All kinds of buses travel Florida’s various highways, city streets and school routes, including intercity buses, tour buses, long-distance carriers like Greyhound, school buses and local public transport. These vehicles are engineered with safety as a top priority, with millions of passengers reaching their destinations safely every year.
However, accidents do happen and can be devastating when they occur. The latest state data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) shows over 1,200 bus crashes in 2023 and 2024. The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ (FLHSMV) 2023 crash report recorded 10 incapacitating injuries and 57 non-incapacitating injuries among bus drivers, with an additional 181 possible injuries. It also showed 21 incapacitating injuries and 261 non-incapacitating injuries among passengers, with an additional 907 possible injuries, that year.
When bus crashes happen, they often involve other vehicles, resulting in multiple victims. However, Florida bus accidents don’t just impact those on the bus and other motorists. They can also put others outside the bus at risk, such as passengers getting on or exiting the bus, pedestrians and bicyclists. The size and weight of these vehicles mean injuries can be severe and life-changing.
If you’ve been injured in a Florida bus accident caused by another vehicle, you can file a personal injury claim with the at-fault driver’s auto insurance, which is similar to the process of a general car accident claim. However, your legal options depend on several factors, including what type of bus was involved, who owns it and the specific circumstances of the crash. A knowledgeable Florin|Roebig attorney can guide you through the complex legal process ahead.
Types of Bus Accidents
If you were injured in a bus accident and want to file a personal injury claim, the legal process you take may differ depending on who owns the bus involved in the accident. Different rules apply to government-owned buses versus private carriers.
City and Regional Bus Accidents
Intercity and regional public buses offer local transit and carry millions of people each day throughout Florida, including LYNX bus service in Central Florida, Miami-Dade Transit in South Florida, the Citrus Connection in Polk County, Broward County Transit in Southeast Florida and Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority in Pinellas County.
While the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) provides oversight and funding for major transit services in the state, they’re primarily owned and operated by city or county governments. These entities abide by specific laws that dictate how legal claims are filed when a bus accident occurs. However, some buses may be operated by private companies under contract with public entities.
Due to the higher traffic volume, including a mix of local and tourist traffic in some areas of the state, Florida’s major urban areas typically see the highest concentration of public bus accidents. Below is a list of Florida cities that may see more frequent intercity bus crashes for this and other reasons.
- Miami-Dade County: As Florida’s most populous county, Miami-Dade County operates extensive bus networks serving dense urban areas with heavy traffic, frequent congestion and complex intersections that can increase accident risk.
- Orlando Metro Area: Orlandohas a significant tourism hub around Walt Disney World and Universal Studios that creates unique challenges for intercity buses. Navigating a mixture of heavy local and tourist traffic, frequent passenger loading zones could lead to more accidents.
- Tampa Bay Area: Major highways like I-275 and US-41 carry high-speed traffic where intercity buses must merge, change lanes and navigate congested conditions that can lead to serious crashes in Tampa Bay and the surrounding area.
- Fort Lauderdale Area: The combination of port traffic, airport shuttles, tourist buses and local commuters creates a complex transportation environment where Fort Lauderdale accidents involving intercity buses may be more frequent.
School Bus Accidents
Florida operates thousands of school buses daily throughout the state’s 67 school districts. According to the Florida Department of Education’s 2023-24 Transportation Profiles, the state maintains 16,928 buses with 14.581 in daily service, transporting nearly 862,000 eligible students. These buses, whether driving a route or taking students on various activities, logged over 216 million miles during the most recent full year recorded.
Most school buses in Florida are owned by public school districts, which means claims involve government entities. However, some districts contract with private companies for transportation services, which can affect your legal options.
In nearly every way, Florida school buses are designed to promote safety and prevent crashes involving students. When school bus accidents occur, they often include people outside the bus rather than passengers, emphasizing the importance of following traffic laws around school buses and being aware of loading and unloading zones.
Long-Distance (Greyhound) Bus Accidents
Many long-distance buses are owned and operated by private companies, including Greyhound. Because these companies are in the business of transporting people, in Florida and throughout the nation, they’re considered common carriers under the law.
As common carriers, they’re legally responsible for executing a duty of care that protects the safety of their passengers. They must maintain their vehicles properly, hire qualified drivers, follow strict safety regulations and take reasonable steps to protect riders’ safety at all times during transport.
For bus accidents involving private carriers like Greyhound, a personal injury lawsuit entitles the victim to seek compensation for their injuries.
Tour Bus Accidents
Like Greyhound buses, tour buses are also owned and operated by private companies and are considered common carriers. However, liability can be more complicated in these cases because multiple parties may share responsibility for your injuries, including the:
- Tour bus company
- Tour operator (if different from the bus company)
- Individual driver
- Company that contracted the bus service
- Property owners at tour stops/destinations where accidents occur
Common Bus Accident Injuries
Bus accidents often cause severe injuries due to the size and weight of these vehicles. Passengers may be thrown around the interior during sudden stops or impacts, while people outside the bus face catastrophic injuries from collisions.
Common bus accident injuries and how the expert bus accident attorneys at Florin|Roebig could handle your case include:
1. Traumatic Brain Injuries: When passengers are thrown against hard surfaces or people are struck by buses, head injuries can result in lasting cognitive problems, memory loss and permanent disability from traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
- Florin|Roebig’s Approach: We would utilize medical experts to detail the severity of the brain injury and its long-term effects. By presenting comprehensive medical evidence and expert testimonies, Florin|Roebig has previously earned high settlements for TBI cases by demonstrating the profound impact on the victim’s quality of life and earning capacity.
2. Spinal Cord Injuries: Catastrophic injuries to the spinal cord can cause partial or complete paralysis, requiring lifelong medical care and dramatically altering victims’ quality of life.
- Florin|Roebig’s Approach: Our firm would work with spinal injury specialists to document the extent of the damage and future medical needs. We have a history of securing substantial jury verdicts in spinal cord injury cases by illustrating the lifelong care and financial support required for the victim.
3. Broken Bones and Fractures: The force of bus accidents frequently causes multiple fractures or broken bones that may require surgery, physical therapy and extended recovery periods.
- Florin|Roebig’s Approach: We would collect medical documentation, witness statements and accident reconstruction reports to prove liability. In previous cases involving fractures, Florin|Roebig has secured large settlements by showing the direct correlation between the accident and the victim’s injuries, emphasizing the need for extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation.
4. Internal Injuries: Damage to organs from blunt force trauma or crushing forces can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. Bus collisions can involve powerful forces that damage or rupture major organs or cause internal bleeding. Even sudden deceleration or direction changes can cause internal injuries, which may not be immediately apparent after a bus accident.
- Florin|Roebig’s Approach: Our team would gather medical records, surgical reports and expert opinions to substantiate the severity of internal injuries. In past cases, we’ve secured high settlements by showing the critical nature of the injuries and the extensive medical treatment needed.
5. Whiplash and Neck Injuries: Even seemingly minor bus accidents can cause soft tissue damage caused by the sudden back-and-forth motion of the head during the crash. This damage could cause whiplash or other neck injuries that lead to chronic pain and mobility issues.
- Florin|Roebig’s Approach: We would gather accident reports, medical records and expert testimonies to establish the extent of the neck injury and its impact on the victim’s life. In past cases, Florin|Roebig has successfully demonstrated the long-term effects of whiplash, securing significant settlements by highlighting the negligence of the bus driver or company.
6. Severe Lacerations: Broken glass, twisted metal and sharp debris can cause deep cuts requiring stitches and/or plastic surgery, potentially leaving permanent scars.
- Florin|Roebig’s Approach: Our firm would document your injuries through medical records and photographs and gather witness statements to establish how the accident caused these injuries. Florin|Roebig has successfully used this evidence to negotiate favorable settlements, emphasizing the pain, scarring and potential for infection.
7. Burn Injuries: Fires or explosions during a bus accident can cause severe burn injuries that require skin grafts and various surgeries to heal the area, potentially leading to permanent scarring.
- Florin|Roebig’s Approach: The firm would collaborate with burn specialists to detail the extent of your injuries and the necessary medical treatments, such as surgeries and skin grafts. In previous burn injury cases, Florin|Roebig has secured substantial compensation by demonstrating the extensive recovery process and long-term physical and emotional trauma.
8. Psychological Trauma: Bus accidents can cause significant emotional and psychological trauma that could trigger post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders and depression, requiring ongoing mental health treatment.
- Florin|Roebig’s Approach: We would work with mental health professionals to document the psychological impact of the accident on the victim. By providing detailed evidence of the emotional and psychological toll, Florin|Roebig has achieved high settlements in past cases, ensuring that victims receive compensation for therapy and ongoing mental health support.
Common Causes of Bus Accidents
Bus accidents can happen at any time and for various reasons, often involving factors that wouldn’t affect smaller passenger vehicles. Common causes of bus accidents include:
- Driver fatigue from long shifts or inadequate rest periods
- Distracted driving, including texting while driving or passenger disruptions
- Speeding or aggressive driving to maintain schedules
- Poor vehicle maintenance leading to brake failure or tire blowouts
- Driver impairment from alcohol, drugs or medications
- Inadequate driver training or hiring unqualified operators
- Difficult maneuvering in tight urban spaces
- Poor weather conditions affecting visibility or road traction
- Mechanical failures in steering, braking or other critical systems
Common Carrier Laws and Bus Accidents
Buses are an essential mode of public transit that carry people to work, school, shopping trips, medical visits and more. As defined by the law, any person or business that transports passengers in exchange for payment is a common carrier.
Both state and federal governments regulate common carrier laws. These laws are in place to hold carriers to a high standard of passenger safety, requiring them to take several necessary actions to ensure the safety of their passengers. These actions include:
- Ensuring safe entryways and exits for passengers
- Providing security that protects the health and safety of passengers
- Screening, hiring and training qualified drivers
- Performing routine bus maintenance
- Correcting or monitoring design flaws on the bus
Negligence in Common Carrier Bus Accidents
If a bus company violates its duty of care to keep passengers safe from injury, negligence may have occurred. Negligence means the bus driver or company acted carelessly or unreasonably, and failed to keep bus riders safe.
Examples of negligence in bus accidents include:
- Unqualified or improperly trained bus drivers
- Bus driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Overworked, fatigued or sleep-deprived bus driver
- Poorly maintained bus equipment
- Overloaded bus
What Happens When the State of Florida Owns the Bus?
Intercity and regional buses, as well as Florida school buses operated by public districts, may be owned and operated by the state of Florida or a county or city government entity. Although some government agencies are protected from lawsuits, some special rules apply that make it possible to sue governments when there’s an accident with injury.
Since filing this type of claim is different from a regular personal injury lawsuit, it’s essential to consult with a lawyer if you were involved in a public bus accident.
Filing a Notice of Intent
Specific Florida municipality laws dictate the process for filing a personal injury claim against a public transportation or government-owned entity. Some counties in Florida require you to file a “notice of a claim” put forth by the public agency responsible for the accident. This notice must include:
- Your name and contact information
- Details about your injuries, medical expenses and financial losses
- A complete description of the accident, including date, time, location and circumstances
- A statement of your intent to seek compensation from the government entity
There’s a time limit on how long you have to file a notice of intent, which may vary by entity. The government entity also has a time limit on investigating your claim. You can’t file a lawsuit until after this time limit expires, so you want to ensure it doesn’t expire after the statute of limitations.
Florida Statute of Limitations May Apply
Every state has specific statute of limitations laws that give you a deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit. The statutes of limitations vary by state, ranging from one to five years. Florida’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims was reduced from four years to two years following the passage of HB 837 in 2023.
However, the rules for filing claims against a government organization are often different. For example, some statutes of limitations for public transport injury claims may be as little as 30 to 60 days after the accident in some states.
Missing these deadlines can permanently bar your right to compensation, making it essential to contact a Florin|Roebig attorney immediately after a bus accident involving a public entity.
How Florida No-Fault PIP Fits Bus Accident Cases
Florida operates under a no-fault insurance system, so passengers injured in a bus accident must typically turn to their own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance first, regardless of who caused the crash. Notably, the statute’s definition of “motor vehicle” excludes mass-transit buses (except public school transportation), which affects who must carry PIP and how coverage layers apply.
To use your PIP, you must have a valid Florida auto insurance policy with at least the minimum $10,000 in PIP coverage required in the state. PIP covers 80% of necessary medical expenses, prescriptions and related medical costs for injuries sustained. You must seek medical care within 14 days of the accident to access your PIP benefits.
However, many bus passengers may not own a vehicle, so they won’t have their own car insurance policy. If you don’t have PIP coverage or your medical bills exceed your policy limits, you can pursue the at-fault party for additional compensation.
If the at-fault party is the bus company, you’d seek compensation through its insurance policy. City transit authorities must carry insurance to cover passengers on public buses, and private bus companies may cover passenger injuries under their liability insurance.
What To Do After a Bus Accident To Help Your Injury Claim
To win a bus accident lawsuit, your lawyer may need to prove that the bus driver’s or the transportation company’s negligence caused your injuries. After the accident, it’s crucial to collect as much evidence as possible to help you recover compensation.
Evidence that could help your lawyer prove negligence in a bus accident lawsuit includes:
- Photos that document your injuries in the immediate aftermath of the accident
- Witness statements or testimonies
- Incident reports or police reports
- Documentation of the date, time and weather conditions during the accident
- Your personal account of the accident and the extent of your injuries
- Medical records and bills
- Receipts or documents that show out-of-pocket expenses
- Letter from employer about lost wages or incapacity to work
Contact Florin|Roebig: Our Florida bus accident lawyers can begin investigating your case immediately and ensure you don’t miss critical deadlines for filing claims.
Bus Accident Lawsuit Damages
If you were injured in a bus accident, your lawyer is likely to seek compensation from the liable party to help you recover. Like other personal injury lawsuits, bus accident damages are likely to include compensation for:
- Economic Damages: Medical bills, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, reduced earning capacity and other measurable financial losses.
- Non-Economic Damages: Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life and other subjective impacts that don’t have specific dollar amounts.
- Punitive Damages: In cases involving gross negligence or intentional misconduct, courts may award additional compensation to punish wrongdoers and deter similar behavior.
You can’t recover punitive damages from government entities in Florida per Florida Statute § 768.28. This statute bars punitive damages and interest for the period before judgment when the lawsuit is against the state or its agencies or subdivisions.
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Hiring a Florida Bus Accident Lawyer
Bus accident claims can be complicated, especially if they involve a government agency. Bus accident lawsuits may also involve multiple injured parties trying to collect damages from the same organization. You need an experienced bus accident attorney who understands both personal injury law and the unique regulations governing commercial passenger transportation.
A personal injury lawyer can help with your bus accident lawsuit by:
- Dealing with insurance companies, if applicable
- Taking the appropriate steps for filing a claim with government agencies
- Negotiating a fair settlement for your injuries
- Guiding you through the legal processes in your state
Bus Accidents Lawyers Serving Florida
Florin|Roebig is a top-rated multistate law firm that represents victims of bus accidents. Our team of lawyers has experience in multiple states and includes experts in personal injury law. We’ll hold the responsible private carriers or government agencies liable to make sure you’re compensated for injuries that should have been avoided.
At Florin|Roebig, our team of qualified and experienced bus accident lawyers includes:
- Wil H. Florin, B.C.S.
- Tommy D. Roebig, B.C.S.
- Shaun M. Cummings
- Neil P. O’Brien, M.B.A.
- Luca G. Esposito
- Chad K. Florin, M.B.A., LL.M.
- John J. Hart
- Parker Y. Florin, LL.M.
- Taylor D. Roebig
- Michael A. Ossi, O.C.
- Lawrence J. Najem, O.C.
- Nollys R. Solarte, O.C.
We Are Nationally Awarded Lawyers
Contact Florin|Roebig To File a Bus Accident Claim Today
If you’ve been injured in a Florida bus accident, time is critical. Government claim deadlines, evidence preservation and witness accounts all require immediate action. To ensure you go through the right processes to collect the maximum amount of damages for your bus injury claim, it’s crucial to hire a trained and qualified lawyer.
At Florin|Roebig, we offer free consultations to evaluate your case, explain your legal options and help you get started if you decide to go forward. Don’t let anyone minimize your claim or miss important deadlines that could affect your right to compensation.
To begin your free case evaluation or learn more about bus injury claims, contact the offices of Florin|Roebig today.
Contact us by:
- Requesting more information on our website: florinroebig.com
- Calling our free, confidential hotline available 24/7
- Emailing info@florinroebig.com
Our Florida bus accident lawyers are ready to fight for the compensation you deserve while you focus on recovering from your injuries.
