MTA Notice of Claim and New York Bus Accident Lawyers

Not always, and it depends on who operated the bus. For many public operators a notice of claim must be served within 90 days from the date the claim arises (General Municipal Law 50-e). Public Authorities Law 1276 applies the 50-e notice requirement to actions against the MTA but says that notice requirement does not apply to an MTA subsidiary corporation, while its other provisions, including the one-year-and-90-day limit, still do. Private bus companies follow ordinary rules. Because identifying the operator can take time, treat 90 days as the working deadline until a lawyer confirms otherwise.

There is no reliable figure based on the type of accident. Value depends on proof of fault, the injuries and their medical documentation, lost earnings, whether a motor-vehicle injury meets New York's serious-injury rules for non-economic loss, and the applicable law. For motor-vehicle actions commenced on or after May 26, 2026, amended serious-injury, non-economic damages and comparative-fault rules apply. No lawyer can promise a settlement amount.

Generally no. The Comptroller handles claims against the City of New York. MTA buses are run by public authorities and subsidiaries that are separate from the City, so the claim is served on the operating authority. City-owned vehicles and some school-bus claims involving the City go through the Comptroller.

Possibly. In Urquhart v New York City Transit Authority, the Court of Appeals said a passenger injured when a bus stops must show a jerk or lurch that was "unusual or violent," proven by more than calling it that. Witness accounts, bus video and the bus's own data can matter.

The no-fault and serious-injury rules for motor-vehicle accidents still apply, but if the bus was publicly operated, the notice and lawsuit deadlines can be much shorter than for a crash with a private car. Report the crash, photograph the bus number and route, and have the operator identified quickly.

The public entity may investigate and can require you to answer questions under oath, often called a 50-h examination. For the MTA, a lawsuit cannot be filed until at least 30 days after the claim is presented, and it generally must be commenced within one year and 90 days. Settlement can happen before or after a lawsuit is filed.

Many school buses are operated by private contractors, while school districts and the City may also be involved; each has different notice rules. Tour, charter and commuter coaches are usually private companies, where the general three-year personal injury period applies. The bus company, the driver's employer and the vehicle owner can all be different entities.