Can I Sue the City If I Was Hit by a Bus?

Can I Sue the City If I Was Hit by a Bus?

Nobody expects to be hit by a city bus while driving to work or crossing the street, yet scenarios like this occur with troubling frequency every year in the U.S., turning an ordinary day into a painful, stressful, and confusing ordeal. 

If a city bus hit you, your medical bills, missed work, and daily pain may feel impossible to manage. But beyond the physical injuries, you're probably wondering: Can I sue the city if I was hit by a bus? The answer is yes in many cases, but only if you act quickly and follow the right process.

Claims against a city or public transportation agency follow different rules from claims against private operators. These cases involve special legal protections for government agencies, shorter deadlines, and strict paperwork requirements. You’ll need to prove that the city or its employee acted negligently, and you may only have weeks to begin your claim.

Bus Accident Claims Against Government Entities: What Makes Them Different?

When a city bus causes an accident, the legal process that follows is very different from a typical crash. You’re no longer dealing with a private individual or company. You’re dealing with a government agency, and that means the rules change.

Government bodies often have legal protections called “sovereign immunity.” These protections limit when and how they can be sued. Fortunately, most states allow injured people to bring claims under specific conditions. But these conditions are strict and time-sensitive.

What is sovereign immunity?

Sovereign immunity is a legal doctrine that prevents the government from being sued unless it gives permission. Most state and local governments have partially waived this immunity through laws like the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) or state equivalents.

These laws make it possible to bring injury claims against public agencies, but they also impose extra steps. You may need to file a notice of claim within 30 to 180 days after the crash, depending on your state. Miss this deadline, and you may lose your right to compensation entirely.

Common examples of government bus operators

Accidents may involve various public transit systems, including:

• City buses operated by local transit authorities
• County-run transportation services
• School district buses
• State university transportation fleets
• Public commuter shuttles or paratransit vehicles

Each has a different legal structure, which means the process and timeline for filing a claim may vary. Knowing which agency operated the bus is the first step in determining how to proceed.

Special claim procedures you’ll need to follow

To bring a claim against a public transportation agency, you must first follow that agency’s legal procedure for injury claims. This typically includes:

• Filing a formal “notice of claim” with the correct government agency
• Meeting the deadline, which may be much shorter than the standard personal injury statute of limitations
• Providing detailed information about the incident, your injuries, and the compensation you seek

Once the agency receives the claim, it usually has a set amount of time to accept, reject, or settle. If it denies the claim or doesn’t respond, you can usually file a lawsuit, but only after going through this initial step.

Who May Be Legally Responsible for a City Bus Accident?

Identifying the correct defendant in a government-related bus accident can be challenging. These cases often involve multiple parties, each with its own responsibilities. Determining liability requires a careful investigation.

The city or municipality

If a city or regional transit agency operated the bus, that entity may bear legal responsibility for the crash. This is especially true if the bus driver caused the accident while performing their job duties.

Cities may also be responsible if the accident resulted from poor maintenance, inadequate driver training, or unsafe policies. If the transit agency failed to screen drivers properly or ignored safety complaints, they could be held accountable.

The bus driver

While cities are often liable for their employees’ conduct, individual bus drivers may also be named in a lawsuit. If the driver acted recklessly or violated traffic laws, their actions could become central to your injury claim.

That said, suing the driver alone won’t usually result in compensation. Their employer (the city or public agency) is typically responsible for paying the claim.

A third-party contractor

Some cities contract private companies to operate or maintain their bus fleets. If a contractor operated the bus involved in the crash, that company — not the city — may be liable. This changes the rules, as claims against private companies follow standard personal injury procedures, not government claim rules.

You’ll need documentation and investigation to confirm whether the vehicle was publicly or privately managed at the time of the incident.

What Types of Negligence Lead to City Bus Accidents?

Government-operated school buses and transit buses account for the vast majority of bus accidents that result in injuries and death in the U.S. every year. Public transportation accidents often result from many types of negligent behavior. Investigating how the crash happened will help determine if you have a valid claim and who is responsible.

Driver error

The most common factor in city bus crashes is human error. This includes:

• Distracted or drowsy driving
• Speeding or aggressive lane changes
• Failing to yield to pedestrians
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Ignoring traffic signals or road signs

If the bus driver committed any of these actions, and those actions caused your injuries, you may have a strong claim.

Poor vehicle maintenance

Cities and transportation agencies are responsible for maintaining safe vehicles. That includes checking brakes, tires, lights, steering systems, and more. When maintenance is skipped or rushed, dangerous breakdowns can occur.

Maintenance records, inspection reports, and repair logs may show whether the vehicle was neglected. A lawyer can request these during an investigation to support your case.

Unsafe policies or system failures

Sometimes, the fault lies not with a single person but with how the system operates. Poor driver training, unrealistic schedules, and ignoring past complaints can all contribute to unsafe conditions.

What Evidence Strengthens a Claim Against the City?

Claims involving government buses rely heavily on strong documentation. Your personal injury lawyer will need to show that the public agency or its employees were negligent and that this negligence caused your injuries.

Building this type of claim typically involves gathering the following:

• The bus driver’s logs and personnel file
• Surveillance footage from the bus or traffic cameras
• Internal maintenance records and safety inspections
• Eyewitness statements from other passengers or bystanders
• Photos of the accident scene and vehicles involved
• Copies of your medical records and treatment bills

In some cases involving catastrophic injuries or wrongful death, accident reconstruction experts help analyze how the crash occurred. If the city disputes fault, expert testimony can become essential to the claim.

How Much Time Do You Have to File a Claim Against the City?

The timeline for suing the government is almost always shorter than for private personal injury claims. In many states, injured parties must file a notice of claim within 180 days of the accident. Some states set even shorter deadlines, sometimes 60 days or less.

If the notice is filed correctly and on time, the government will typically respond within a fixed period (such as 90 days). You can move forward with a lawsuit only after that period ends or the claim is denied.

Missing these deadlines usually bars a claim completely. That’s why it’s so important to speak with a lawyer as early as possible.

What Types of Compensation Are Available After a City Bus Accident?

Injuries from a bus crash often carry serious financial and emotional consequences. If a city or public agency is responsible, you may have a legal path to pursue compensation. The value of your claim depends on the extent of your injuries and how those injuries impact your daily life.

Depending on your specific case, you may seek compensation for:

Economic damages

These are the financial losses you can document with receipts, bills, or employment records. They often include:

• Emergency medical bills, surgeries, and follow-up treatment
• Prescription medications and physical therapy
• Lost income or reduced future earnings
• Transportation costs for medical care
• Long-term care or assistive equipment if needed

Economic damages are typically easier to calculate, but they must be well-documented.

Non-economic damages

These cover the personal effects of your injuries — the kind that don’t come with a price tag but still carry weight. Non-economic damages may include:

• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Permanent disfigurement or disability

It takes experience to translate these losses into a strong legal claim. A lawyer may work with doctors, therapists, and vocational experts to show how the crash changed your life in measurable ways.

What Makes City Bus Accident Cases So Challenging?

Suing a government agency is never straightforward. Public entities have strong legal defenses and access to extensive legal resources. But it’s not just about the city’s lawyers — it’s about the added legal barriers in these types of cases.

Government immunity laws can limit your claim

Sovereign immunity laws often cap how much you can recover from a government agency, even when they are clearly at fault. Many states have statutory limits on damages in public transportation cases. These caps can apply to both economic and non-economic damages.

Short deadlines leave little room for error

With most injury claims, you may have two to three years to file. But with city bus accidents, the window to file a notice of claim could be as short as 60 or 90 days. 

Investigations are often more challenging

City bus operators may not be quick to hand over records, driver logs, or surveillance footage. Public agencies often have layers of bureaucracy that can delay or complicate access to critical evidence.

These challenges make securing legal help right away especially important. A lawyer can submit the right document requests, preserve time-sensitive evidence, and push for answers.

How a Lawyer Can Help After a City Bus Crash

The decision to file a claim against a public agency isn’t one to make lightly. These cases involve a different set of rules, and every misstep can delay or damage your case. Working with an injury attorney gives you a better chance at recovering compensation and holding the right party accountable.

Here are a few of the ways a lawyer may help you after a public transit crash:

• File your notice of claim before the deadline runs out
• Gather evidence quickly while it’s still available
• Work with experts to evaluate injuries and damages
• Negotiate with government attorneys to pursue a fair settlement
• Take your case to trial if the agency denies responsibility

You shouldn’t have to figure this out alone, especially when your health and financial future are at stake. A lawyer can lift the burden of paperwork and deadlines, so you can focus on recovery.

Getting Help After a Bus Accident Involving a City or Public Agency

Filing a claim against a government agency takes more than just good evidence. It takes knowledge and experience working with the laws that protect cities, counties, and transit systems. If you were hit by a bus, you shouldn’t have to figure this out while dealing with pain, medical bills, and lost income.

At Gallagher & Kennedy, our experienced bus accident lawyers in Phoenix, Arizona, and Santa Fe, New Mexico hold cities and public agencies accountable when their systems lead to serious injuries and fatalities. We’ve handled some of the toughest injury cases in the country, and we’re not afraid to take on large institutions and their insurers.

With more than 275 years of combined legal experience and a reputation for trial advocacy, our team is ready to take your case seriously. Call (602) 530-8400 today or reach out online to request your free consultation. There’s no cost to speak with us — and no reason to wait.