Long Island’s buses include Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE) routes, school buses, charter coaches, airport shuttles and commuter lines into the city. Each one comes with different owners, insurers and deadlines. If you were hurt on a bus, by a bus, or in a car hit by a bus, a Long Island bus accident lawyer can make sure you don’t miss a critical step.
Who can bring a claim?
- Passengers hurt by collisions, sudden stops, sharp turns or falls while boarding
- Pedestrians and cyclists hit by buses
- Drivers and passengers in other vehicles
- Children injured on or around school buses
Public bus claims: short deadlines
NICE bus service runs on behalf of Nassau County. Claims involving public transit and other government entities generally require a written notice of claim within 90 days under General Municipal Law § 50-e, and a lawsuit usually has to follow within a much shorter period than ordinary cases. Some school districts also require notices of claim. Because the exact procedure depends on who owns and operates the bus, talk to a lawyer as soon as possible.
Private coaches, shuttles and school bus contractors
Private bus companies and school bus contractors are generally sued like any business, usually within three years. Many are commercial carriers subject to federal safety rules, including driver hours-of-service limits. Onboard video, GPS data and maintenance logs are key evidence and need to be preserved early.
No-fault for bus passengers
Your medical bills and part of lost wages may be covered by no-fault. Depending on your situation, that coverage may come from your own auto policy, a household member’s or the bus’s insurer. Read our no-fault guide for details.
Proving the claim
Bus operators owe passengers a high degree of care. To win a sudden-stop case, you generally need to show the movement was unusual and violent, not just a normal stop. Witness testimony and onboard video are often decisive. For collisions, police reports, camera footage and vehicle data show who caused the crash. To recover pain and suffering in a motor vehicle case, your injuries generally need to meet the serious injury threshold.
What to do after a bus accident on Long Island
- Report the accident and get the bus number, route and time.
- Photograph the scene and your injuries.
- Collect witness names and phone numbers.
- Get medical care right away.
- Contact a lawyer well before the 90-day deadline.
We represent bus accident victims throughout Nassau County and New York City. Learn more on our bus accident page and in our bus accident claims guide. NICE route information is available at nicebus.com.
Visit Yakov Mushiyev & Associates
Our office is at 1 Cross Island Plaza, Suite 325, Rosedale, NY 11422, just off the Cross Island Parkway on the Queens–Nassau border. If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you: at home, in the hospital or by video.
Talk to a Long Island bus accident lawyer today
Yakov Mushiyev & Associates has recovered over $80 million for injured New Yorkers across the five boroughs and Nassau County. Consultations are free, available in English, Russian and Spanish, and there is no fee unless we win.
Call 718.775.3110 or contact us online for a free case review.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different. Attorney Advertising.