Bus Accident Lawyers in Nashville

Two deadlines, and one of them comes fast

For the lawsuit itself, Tennessee gives you just one year from the date of the crash under Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104, already one of the shortest deadlines in the country. If the bus was a WeGo bus or a school bus, you are dealing with a government entity, which adds a separate notice requirement with an even shorter, stricter deadline. Missing either one can end the claim, which is why a public bus case needs to be evaluated immediately.

Party buses and pedal taverns downtown

The open-air party vehicles that crowd Lower Broadway carry standing passengers, often drinking, on a vehicle with minimal restraints in heavy downtown traffic. A sudden stop, a low clearance, or a collision can throw a passenger off or into the street. These operators are private companies, so the government deadline usually does not apply, but they and their insurers move fast to limit what they owe. We investigate the operator's safety practices and preserve the evidence before it is gone.

How Tennessee's fifty percent rule affects your recovery

Under McIntyre v. Balentine, you recover nothing if you are fifty percent or more at fault, and your recovery is reduced by your share below that line. A bus crash can involve the bus driver, the transit agency or operator, a maintenance contractor, or another motorist, and each will try to shift the blame. As a passenger you are almost never at fault, which gives you a strong claim, and we use the physical evidence, any onboard footage, and the maintenance history to place fault accurately. Seriously injured passengers are treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the region's Level I trauma center.

The many parties in a bus crash

A bus crash rarely has just one responsible party. Liability can fall on the driver, the transit agency, school district, or entertainment company that employed them, a maintenance contractor, or another driver who caused the collision. We investigate the entire chain, including the driver's record and the vehicle's inspection and repair history, to identify every party whose negligence contributed to your injuries.

Serving bus crash victims across Middle Tennessee

Bus injury claims are handled from our Nashville office at 912 Harpeth Valley Place, and we represent clients across Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Sumner, Cheatham, and Robertson counties. We serve people injured in Nashville, Murfreesboro, Franklin, Brentwood, Hendersonville, Gallatin, Lebanon, Mount Juliet, Smyrna, and La Vergne.

Reports, treatment, and filing your case

A bus crash on the city streets is investigated by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, while one on I-24, I-40, or I-65 is handled by the Tennessee Highway Patrol. We obtain the report and your records from Vanderbilt, and we file in Davidson County Circuit Court, always after protecting any government notice deadline first.

Speak with a Nashville bus accident attorney

Between a one-year deadline and an even shorter government notice requirement, a Nashville bus claim is not one to sit on. Call (615) 697-6779 for a free evaluation of your case. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you owe no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you.

Common questions

I was hurt on a WeGo bus. Is suing the transit system different from a normal claim?

Yes. WeGo is a public transit agency, so a claim against it is a claim against a government entity, which carries a strict, much shorter notice deadline on top of Tennessee's one-year filing deadline. We move immediately to give the required notice and protect your right to recover.

I fell off a party bus on Broadway. Can I bring a claim?

Often yes. The company operating the vehicle has a duty to carry passengers safely, and open-air party vehicles with standing riders and few restraints raise real safety questions. We investigate how the operator ran the vehicle and whether that failure caused your fall.

My child was hurt on a school bus. Who is responsible?

Responsibility can rest with the driver, the school district that employed and supervised them, a maintenance contractor, or another driver who caused the crash. School districts are government entities as well, so the shortened notice deadline often applies, and we act quickly to protect the claim.