Eugene Bus Accident Lawyer

Bus Accidents

Thousands of people travel on public buses every day. When a bus crashes, it affects far more people than in a typical two-vehicle crash and complicates the question of liability. This is one of many reasons to contact an experienced Eugene bus accident lawyer after suffering injuries.

At Parke Gordon, we handle accident and injury claims involving public buses, school buses, and charter or tour buses. Our personal injury attorneys look closely at who operated the bus, who maintained it, and what agency or company bears responsibility before advising you on how to proceed. That process can look very different depending on whether the bus was part of a public transit system, a school district fleet, or a privately owned charter company.

Types of Bus Accidents We Handle

The type of defendant in a bus accident case impacts how your attorney can proceed with your claim in Eugene. A crash involving a public bus can raise procedural issues and limitations that never arise in an ordinary car accident case, while a crash involving a private bus operator may follow a more familiar path. The categories we most often see include:

• Accidents involving Lane Transit District buses or the EmX rapid transit line
• School bus accidents involving a public school district’s vehicle or a contracted transportation provider
• Charter and tour bus accidents involving a private operator
• Bus collisions with a pedestrian, cyclist, or another vehicle at an intersection

A claim involving a Lane Transit District bus or a public school bus typically proceeds against a government entity, while a charter bus accident more closely resembles a standard claim against a private company. This difference affects nearly every procedural step, starting with how quickly you must act and which forms you must submit before we can file a lawsuit.

Why Are Bus Accident Claims Different From Other Crashes?

Most personal injury claims in the state have a two-year filing deadline, but a claim involving a public bus operator often has a much smaller timeframe. Lane Transit District and the state’s public school districts qualify as public bodies, which means a claim against them falls under the Oregon Tort Claims Act rather than the ordinary rules that apply to a private driver or company.

Under Oregon Revised Statutes 30.275, anyone bringing a claim against a public body generally must submit formal written notice within 180 days of the injury, a period of six months rather than two years. This notice is a separate requirement from the lawsuit, and missing it can prevent a claim from proceeding, regardless of how strong the underlying facts are. If you traveled through Eugene on a private charter company’s bus and it crashed, your case does not have this restriction, which is why your legal team must identify the correct defendant early. Waiting to see how an injury develops before acting may cost your entire claim if your case involves a public entity.