Last updated
By Ron McMinn, Esq. | Last updated: November 13, 2026.
Read this article in Español.
If you were a passenger on a California transit bus when another vehicle was involved in a freeway crash, the other driver’s insurance is often the first place to look. You should still protect a six-month government claim against the transit agency if the bus may share fault. We do not assign fault here.
This article uses a crash reported in West Covina on November 9, 2026, only as context for how those claims work.
What was reported?
MyNewsLA reported that a black BMW and a Foothill Transit bus collided early Monday, November 9, 2026, on the eastbound San Bernardino (10) Freeway in West Covina, just east of Barranca Street, blocking two lanes and an off-ramp. The crash was reported at 2:10 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. The CHP said the driver of the BMW reportedly cut off the bus, causing the bus to hit a K-rail and the rear of the car. Officers used flares to close the number 3 and number 4 lanes during the investigation. The transit bus was moved to the end of the Grand Avenue off-ramp at 3:06 a.m., clearing the freeway, the CHP said. Video from the scene showed Los Angeles County firefighters checking bus passengers.
The words “reportedly cut off” come from the CHP, as MyNewsLA reported them. That is not a finding of fault in a civil case. Preliminary descriptions can change when the collision report and other evidence are in. We are not naming anyone. The article does not list confirmed injuries, and we are not inventing them. The fact that firefighters checked passengers does not tell us whether anyone was hurt.
Who may pay if you were on the bus?
If another driver caused the crash, that driver is usually the first person responsible, and that driver’s auto liability insurance is often the first source of payment. The owner of that car may also have responsibility if someone else was driving, up to the limits in Vehicle Code section 17151. One per-accident limit can be shared by every passenger who was hurt, so those limits can run out quickly. If the other driver had little or no insurance, your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may help. See our pages on UM and UIM claims and the 30, 60, 15 minimum limits.
The transit agency may also share fault, for example if the way the bus was driven made the crash more likely or worse, or if passengers were hurt by a sudden stop. Civil Code section 2100 says a carrier of persons for reward must use the utmost care and diligence for their safe carriage. That is a higher standard than ordinary care, but it does not make the agency responsible for every injury. Government Code section 815.2 generally makes a public entity liable for injury caused by an employee’s act or omission within the scope of employment, if the employee would be liable, unless the employee is immune.
Our guide on being hurt as a bus passenger when a car hits the bus walks through this fact pattern in more detail. Our Baldwin Park Foothill Transit page explains who runs Foothill Transit and how the six-month claim works. Foothill Transit is not LA Metro. A Metro bus claim is a different filing. See our Los Angeles Metro bus accident page if the bus was Metro’s.
The six-month claim against Foothill Transit
Foothill Transit is a public entity, a joint powers authority of 22 member cities and the County of Los Angeles. A written government claim for injury is generally due within six months after the claim accrues, under Government Code section 911.2. Filing a timely claim protects your rights if the investigation later shows the bus shared fault, or if the other driver’s coverage is not enough. Missing the window can bar the claim against the agency even when a claim against a private driver remains.
As of November 13, 2026, we still did not find a dedicated damages claim form on Foothill Transit’s public website. Government Code section 915 says a claim to a local public entity may be delivered to its clerk, secretary, or auditor, or mailed to the clerk, secretary, auditor, or governing body at its principal office. A written claim must still contain what Government Code section 910 requires. Call Foothill Transit at 1-800-RIDE-INFO (743-3463) to ask where it wants claims sent, and keep proof of how and when you presented yours. The 10 Freeway itself generally points to Caltrans only if a dangerous road condition is actually in play. The MyNewsLA report does not describe a road defect.
Under Government Code section 945.4, you generally cannot sue the public entity for money damages until a required claim has been presented and acted on, or deemed rejected. Section 912.4 generally gives the public entity 45 days to act. After written notice of rejection, section 945.6 generally gives you six months from the date the notice is personally delivered or mailed to file suit. If you missed the six-month window, see our guide on a late claim application.
What should you save?
- Get medical care and keep every record and bill, even if you first thought you were unhurt.
- Write down the bus route, bus number, direction, time, and where you were sitting.
- Ask the CHP for the collision report number. Our guide to how to get a California crash report explains the request process.
- Get names and phone numbers of other passengers and witnesses.
- Ask, in writing, that onboard bus video, destination-sign data, and any dash or camera video be preserved. That footage can be overwritten quickly.
- Be careful giving a recorded statement to an insurer or a claims administrator before you understand your rights.
What are the other deadlines?
Most California injury lawsuits against private parties must be filed within two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. The six-month government claim is a separate, shorter clock. Do not wait for a final CHP report before protecting both.
Talk to us
Win Attorneys helps people hurt in California bus and freeway crashes from our only office, in Tustin. We speak Spanish and Vietnamese. We do not represent anyone described in the November 9 report, and nothing here is a comment on any pending investigation.
Call us at (657) 235-8097, reach us through our contact page, or start online with our intake form. Office: 17291 Irvine Blvd., Suite 210, Tustin, CA 92780.
This article is general information and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case depends on its own facts.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Who pays if I was hurt on a Foothill Transit bus when a car was involved?
The other driver’s insurance is often the first place to look if that driver caused the crash. You should still present a timely six-month government claim against Foothill Transit if the bus may share fault, or if the other driver’s coverage is not enough. Your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may also matter.
The CHP said the BMW reportedly cut off the bus. Is that a finding of fault?
No. MyNewsLA reported that wording as coming from the CHP. ’Reportedly cut off’ is a preliminary description, not a civil finding of fault. The collision report and other evidence can change the picture.
Does Foothill Transit have a claim form?
As of November 13, 2026, we did not find a dedicated damages claim form on its public website. A written claim that meets Government Code section 910 can still be presented under section 915. Call 1-800-RIDE-INFO (743-3463) to confirm where to send it, and keep proof of presentation.
Is a Foothill Transit claim the same as an LA Metro bus claim?
No. They are different public entities, and each generally needs its own timely claim. This article is about a Foothill Transit bus. If the bus was Metro’s, see our Los Angeles Metro bus accident page.
How long do I have after a West Covina freeway bus crash?
A written injury claim against a public entity is generally due within six months under Government Code section 911.2. Lawsuits against private parties generally must be filed within two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1.
Do your lawyers speak Spanish or Vietnamese?
Yes. We speak Spanish and Vietnamese. Our only office is at 17291 Irvine Blvd., Suite 210, Tustin, CA 92780.