Can You Sue Los Angeles Metro for a Bus Accident?

Public transportation, like “Go Metro” here in Greater Los Angeles, is a great way to get around town, help the environment, and reduce roadway congestion. With an extensive annual ridership in the hundreds of millions and total passenger miles over one billion, however, it’s no wonder that accidents can and do happen.

Photo Credit: First In Video

When the unimaginable happens and you or a loved one suffers a public transit injury, or worse, is killed in an LA Metro bus crash, you can hire a bus accident lawyer to help you sue the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority (LACMTA) through a bus injury lawsuit. There’s a catch though.

LACMTA is a public entity and that means it is subject to the California Tort Claims Act. (Gov. Code § 810 et al.) If that sounds daunting and intimidating, your instincts are on point. The California Tort Claims Act sets up a series of specific steps and rules that must be precisely followed prior to you filing a bus accident injury lawsuit. Failure to follow the rules in most instances will result in your injury claim or your wrongful death claim being denied and barred.

Having a powerhouse personal injury law firm like The Dominguez Firm that has over 30 years of experience handling 1000s of cases against public entities, including the LACMTA, is an invaluable resource to have in your corner.

Some of the steps involved in suing the LACMTA include:

• Properly filing a written claim within six (6) months of the accident;
• Knowing what to do upon the denial, rejection, acceptance, or if you simply don’t hear back about your claim; and
• Upon denial of your claim, filing a lawsuit within one (1) year of that denial.

The Dominguez Firm has the reputation, resources, and skilled public entity injury lawyers to navigate the complex Tort Claims Act to ensure your claim is properly presented and prosecuted. The LACMTA is a large, complex organization with many layers of employees, many types of trainings, and vast documents such as employee manuals and guides. LACMTA often utilizes the best defense firms and will fight tooth and nail to avoid looking like a target, even if it knows it is at fault.

So many accidents are preventable, but pressure to complete trips on-time coupled with the often heavy traffic here in Greater Los Angeles puts drivers in bad situations and that’s when accidents happen. If you or a loved one is injured in one of these accidents, our bus accident injury lawyers will work tirelessly to ensure you get the justice and compensation you deserve. Please do not hesitate to call us for a for a free consultation at 800-818-1818. If there is no recovery, there is no fee!