Greenbelt Bus Accident Lawyer

Serious injuries deserve experienced attorneys

Were you injured in a bus accident in Greenbelt, MD?

At Cohen & Cohen, P.C., we are trial-tested bus accident lawyers committed to thorough preparation in every matter.

If you were hurt while riding a bus, or struck by one while driving, cycling, or walking, the operator and the company or agency behind it may owe you compensation. A Greenbelt, MD bus accident lawyer can determine who operated the vehicle, which deadlines apply, and how to present the claim to a public agency or private carrier.

For more than 25 years, Cohen & Cohen, P.C. has represented injured passengers, motorists, and pedestrians. Contact us to talk through what happened.

Bus Accident Lawyer Greenbelt, MD

A bus accident attorney in Greenbelt represents people injured in collisions or onboard incidents involving public transit buses, school buses, charter coaches, and shuttles. These claims differ from ordinary car crash cases in two ways. The operator is often a government body or a commercial carrier that owes passengers a high duty of care, and the injuries frequently involve several people at once. Multiple claimants may compete for the same insurance coverage, which makes prompt action important.

Greenbelt is served by Metrobus, by the City’s own Greenbelt Connection, and by Prince George’s County’s GoPGC system, formerly called TheBus. In 2024, the county bus system recorded 2,246,441 passenger trips with 110 buses in peak service, according to county transit ridership data filed with the Federal Transit Administration.

Types of Bus Accident Cases We Handle in Greenbelt

Bus accidents take many forms, and the type of vehicle often determines who is responsible. Our Greenbelt bus accident attorneys handle the claims below from investigation through resolution.

• Metrobus collisions. Regional transit buses travel Greenbelt Road and stop at the Greenbelt Metro Station throughout the day. Claims against a regional transit authority follow procedures that differ from claims against a private driver.
• County bus accidents. Several GoPGC bus routes, including the P2X, P19, and P22, start or end in Greenbelt. A crash involving a county bus may require a claim against the county itself.
• Shuttle and paratransit accidents. The City operates the Greenbelt Connection service, a 12-passenger accessible van, and private shuttles serve apartment complexes and employers. Riders who use mobility devices are particularly vulnerable to falls during sudden stops.
• School bus accidents. Children riding to school often lack seat belts, and injuries can occur boarding, riding, or crossing the street after drop-off. These claims may involve a school system or a private contractor.
• Charter and tour bus crashes. Commercial coaches traveling the Capital Beltway are subject to federal passenger carrier safety rules covering driver hours and vehicle maintenance.
• Passenger injuries without a collision. Hard braking, doors closing on a rider, and buses pulling away before a passenger is seated cause fractures and head injuries even when no other vehicle is involved.
• Car accidents. A bus that turns too wide, changes lanes without clearance, or runs a light can crush a passenger vehicle. The size difference often produces serious injuries for the car’s occupants.
• Bicycle accidents. Buses pulling to the curb cross directly into bike lanes, and large blind spots make cyclists hard for operators to see.
• Pedestrian strikes. The Federal Transit Administration studies bus-to-person collisions as a distinct safety concern, and many occur during turns near stops.
• Wrongful death. Families who lose a parent, spouse, or child in a bus crash may bring claims against the operator, the employer, and any other negligent party.

Why Choose Cohen & Cohen, P.C. as My Bus Accident Lawyer in Greenbelt, MD?

Transit Crash Experience

Among the clients of Kim Brooks-Rodney were families who lost loved ones in the June 2009 Metro crash in Washington, D.C., one of the most serious transit disasters in the region’s history. Her practice centers on automobile negligence and other serious injury matters, and she has been admitted in Maryland since 1993 and in Virginia since 2001. She is a member and past Board of Governors member of the Prince George’s County Bar Association, giving her long familiarity with the county where Greenbelt claims are litigated. She also serves on the Board of Governors of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., and has been quoted by The Washington Post, MSNBC, and CNBC.

Recognition and Results

Ms. Brooks-Rodney received her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Firmwide, our attorneys have recovered over $300 million for injured clients. A transit authority or bus company will defend its operator aggressively, and you deserve a personal injury lawyer in Greenbelt, MD who is ready to answer that defense in court. We represent bus accident victims on contingency, with no attorney fees unless we recover compensation.

Understanding Bus Accident Cases

What Is the Bus Accident Case Timeline?

Timing in a bus case is driven partly by who owns the bus, and delays in identifying the owner can cost a claimant valuable time. Most claims our bus accident lawyers in Greenbelt handle follow this general sequence:

• Notice to the operator. Public agencies often require written notice of a claim well before the ordinary filing deadline. For claims against the State of Maryland, the claims against the State must be submitted in writing within one year.
• Evidence preservation. Buses carry onboard cameras and event data recorders, and agencies may overwrite that footage on a routine schedule unless asked to preserve it.
• Treatment and documentation until the long-term effects of your injuries are understood.
• Negotiation with the agency’s claims office or the carrier’s insurer.
• Litigation if the claim does not resolve. Maryland’s general deadline for negligence suits is three years from the date of injury, but a missed notice requirement can end a claim against a government operator much sooner.

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Bus Accident Cases

Liability may rest with the operator, the agency or company that employs the operator, a maintenance contractor, or another motorist. Bus companies and transit agencies are generally responsible for the negligence of drivers acting within the scope of their jobs. A maintenance contractor that neglected brakes or tires may share that responsibility, and so may a motorist who cut off the bus and forced a sudden stop. Because passengers are not in control of the vehicle, contributory negligence arguments arise less often for riders than for other motorists, though the defense may still raise them.

Compensation can include:

1. Hospital, surgical, and therapy costs
2. Wages lost during recovery and any reduction in future earning ability
3. Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
4. Property damage to a vehicle or bicycle
5. Costs of household help and transportation to appointments while you recover

Maryland caps noneconomic damages in most injury claims, and claims against public entities can be subject to separate statutory limits. As bus accident lawyers in Greenbelt, MD, we explain early that the damages you can recover will depend on who operated the bus and the severity of your injuries.

What Are Important Aspects of a Bus Accident Case?

Bus claims often involve multiple injured riders, a public defendant, and evidence held entirely by the operator. As bus accident attorneys in Greenbelt, MD, we focus on the following issues from the start.

• Identifying the correct operator, since Metrobus, county buses, private contractors, and charter companies are handled differently
• Securing onboard video, dispatch records, and maintenance logs
• Obtaining the operator’s training and disciplinary history
• Locating other passengers, who are often the most reliable witnesses to what happened inside the bus
• Documenting injuries promptly with consistent medical treatment

What Should You Bring to Your Bus Accident Consultation?

The following information helps us identify the operator and evaluate the claim. Any records you do not have can be requested on your behalf.

• The bus route number, direction of travel, and approximate time of the crash
• Your fare card or ticket, if you were a passenger
• Medical records and bills
• Photographs and the names of other passengers or witnesses

During the meeting, a Greenbelt bus accident attorney from our firm will identify which agency or company likely operated the bus and explain the deadlines that apply. If you were a passenger, we will also ask about the seating, handrails, and the operator’s actions before the injury. You will leave with a clear picture of how the claim would proceed.

Most Dangerous Locations for Bus Accidents in Greenbelt, MD

Dangerous streets

• Greenbelt Road (MD 193). A Maryland Department of Transportation study found injury crash rates on segments between Rhode Island Avenue and Hanover Parkway 64% and 32% above statewide averages. It also found that pedestrian access to bus stops and the Greenbelt Metro Station is difficult and potentially dangerous.

Dangerous highways

• Baltimore-Washington Parkway (MD 295). A National Park Service Parkway safety plan reported an average of 547 crashes and six fatalities per year on the parkway and identified its interchange with I-95 as high risk.

Reach Out to Cohen & Cohen, P.C. to Schedule a Consultation

Notice deadlines for bus claims can run short, particularly when a public agency operated the vehicle. Our Greenbelt bus accident lawyers offer a free consultation and work on contingency, which means no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Our office responds to online inquiries promptly. Contact us to discuss your claim.