Bus Accident Lawyers in Murfreesboro

The operator decides the rules of your case

The first thing to settle in a bus case is who ran the vehicle. A public school bus points to Rutherford County Schools, a fixed-route city bus to the Rover system operated by the City of Murfreesboro, and a tour or charter coach to a private company. Each answer changes the deadline, the available insurance, and the governing law, so we identify the operator before anything else.

Claims against Rover, a school system, or a public agency

A claim against the City of Murfreesboro's Rover system, Rutherford County Schools, or another public body is governed by the Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act at T.C.A. Section 29-20-101 and those that follow. Suit must be brought within twelve months under T.C.A. Section 29-20-305, and the recovery is capped by statute at three hundred thousand dollars for one person and seven hundred thousand dollars for a single accident. Because a government claim moves under stricter rules, we act fast to protect it.

Private charter and tour coaches as common carriers

Private charter and tour operators are held to a high duty of care as common carriers, and a claim against one follows the ordinary one-year deadline under T.C.A. Section 28-3-104 rather than the shorter government limit. We look into the company's safety record, its drivers' qualifications, and its maintenance history to establish what went wrong.

What lies behind a serious bus crash

Bus crashes trace to driver fatigue, thin training, deferred maintenance, wide blind spots, and distraction at the wheel. Behind one driver's error there is often a company that saved money on hiring or upkeep. We look past the moment of impact to the choices that made it possible.

How the fifty percent rule affects a bus passenger

Tennessee bars a recovery for a person half or more at fault under McIntyre v. Balentine and reduces it for any lesser share. A seated passenger is almost never to blame, yet the operator and its insurer may still dispute what happened. The gravest injuries are transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, the region's Level I trauma center, and we gather the onboard video and records to prove the claim.

Serving bus-crash victims across Rutherford County

We represent passengers and other injured people throughout Rutherford County and the surrounding communities, including Smyrna, La Vergne, and Eagleville. Wherever the crash happened, we are ready to take on the operator and its insurer.

Talk to a Murfreesboro bus accident lawyer

If a bus crash left you or a family member hurt, call (615) 880-6327 for a free and private consultation. We work on a contingency basis, so there is no fee unless we secure a recovery.

Speak with a Murfreesboro bus accident attorney

A bus crash claim can turn on a single question, who operated the bus, because the answer sets the deadline and the rules. If you were hurt in a bus crash around Murfreesboro, call (615) 880-6327 today for a free case review. There is no cost to begin and no attorney fee unless we obtain compensation for you.

Common questions

My child was hurt on a Rutherford County school bus. What makes that claim different?

A claim over a public school bus falls under the Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act, which sets a twelve-month deadline and caps the recoverable amount. Those rules are strict, so it is important to act quickly and get legal help to protect the claim.

I was hurt on a Rover city bus. Does the same government deadline apply?

Yes. The Rover system is operated by the City of Murfreesboro, so a claim against it runs under the Governmental Tort Liability Act with its twelve-month deadline and damage caps. We calendar that deadline immediately and build the claim within the government's rules.

Can a bus passenger recover even though they were not driving?

Yes. Passengers are almost never at fault for a crash, and they can pursue whoever's negligence caused it, whether that is the bus operator, another driver, or both. We sort out responsibility and pursue every available source of recovery.