Hurt by an LA Metro Bus? How to File a Claim and Who Gets It in California

Last updated November 3, 2026 · Reviewed by Ron McMinn, Esq.

When an LA Metro bus is involved in a crash, the first question is usually who to turn to. Reports from City News Service describe the latest one in downtown Los Angeles, and many riders, walkers, cyclists and drivers wonder how a claim works when the bus belongs to a public agency. This guide walks through the steps and explains who receives the claim. For the insurance side of a crash with another driver, see our post on who pays after a Metro bus accident in downtown Los Angeles.

Can you file a claim after an LA Metro bus accident?

Short answer: Yes. If a Metro bus, its driver, or a Metro stop or facility caused your injury, you can file a claim. Because Metro is a public agency, you generally must present a written claim within six months, before any lawsuit. Who receives that claim depends on who owns and who operated the bus.

What has been reported about the most recent Metro bus crash?

Early on Monday, October 26, 2026, a collision involved a Metro Line 60 bus and a car in downtown Los Angeles. The reports are short, and we do not assign fault to anyone.

• The crash happened at about 2:30 a.m. at Sixth and Hill streets, with the bus traveling eastbound on Sixth Street (MyNewsLA).
• Metro said a person in the other car was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries (The Eastsider).
• No investigation findings have been announced.

We hope everyone involved recovers fully. The rest of this article describes California law in general terms.

Who can file a claim after a Metro bus crash?

Passengers, pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers can all have claims, and each group is treated a little differently. The facts decide who is responsible.

• Passengers. Riders hurt by sudden stops, sharp turns, falls while boarding or exiting, or a collision may have a claim. Passengers can also rely on the carrier duty described below.
• Pedestrians. People struck in crosswalks, at stops, or by a turning bus can bring claims. Drivers, including bus operators, must use due care around people on foot.
• Cyclists. Riders hit or forced off the road by a bus, or hurt by a bus pulling in or out of a stop, can bring claims. Our page on pedestrian and micromobility accidents covers cyclists and scooter riders.
• Other drivers and motorcyclists. People hit by a bus changing lanes or turning may have a claim. See our post on motorcycle crashes with a left-turning Metro bus.
• Passengers hurt by another driver. When a private driver hits the bus, a rider may have more than one claim. See injured on a Metro bus by another driver.

Common carrier duty in plain English: Civil Code section 2100 says a carrier of persons for reward must use the utmost care and diligence for their safe carriage. A bus company that charges fares is generally a carrier. That standard is higher than ordinary care, but it does not make a carrier responsible for every injury. It looks at what the carrier did or failed to do.

Why is a claim against LA Metro different from a claim against a private driver?

Metro is a public agency, so you must follow a special claims process before you can sue. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, known as Metro, is a public entity.

Government Claims Act in plain English: California requires most people with injury claims against a public entity to present a formal written claim first. Only after the claim is rejected, or treated as rejected, can a lawsuit be filed. Under Government Code section 815.2, a public entity can be responsible for harm caused by an employee acting within the scope of the job. For a deeper overview, see our government claims page.

A claim against a private driver follows a different timeline, usually two years for injury under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. That longer deadline does not extend the claim period for Metro.

What are the deadlines for a claim against LA Metro?

You generally have six months to present the claim. After that, shorter steps follow, and each one can end your case if missed.

1. Six months to present the claim. For injury to a person or to personal property, the claim must be presented within six months of the date the claim accrued (Government Code section 911.2).
2. Forty-five days for the agency to respond. The agency must act within 45 days. If it does not, the claim is treated as rejected (Government Code section 912.4).
3. Six months to sue after a written rejection. If the agency sends written notice of rejection, a lawsuit generally must be filed within six months of that notice (Government Code section 945.6).
4. Late-claim relief is limited. If the six months have passed, you may ask the agency for leave to present a late claim, within a reasonable time not to exceed one year, and you must explain the reason for the delay (Government Code section 911.4). The agency must grant the application if certain grounds apply, such as mistake or excusable neglect, being a minor, or incapacity (Government Code section 911.6). Do not count on it.

Starting in 2027, California also requires the person signing a government claim to declare it is true to the best of their knowledge. See our post on the AB 2529 declaration rule. For a quick checklist, see our transit six-month claim deadline checklist.

How do you file a claim against LA Metro?

You complete Metro’s Claims for Damages form and deliver it to Metro’s Legal Services office. According to Metro’s Legal Services page, completed forms are accepted only in person or by mail through USPS, FedEx or UPS, and claims sent by email are rejected.

1. Gather the basics. Government Code section 910 requires the claimant’s name and mailing address, the date, place and circumstances of the incident, a general description of the injury or loss, and the names of any public employees involved, if known.
2. Include the bus details. The bus number, line number, direction, time, and the operator’s name or badge number, if known, help Metro find the right records.
3. Complete and sign the form. Metro offers the form in English and Spanish on its Legal Services page.
4. Deliver it in a way you can prove. Use mail with tracking or hand delivery, and keep your receipt.
5. Calendar the 45 days. Note when the agency must respond and what the rejection notice says.

Small mistakes can cause a claim to be returned, so many people have a lawyer review it before it is sent.

What if a private contractor operated the bus?

Then more than one party may be involved, and the claim may need to go to more than one place. Metro’s board records show that Metro contracts with private companies to operate some bus lines (Metro board file 2024-0036). The bus may look like any other Metro bus, so you cannot tell from the paint.

In general terms:

• The contractor is usually a private company, so claims against it follow ordinary injury rules and timelines.
• Metro may still have a role, for example as the owner of the bus or the agency that set the service.
• The safest approach is to identify the operator early and protect the six-month claim against Metro at the same time.

The bus number, the line number and the operator’s badge number can help show who was running the service.

What if it was a DASH, Big Blue Bus or another city bus?

Then the claim goes to a different public entity, and Metro’s process does not apply. Many local systems are run by cities or other agencies, each with its own claims office.

• LADOT DASH is run by the City of Los Angeles through LADOT Transit (LADOT).
• Big Blue Bus is the City of Santa Monica’s municipal bus system (Big Blue Bus).
• Other systems may be run by other cities, a joint powers authority such as Foothill Transit, or another district.

The six-month claim rule generally applies to those public entities too, but the office that receives the claim is different. Check the name on the bus and the route first. For a side by side look at MTS and LA Metro, see our guide to who pays when you are hurt on an MTS or LA Metro bus. Our bus accident page covers other California systems.

Does it matter if you were partly at fault?

Yes, it can reduce what you recover, but it does not automatically end your claim. California uses comparative fault.

Comparative fault in plain English: A court or jury can assign a percentage of responsibility to each person involved, including you, the bus operator, and any other driver. Your compensation is reduced by your share. Metro or its insurer may point to your speed, attention, or where you were standing or riding, so accurate evidence matters.

What evidence should you protect after a Metro bus crash?

Ask for and keep evidence early, because transit video can be overwritten. Here is what usually matters.

• Onboard video. Metro buses have onboard cameras. Send a written request that Metro preserve interior and exterior video from the bus, with the line, bus number, date and time.
• The Metro incident report. Metro and the police may each create a report. Ask for copies of both.
• Your fare record. A TAP card or fare record can show you were aboard.
• Photos and scene details. Capture the bus, the stop, signs, skid marks, and your injuries, as soon as it is safe.
• Witnesses. Get names and phone numbers of other riders and people nearby.
• Medical records. Keep every record and bill from the first visit forward.

Public Records Act in plain English: The California Public Records Act is a state law that lets the public request many records from government agencies. A lawyer can use it to ask for records such as incident reports, dispatch records, maintenance records and policies. Some records, such as certain investigative files, may be withheld or released later.

What should you do after a Metro bus crash?

Get medical care first, then protect your evidence and your deadline. Here is a simple order.

1. Get medical care. Tell the provider how you were hurt, and follow up on every symptom.
2. Report it and get the details. Note the bus number, line, direction and operator, and ask for an incident report.
3. Take photos and gather names. Include witnesses and any other vehicle involved.
4. Write down the date. The six-month claim period starts then.
5. Do not sign releases or give recorded statements without advice. That includes statements to an adjuster for Metro or a contractor.
6. Request that video be preserved. Do it in writing and as early as possible.
7. Talk to a lawyer before the deadline gets close. More than one agency or company may be involved.

For more on how Metro bus claims work, see our LA Metro accident lawyer page. If you were hurt at a station rather than on a bus, see injuries at Metro and Metrolink stations and our train accidents page. For help in the Los Angeles area, see our Los Angeles page.

Frequently asked questions

How long do you have to file a claim against LA Metro?

A written claim for injury must generally be presented within six months. Metro then has 45 days to respond, and a lawsuit generally must be filed within six months of a written rejection.

Can you sue LA Metro right away after a bus accident?

Usually not. A written claim generally has to be presented first, and a lawsuit can follow only after the claim is rejected or treated as rejected.

Who do you file a claim against if a contractor was driving the bus?

It may be the contractor, Metro, or both. Metro contracts with private companies for some bus lines, so identify the operator early and protect the six-month claim against Metro as well.

What if the bus was a DASH or Big Blue Bus instead of a Metro bus?

Then the claim goes to a different public entity, such as the City of Los Angeles for DASH or the City of Santa Monica for Big Blue Bus. The six-month claim rule generally applies, but the claims office is different.

Can a pedestrian, cyclist or other driver file a claim after a Metro bus crash?

Yes. Passengers, pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers can all have claims if a bus or its operator caused the harm. Each group faces different evidence questions, and comparative fault can reduce recovery.

What evidence should you save after a Metro bus accident?

Onboard video, the Metro and police reports, your fare record, photos, witness names and medical records can matter. A written preservation request and Public Records Act requests can help.

Talk to us

If you were hurt by an LA Metro bus or another transit bus, we are here to listen and to explain your options. Talk to us at (562) 296-5380 whenever you are ready. We speak Spanish and Vietnamese.

Hablamos español. Chúng tôi nói tiếng Việt.

Win Attorneys, 17291 Irvine Blvd., Suite 210, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone (562) 296-5380.

This article is general information and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Sources: MyNewsLA, The Eastsider, LA Metro Legal Services, Metro board file 2024-0036, Civil Code section 2100, Government Code section 911.2.