car crash. By the time they call a lawyer, the 60 or 90 day window has often already closed, and the claim can be barred entirely, no matter how serious the injury or how clear the fault (sponsored legal analysis via Troy Messenger). Talk to an advocate today so your claim does not miss a short notice window.

What we can help with

We help you figure out whether a government notice deadline applies, understand what paperwork moves fast, and connect you with a lawyer who handles cases like yours. All of it is free to you. We never take money from injured people.

Talk to an advocate. It is free, and it only takes a few minutes.

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