Areas of Practice - Bus Accidents

Bus accidents involve unique legal challenges. Public transit operators like DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit), school districts, and private bus companies are treated as "common carriers" under Texas law, meaning they owe passengers a heightened duty of care — a high degree of care that a very cautious person would exercise under the same circumstances.

Common causes of bus accidents include driver fatigue and distracted driving, inadequate training, mechanical failures and poor maintenance, dangerous road conditions, speeding and aggressive driving, and failure to yield to pedestrians. Because buses lack seatbelts for most passengers, even relatively low-speed collisions can throw riders from their seats, causing traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, broken bones, and soft tissue injuries.

Claims against government-operated bus systems (DART, city buses, school buses) must comply with the Texas Tort Claims Act, which requires written notice of a claim within six months of the incident — and many cities require notice even sooner (the City of Dallas requires notice within 90 days), far shorter than the standard 2-year statute of limitations. Missing these deadlines can permanently bar your claim. Private bus companies are subject to the standard 2-year limitation but may involve complex insurance and contractual issues.

At Culver Legal, we handle all types of bus accident claims — for passengers, pedestrians struck by buses, cyclists, and occupants of other vehicles. We gather surveillance footage, driver records, maintenance logs, and black box data to build the strongest possible case. Our attorneys are available 24/7 for free consultations, and we work on contingency — no fee unless we win.