Torrance Bus Accident Attorney
A Torrance bus accident attorney finds out who owned and operated the bus, preserves the video and records, and pursues the transit agency or bus company for your medical bills, lost pay, and pain. Moe Abdallah Law, P.C. handles Torrance bus injury claims with a free review and no fee unless we win.
If you were hurt on or by a bus in Torrance, you are not dealing with an ordinary car insurer. The bus might belong to Torrance Transit, which the city runs, to LA Metro, to a school contractor, or to a private charter company. Each one has its own insurance, its own paperwork, and its own deadline. When the operator is a public agency, you may have only six months to put a written claim in front of it. People lose good cases by waiting for a call back that never comes. Moe Abdallah Law, P.C. works on bus crash claims for riders, drivers in other cars, and pedestrians the bus struck. Attorney Moe Abdallah takes the calls himself, any hour, and the first conversation is free. You pay nothing unless he wins your case. Read on to see who answers for a Torrance bus crash, how the claim process works, and what to do first.
Start by naming the operator of the bus that hurt you
Everything about a bus claim turns on who ran the bus. Torrance Transit is a city-run system with Lines 1, 2, 3, R3, 4X, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 13, and its hub is the Mary K. Giordano Regional Transit Center at 465 Crenshaw Blvd. Torrance Transit's own Line 1 page lists connections to L.A. Metro, G-Trans, and LADOT, so buses from several agencies share Torrance stops. Add school buses, hotel shuttles, airport coaches, and tour or charter buses on the freeways, and a Torrance crash can involve any of them. Photograph the bus number, the route sign, the license plate, and any company name on the side. If you rode the bus, keep your fare receipt, pass, or app record. The driver and the operator may have different employers, and a maintenance contractor may add a third party. We sort that out early, because a public agency and a private company follow different rules. A public operator brings the six month government claim process. A private operator brings the two year lawsuit deadline. Do not guess which one applies. Send us the bus details and we will confirm who stands behind it.
The extra duty a bus operator owes its riders
California holds a bus operator to a higher standard than an ordinary driver. A carrier of persons for reward must use the highest degree of care and diligence to carry passengers safely, provide everything necessary for that purpose, and use a reasonable degree of skill (Civil Code section 2100). It must also supply vehicles that are safe and fit for their use (Civil Code section 2101). The California Supreme Court applied that duty to a public bus operator in Lopez v. Southern California Rapid Transit Dist. (1985) 40 Cal.3d 780. In plain terms, you do not have to prove the driver was reckless. You have to show the operator fell short of that heightened care, whether through a hard stop, a missed hazard, a bad door, worn brakes, or a driver who was rushing a schedule. A public agency is also responsible for what its employees do on the job (Government Code section 815.2(a)). If another driver caused the crash, that driver's insurer still has to answer too. The case often has more than one defendant, and Proposition 51 splits pain and suffering damages by each defendant's share of fault.
Six months to claim against the city or Metro, then a short window to sue
If Torrance Transit, LA Metro, or another public agency ran the bus, California's government claim rules apply. You must present a written claim within six months of the crash (Government Code section 911.2). The City of Torrance takes claims on its Claim for Damages form, signed and mailed or delivered to the City Clerk's Office at 3031 Torrance Blvd. The city does not accept claims by email or fax. Call (310) 618-2870 for help filing. The city says it handles claims in four to six weeks. The agency has 45 days to act, and silence counts as a denial (Government Code section 912.4). After a written rejection, you generally have only six months to file suit (Government Code section 945.6). You can ask to file a late claim, but no later than one year after the crash (Government Code section 911.4). Torrance's own claims page also notes that Caltrans, not the city, maintains Pacific Coast Highway, Western Avenue, and Hawthorne Boulevard north of PCH. A crash tied to road design on those streets may need a claim to a different agency, so we check before anything is filed.
Hawthorne, Crenshaw, PCH and the stops where riders get hurt
Torrance buses spend their day on the same arterials everyone else uses. The city's busy corridors include Hawthorne Boulevard (SR-107), Crenshaw Boulevard, Pacific Coast Highway (SR-1), Torrance Boulevard, Sepulveda Boulevard, Western Avenue, Artesia Boulevard, and Del Amo Boulevard. The city says Hawthorne carries about 70,000 vehicle trips a day as the gateway to Del Amo Fashion Center. That is a lot of cars passing a bus that is pulling in and out of a stop. Torrance Transit Line 1 shows how much ground one route covers: it starts at Del Amo Fashion Center, runs along Torrance Boulevard, pulls into the Giordano center on Crenshaw, and stops on Carson Street at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center on its way to the Harbor Freeway Station. Riders get hurt in hard braking, sudden turns, and rear-end hits while standing or just sitting down. People waiting at a stop or crossing to reach one get hit by a bus or by a car swerving around one. We have no ranked list of Torrance bus crash locations, and we will not invent one. What the numbers do show: OTS's 2023 rankings counted 43 pedestrian victims and 36 bicyclist victims in Torrance. Note where you were, which way the bus was moving, and what the signal showed. Those details decide who was at fault.
Video, driver records, and the evidence a bus case runs on
Buses are rolling evidence rooms. Many carry cameras, and operators keep driver logs, maintenance files, dispatch records, and incident reports. Operators wipe that material on a routine schedule, so speed matters. We send a written preservation demand to the operator early, asking it to keep video, event data, driver training and discipline records, and repair history. We also look for outside footage from nearby businesses and traffic cameras, and for witnesses who were on board. You can help right away. Report the injury to the driver or a supervisor and ask for the incident number. Take photos of your injuries and the scene. Keep your shoes and clothes if they were damaged. Do not post about the crash online. Do not give a recorded statement to the operator's claims office before you talk to us. If you were not a passenger but a driver, a cyclist, or a walker hit by a bus, the same preservation steps apply, plus your own vehicle's damage and any dash camera clip.
Police report, local hospitals, court, and how Moe works your claim
The Torrance Police Department, at 3300 Civic Center Dr., writes the collision report for crashes on Torrance city streets. You can order it online through LexisNexis eCrash after about 15 days, or by mail or in person from the Records Division at (310) 618-5529. The mail request needs a release form, photo ID, and an $18.00 check or money order. For emergency care, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance, and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center all serve the area. Harbor-UCLA sits just outside the city limits, and the California EMS Authority lists it as a Level I adult and pediatric trauma center. Filing a lawsuit usually starts at the Torrance Courthouse, 825 Maple Ave, but the court may assign an injury case elsewhere, so we confirm that first. Moe personally handles your case and keeps you updated by call and text. The consultation is free, he works on contingency, and you owe no fee unless he wins. Se habla Espanol. Call (323) 716-1992.
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Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on who caused the crash. If the Torrance Transit driver or the bus itself was at fault, the claim goes to the city, which runs the system. If a car, a contractor, or a bus maker played a part, they may owe you too. We identify every responsible party before any deadline passes.
Against a public agency such as the city or LA Metro, you must present a written claim within six months of the crash. After a written denial you usually have six months to sue. Against a private bus company, you generally have two years to sue for injuries.
The Torrance Police Department writes reports for crashes in the city. Order online through LexisNexis eCrash after about 15 days, or send a release form, photo ID, and an $18.00 check to the TPD Records Division. Reports go to involved drivers, owners, injured people, and their lawyers.
They can try, such as by saying you were standing or not holding on. California uses pure comparative negligence, so partial fault lowers your award but does not bar it. A bus operator also owes riders a higher duty of care than a normal driver, which works in your favor.
Say little. Give your name and short facts, then stop. Adjusters and agency claim staff often ask for recorded statements, then use them to shrink your claim. Talk to us first. The call is free, and Moe can handle the contact for you.
Several injured riders may share one insurance limit, so early action matters. A claim backed by complete medical records and evidence is harder to push aside. We gather your medical records and evidence at once instead of waiting for the insurer's timeline.
Yes. You do not need to be a passenger. A driver or agency that causes a crash with a pedestrian or cyclist can owe you medical bills, lost income, and pain. Because a public agency may be involved, the six month claim deadline can apply to you too.
You pay nothing upfront. Moe Abdallah Law, P.C. works on contingency, so the fee comes out of a recovery and you owe no fee unless the case is won. The first case review is free and available 24/7.
Other cases we handle in Torrance
See everything we handle in Torrance →
Bus Accident lawyers in other cities we serve
Sources & local resources
- Traffic Collision Reports · City of Torrance Police Department
- Submit a Claim for Damages · City of Torrance
- Torrance Transit Line 1 routes and schedules · City of Torrance Transit
- Torrance 2023 Traffic Safety Rankings · California Office of Traffic Safety
- Cal. Civil Code section 2100 · California Legislative Information
- Cal. Government Code section 911.2 · California Legislative Information
- Cal. Government Code section 945.6 · California Legislative Information
- Cal. Government Code section 912.4 · California Legislative Information
- Torrance 2022 Traffic Safety Rankings
Talk to Moe Abdallah directly
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 for real Angelenos
Real recoveries from an attorney who takes your case personally and fights for the maximum.
Rear-ended by a driver who fled, 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.
5.0 stars across every review
I would definitely recommend this firm to anyone looking for reliable legal guidance.
Moe Abdallah is the best attorney around , very professional, attentive, respectful, highly knowledgeable, caring for his clients like family and most importantly gets the job done! Forever thankful I found Moe to help me in my case Got me
I am incredibly grateful to Moe Abdallah Law, P.C. for their outstanding representation following my recent accident. Dealing with injuries, medical bills, and insurance companies was overwhelming, but Moe completely took the burden off my
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