Transit Accident Lawyers in Chattanooga

Claims against CARTA fall under the Governmental Tort Liability Act

Because CARTA is a governmental transit authority, a claim against it is governed by the Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act, Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-20-101 and following. That law lets you sue a public entity for injuries caused by the negligent operation of its vehicles, but it sets special rules. The deadline is one year from the date of the crash, the damages recoverable are capped by statute, and the procedure is stricter than an ordinary claim. Missing a step can end an otherwise strong case, which is why experienced counsel matters early.

The one-year deadline and why it is strict

Like most Tennessee injury claims, a case against CARTA must be filed within one year under the Governmental Tort Liability Act. That clock runs while you are still recovering, and while you may not even realize a public entity is involved. We identify quickly whether a governmental defendant is in the case and calendar the deadline so it is never at risk.

Statutory caps on damages

The Governmental Tort Liability Act limits what you can recover from a public entity, currently $300,000 for injuries to one person and $700,000 for a single occurrence involving multiple victims. Those caps make it essential to identify every other responsible party, such as another driver whose negligence contributed to the crash and whose insurance is not subject to the same limits. We pursue every available source of recovery.

A transit operator's high duty of care

A public transit operator owes its passengers a high degree of care for their safety. Injuries happen when a bus stops or accelerates suddenly, when a driver collides with another vehicle, when a passenger falls boarding or exiting, or when a pedestrian is struck. We investigate the operator's conduct, pull the vehicle's onboard camera footage before it is overwritten, and obtain the incident report to establish exactly what happened.

Serving injured riders and pedestrians across Hamilton County

Our team handles CARTA and transit injury claims throughout the Chattanooga area, across Hamilton, Bradley, Marion, Sequatchie, Rhea, and Bledsoe counties. We serve people hurt in Chattanooga, Cleveland, East Ridge, Red Bank, Soddy-Daisy, Signal Mountain, Collegedale, Ooltewah, and Hixson. The most seriously injured are treated at Erlanger Baroness Hospital, the region's only Level I trauma center.

Reports, evidence, and filing your case

A transit crash is documented by CARTA and, depending on where it happened, investigated by the Chattanooga Police Department or the Tennessee Highway Patrol. We move fast to preserve the onboard video and the incident report, obtain your records from Erlanger, and when a fair settlement cannot be reached, we file your lawsuit in Hamilton County Circuit Court.

Speak with a Chattanooga transit accident attorney

A claim against a public transit authority has traps an ordinary car crash does not, and the one-year deadline is unforgiving. Call (844) 876-4357 for a free consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you owe no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you.

Common questions

Does it cost more or take longer to sue a public agency like CARTA?

A claim against a governmental entity follows stricter procedures and a firm one-year deadline, and the recoverable damages are capped by statute. It does not cost you more to hire us, because we work on contingency, but it does make experienced handling important so no procedural step is missed.

I was in my own car when a CARTA bus hit me. Is that also a Governmental Tort Liability Act claim?

Yes. Because CARTA is a public entity, a claim against it for the negligent operation of its bus is governed by that Act whether you were a passenger, a pedestrian, or in another vehicle. We handle it under those rules and pursue any other at-fault parties separately.

How do I know if the vehicle that hit me was operated by CARTA?

We determine that quickly. CARTA operates the fixed-route buses, the downtown electric shuttle, Care-A-Van paratransit, and the Incline Railway, and identifying the operator decides which rules and which deadline apply. We confirm it early so your claim is handled correctly from the start.