If you were hurt in a bus accident in Los Angeles, a bus accident lawyer can hold the carrier accountable and pursue full compensation for your injuries. Buses are common carriers under California law, so they owe you the highest duty of care. If the bus was public, like LA Metro or LADOT, you may have as little as six months to file a claim, so call Moe Abdallah Law, P.C. right away.
If you were hurt in a bus accident in Los Angeles, a bus accident lawyer can take on the carrier and its insurer and pursue the full value of your injuries while you focus on healing. That is what Moe Abdallah Law, P.C. does. Buses carry a special legal weight: under California law they are common carriers, so they owe passengers the highest duty of care on the road. When that duty is broken, you deserve real answers and real compensation. If a public agency like LA Metro or LADOT was involved, the clock is short and unforgiving, so the sooner you call, the more we can protect. You pay us nothing unless we win.
A bus is a common carrier under California Civil Code section 2100, which means the company must use the utmost care and diligence to keep passengers safe. That is a higher standard than the ordinary care an everyday driver owes. A bus operator has to watch the road, brake and turn safely, screen and train drivers, and keep the vehicle in good repair. It also means small lapses that might be excused for a regular driver can amount to a breach of duty for a carrier. When a carrier cuts corners on any of that and you get hurt, the law is on your side. We use that heightened duty to press your claim, whether the crash came from a distracted or fatigued driver, unsafe speed, a sudden and jerky stop, a badly maintained bus, or a driver who never should have been behind the wheel. That higher standard often gives us leverage the insurer would rather you not know about, and we use it from the first demand letter forward.
Who you file against depends on the bus. Public transit lines like LA Metro, LADOT DASH and Commuter Express, Big Blue Bus in Santa Monica, and Foothill Transit are run by government agencies, and a claim against a public entity follows special rules and a very short deadline. Charter buses, tour buses, and private shuttle companies are common carriers too, but they answer to the standard two-year deadline. School buses can involve both a district and a private contractor. Interstate lines like Greyhound bring in federal safety rules on top of California law. There can also be more than one party to pursue: the agency or company that ran the bus, a maintenance contractor, a parts maker, or another driver whose car forced the crash. We sort out every possible defendant fast, because naming the wrong party or missing a deadline can end an otherwise strong case. If your crash happened while you were boarding, riding, or getting off any of these buses in Los Angeles County, we can tell you within the first call which rules and which deadline apply to you.
Bus passengers usually have no seatbelt and nothing to brace against, so even a low-speed crash throws people into seats, poles, and each other. We handle claims involving whiplash and neck injuries, herniated discs and back injuries, concussions and traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, shoulder and knee injuries that need surgery, and spinal-cord damage. Pedestrians and other drivers struck by a bus often face the worst harm of all because of the vehicle's size and weight. Insurers like to make a quick offer before the full picture is clear, before you finish treatment or a surgery is scheduled. Taking that early money almost always shortchanges you, because once you settle you cannot reopen the claim. We wait until your prognosis is clear and value the case for what it will really cost you over your lifetime.
Call 911 and get checked out even if you feel okay. Adrenaline hides injuries, and a gap in treatment is the first thing insurers use to shrink a claim.
Note the bus number, route, and agency, and photograph the interior, the vehicles, and your injuries. Get the names and numbers of other passengers and witnesses, and the police report number.
If a public agency like Metro or LADOT was involved, you may have only six months to act. Do not give a recorded statement or take any offer first. The consultation is free.
A bus company and its insurer are not on your side. Their job is to pay you as little as they can, and a public agency has its own legal team ready to protect the public budget. They will move fast to control the story: pulling the driver's account, securing the onboard video before you can, and floating a low settlement while you are still hurting. They may claim the driver did nothing wrong, that your injuries were already there, or that you contributed to the crash. We shut those tactics down. We move quickly to preserve the bus camera footage, maintenance logs, and driver records, we build the medical and liability evidence into a demand they cannot lowball, and we prepare every case as if it will go to trial. That is why carriers take represented clients seriously and pay more.
Buses are common carriers under California Civil Code § 2100, so they owe passengers the highest duty of care: utmost care and diligence for your safety. The deadline to act depends on who is at fault. If a public entity was involved, such as LA Metro, LADOT, Big Blue Bus, or Foothill Transit, you generally must file a written government claim within six months of the crash under California Government Code § 911.2, and missing that window can bar your case. For a private carrier, you usually have two years from the date of the crash to file suit under California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. California also follows pure comparative negligence (Li v. Yellow Cab Co.), so you can recover even if you were partly at fault, with your award reduced by your share. When several passengers are hurt in one crash, they may have to share the carrier's policy limits, which makes acting early even more important.
You work directly with Attorney Moe Abdallah, who takes your case personally, fights the insurance company, and keeps you posted by call and text at every step.
You pay nothing upfront and nothing at all unless we recover for you. The consultation is always free.
Public-bus claims run on a six-month clock. We file the right notices on time and preserve the evidence before it disappears.
Nothing upfront. We work on a contingency fee, so our fee comes only from the compensation we recover for you. If we don't win, you owe us nothing. The consultation is always free.
Not long. When a public agency like LA Metro or LADOT is involved, California Government Code § 911.2 usually gives you just six months from the date of the crash to file a written government claim. Miss it and you can lose the right to sue. Call us as soon as you can so we can file on time.
For a private carrier such as a charter or tour bus, you generally have two years from the date of the crash under California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. Even so, call early. Evidence like onboard video gets erased fast.
Under California Civil Code § 2100, a bus is a common carrier, which means the company owes passengers the highest duty of care, described as utmost care and diligence. That is a stronger standard than an ordinary driver owes, and it helps your claim.
If you weren't hurt, you may be able to handle it yourself. But bus claims often involve a government agency, a short six-month deadline, and a defense team paid to pay you less. If you were injured, a lawyer usually puts more money in your pocket even after fees. Not sure? Call us and we'll tell you straight, free.
No. You are not required to give the bus company's insurer a recorded statement, and it's used to twist your words and shrink your claim. Decline politely and don't answer their questions. Call us first and let us handle the conversation for you.
Usually not, at least not before your treatment is done. Once you accept, you cannot reopen the claim, and a fast offer is almost always less than your injuries are worth. Let us review any offer for free before you sign anything.
Yes. Adrenaline masks pain right after a wreck, and injuries like whiplash or a concussion can show up days later. A gap between the crash and treatment is the number one thing insurers use to deny a claim, so get checked out and keep every record. Then call us.
It happens often, and it matters. When many people are injured in one crash, they may have to share the carrier's policy limits, so the available money can run out. Acting early helps protect your share, so call us as soon as you can.
School-bus cases can involve the school district, a private bus contractor, or both, and a claim against a public district follows the six-month government-claim deadline. We identify every responsible party and file the right notices on time. Call us and we'll walk you through it.
You can still recover. California follows pure comparative negligence, so your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault rather than barred entirely. Insurers overstate your share to pay less, and we push back with evidence.
It depends on your injuries and whether a public agency is involved. A simple case can settle in a few months, while a serious-injury case takes longer because we won't settle before your prognosis is clear. We keep you posted at every step so you always know where things stand.
Yes, Se Habla Español. Our team will help you in the language you feel most comfortable with.
Authoritative resources: California Courts, self-help for injury claims · Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1, 2-year deadline · California DMV · California Office of Traffic Safety, crash data
When you call Moe Abdallah Law, you work directly with your attorney and get straight answers, not a call center. Moe takes on the insurance companies and fights for the maximum, and he keeps you updated at every step. The consultation is free and you pay nothing unless he wins.
Real recoveries from an attorney who takes your case personally and fights for the maximum.
Rear-ended by a driver who fled with no police report, and other firms turned her down. Moe opened an uninsured-motorist claim, proved she could not have been at fault, and secured the full policy limit.
Broke his sternum and had no insurance of his own, and his prior attorney ignored him. Moe took his calls day and night and recovered a settlement that covered his hospital bills and future treatment.
Cut off on the freeway and left with back and neck pain over four months of treatment. Moe secured the full policy limit for his pain and suffering, and his totaled car was reimbursed.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and depends on its own facts.
Attorney Moe represented me with nothing but care and diligence during my case, he got me the results that I needed while I was going through a hard time.
Attorney Moe was attentive to all my concerns and issues. He walked me through the entire process of my case and made things easy to understand. I cannot recommend him enough!
I would definitely recommend this firm to anyone looking for reliable legal guidance.
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