Bus Accident Lawyer in San Francisco, CA
Standing Up for Victims of Public Transit Negligence
- California Lawyer of the Year (California Lawyer magazine)
- $4,476,000 for a family hit
at a bus stop - Muni, AC Transit, and charter bus claims
- Free consults, 24/7 call
center, English or Spanish
Why Injured Bay Area Riders Choose Us
Bus and Transit Results
Our results include $4,476,000 for a family struck at a bus stop in the city, $1,250,000 for the family of a pedestrian killed by a Muni bus in Chinatown, and $2,000,000 in a SamTrans case.
Award-Winning Representation
Founder Christopher B. Dolan earned the California Lawyer of the Year Award from California Lawyer magazine and was named Trial Lawyer of the Year by the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association in 2017. He led that group in 2016.
Relentless Pursuit of the Facts
Our attorneys work as a team under founder Christopher B. Dolan's supervision. We bring in accident reconstruction specialists and medical professionals to find the cause of the crash, establish who is liable, calculate full damages, and more.
Damages After a Bus Crash
A bus is large and has no seat belts for riders. When one crashes, injuries tend to be severe, and the bills pile up fast. A claim can seek payment for the harm you carry now and the harm you will carry later:
- Medical bills, hospital stays, and future care
- Lost income and reduced ability to earn
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
- Wrongful death damages when a family loses a loved one
- Punitive damages, in rare cases involving especially harmful conduct
California uses comparative negligence, so your payment drops by any share of fault assigned to you. A San Francisco personal injury attorney builds the evidence that keeps that share where it belongs.
Who Can Be
Held Responsible
More than one party is often at fault. They can include:
- The bus driver
- The transit agency or bus company that employed the driver, including the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni and the cable cars), BART, Golden Gate Transit, SamTrans, and AC Transit
- Private charter, tour, and shuttle operators
- School districts running student transportation
- Other motorists who cut off or struck the bus
- Bus and parts makers, when a defect played a role
- Maintenance contractors that skipped or botched repairs
Public agencies and private companies follow different filing rules, so naming every responsible party matters from the start.
Deadlines for a Bus Claim
Deadlines here are short and unforgiving. If a public agency is involved (Muni, BART, or a school district), the California Tort Claims Act requires a written government claim within six months of the injury. Miss that window and the claim can be barred before it starts.
If the agency rejects the claim, you then have a short deadline to sue. Cases against private parties, such as a charter or tour bus company, follow the two-year statute of limitations for injury lawsuits. Because a single crash can involve both a public agency and a private company, the safest move is to consult an attorney as soon as possible.
How We Handle Your Case
- Consultation. Your first step is a free intake meeting with our case managers, at our San Francisco office or by video call.
- Investigation. We work with accident reconstruction specialists and medical professionals to find the cause of the crash and build your claim for compensation.
- Claims. When a public agency is involved, we prepare the six-month government claim. Claims against private companies follow the two-year deadline, and we pursue every party that shares the blame.
- Resolution. We pursue a settlement that reflects the full harm you suffered. If a fair offer never comes, our trial lawyers are prepared to bring your case before a jury.
Questions About Bus Crash Claims
How long do I have to file a bus injury claim?
It depends on who is responsible. If a public agency that serves San Francisco, such as Muni, is involved, you generally have six months to file a written government claim. If a private bus company is at fault, the deadline to sue is two years from the injury. A rejected government claim starts a short clock of its own, so call an attorney early.
What if I was partly at fault?
You can still recover. California uses comparative negligence, which reduces your compensation by your percentage of fault rather than blocking the claim. If a jury finds you ten percent responsible, you receive ninety percent of the award. Fault is often disputed in bus cases, so evidence about how the crash happened matters.
Do I have a claim if I was not on the bus?
Yes. Buses hurt pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers in other vehicles, and those victims can file claims too. We recovered $2,000,000 for a man run over by a SamTrans bus that turned into a driveway near a crosswalk. The same rules on liability and deadlines apply, though the common carrier standard protects passengers specifically.
Why is a bus case harder than a car crash case?
Buses are heavy, and riders have no seat belts, so injuries are often severe. The defendant may be a government agency with its own claim rules, a private charter company, or both. A lawyer who knows the transportation industry works with experts to find the cause, establish liability, and recover compensation.
