Sackstein Sackstein & Lee, LLP
154-08 Northern Boulevard
#2C
Flushing, NY 11354
Telephone: (718) 587-0911
Buses are the backbone of travel in Queens. Hundreds of thousands of people ride them every day through hubs like downtown Flushing and Jamaica Center and along busy corridors such as Main Street, Woodhaven Boulevard, Hillside Avenue, and Merrick Boulevard. When a bus crashes, stops violently, or hits someone, the injuries can be serious, and the claim often runs against a public transit agency with strict, short deadlines.
Sackstein Sackstein & Lee, LLP has represented injured New Yorkers since 1952. From our office in Flushing, we help bus passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers throughout Queens protect their rights and pursue full compensation, whether the bus was operated by the MTA, a school bus company, or a private charter or tour operator.
Bus accident cases follow rules that ordinary car accident cases don’t, especially when a public transit agency is involved:
Our Queens personal injury lawyers also handle pedestrian accident and Uber and Lyft accident cases.
The deadlines are short. For buses operated by New York City Transit, you generally must file a written notice of claim within 90 days of the accident, and a lawsuit generally must be started within one year and 90 days. Buses operated by MTA Bus Company, which runs many Queens routes, follow somewhat different procedures, but a lawsuit must also generally be filed within one year and 90 days. Because the rules depend on which agency operated the bus, it is important to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.
The route number, the bus number, and the location of the accident usually tell us which MTA agency or private company was operating the bus. Telling the driver or calling 311 does not satisfy the formal notice requirements, so the claim should be filed with the correct agency in the correct form.
Bus passengers are generally entitled to no-fault benefits for medical bills and some lost wages. If you or someone in your household owns a car with New York auto insurance, that policy usually pays your no-fault benefits first, even though your car was not involved. If no one in your household has auto insurance, the bus operator’s coverage generally pays.
Possibly. New York courts require a passenger hurt by a sudden stop or jerk to show that the movement was unusual and violent, not just the ordinary starts and stops of city bus travel. Objective evidence, such as bus camera video, witness accounts, or other passengers who were thrown, can make the difference. Stops caused by the bus driver’s carelessness, or by another driver who cut off the bus, may support a claim.
Bus operators must give passengers a reasonable chance to board and exit safely. Injuries caused by a bus pulling away while you are stepping on or off, a door closing on you, a malfunctioning ramp or lift, or a bus stopping far from the curb may support a claim.
Get medical care and contact a lawyer right away. The same short deadlines apply when a pedestrian or cyclist is hit by an MTA bus. You are entitled to no-fault benefits for medical bills and some lost wages, and you may have a claim for your other losses if the driver was careless, for example by failing to yield in a crosswalk.
Many New York City school buses are operated by private bus companies under contract, so a claim may be brought against the bus company, and in some cases a public entity may also be involved. Claims against a public entity require a notice of claim within 90 days. A child’s own claim generally gets extra time under New York law, but parents should not wait, because evidence and witnesses are easiest to find early.
Private bus companies are responsible for safe operation and maintenance, and most injury claims against them must be filed within three years. Interstate charter and tour bus companies must carry substantial insurance under federal rules, generally at least $5 million for buses that seat 16 or more people.
Generally, yes. Bus accidents follow New York’s no-fault rules, so to recover for pain and suffering you usually must show a “serious injury” as defined by state law, such as a fracture, significant disfigurement, the permanent loss of use of a body part, or a permanent or significant limitation of a body function or system. For lawsuits filed on or after May 26, 2026, an injury that only kept you from your usual activities for 90 of the first 180 days no longer qualifies on its own.
There is no upfront cost. Bus accident cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, typically one-third of the recovery, as permitted under New York court rules, and you pay a fee only if we recover compensation for you.
With deadlines as short as 90 days, waiting can cost you your claim. Call our Flushing office at (718) 587-0911 to schedule your free consultation. If your injuries make travel difficult, we can meet you at home or in the hospital by appointment.
