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Palm Tran routes, the city's downtown trolley, school buses, and intercity coaches all converge on the streets of West Palm Beach, and each one is run by a different agency or company with its own claim rules. Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers represents passengers, drivers, and pedestrians hurt in bus crashes throughout the city, and our West Palm Beach bus accident lawyers know how to start a claim against each of them. You can reach us around the clock, and you pay no attorney fee unless we recover money for you.
A bus claim often starts with a formal notice letter that has to go to the right place. Call 561-800-8000 so we can identify the right agency and get your claim in front of it.
Who Runs the Bus, and Where Does Your Claim Go?
The first job in any West Palm Beach bus case is figuring out who operated the bus, because that answer decides who receives your claim and which legal rules apply. Many injured passengers lose valuable time sending complaints to the wrong office or waiting for an adjuster who never calls.
The table below shows how claims against the most common operators usually begin.
| Bus or service | Usually operated by | Where the claim typically starts |
|---|---|---|
| Palm Tran fixed-route buses | Palm Beach County | Written notice to the county; notice to the state is not required for county claims |
| Palm Tran CONNECTION paratransit | Palm Beach County, often through a contracted provider | Written notice to the county, plus a claim against any private contractor involved |
| Public school buses | The School District of Palm Beach County | Written notice to the school district and to the Florida Department of Financial Services |
| Downtown trolley and city micro-transit | The City of West Palm Beach or the company it hires | Written notice to the city, or a claim with the private operator's insurer |
| Greyhound and other intercity coaches | A private passenger carrier | A claim with the carrier's commercial insurer |
| Hotel, airport, and parking shuttles | A private business | A claim with the business's commercial auto insurer |
These rules come from Florida's sovereign immunity statute, which requires written notice before a lawsuit against a public agency and sends claims against most agencies other than cities and counties to the state as well. We prepare and send the right notices so a technical misstep does not stall your case.
Why Does a Palm Tran Claim Need a Lawyer Early?
A claim against Palm Tran is a claim against Palm Beach County, and the county handles it through its own risk management process rather than a typical insurance adjuster. That process has rules and timelines that are hard to manage while you are recovering from an injury.
The Six-Month Review Period
After a written claim is presented, a public agency generally has six months to make a final decision before a lawsuit can be filed, and silence after that period counts as a denial. We use that time to gather records, document your treatment, and prepare the case for court if the county does not offer a fair resolution.
Limits on What the County Pays
Florida caps what a county pays on a claim at $200,000 per person and $300,000 per incident, and any amount above that requires a separate act of the Legislature. We look for other responsible parties, such as a private driver who caused the crash, whose coverage is not limited by those caps.
Records Held by a Public Agency
Palm Tran's incident reports, video, and maintenance records are generally subject to Florida's public records law, but getting complete copies can take formal requests and follow-up. Our firm requests them promptly and reviews what comes back for gaps.
Where Do Bus Crashes Happen in West Palm Beach?
Bus crashes in West Palm Beach cluster around the busiest transit stops and the corridors buses use most. Pinpointing the spot tells us which nearby businesses may have cameras and which agency, usually the West Palm Beach Police Department, took the report.
The Intermodal Transit Center
Palm Tran routes, Tri-Rail, Greyhound, and the downtown trolley all connect at the Intermodal Transit Center on Clearwater Drive. Buses pulling in and out of the center share the surrounding streets with pedestrians hurrying to make a connection.
Okeechobee Boulevard and Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard
These wide corridors carry heavy traffic between downtown, I-95, and the western suburbs. Buses merging back into traffic from curbside stops are often involved in sideswipe and rear-end crashes here.
Military Trail and Congress Avenue
Long north-south routes with frequent stops and busy intersections lead to crashes involving turning vehicles and passengers crossing to reach a stop. Shopping centers along both roads add driveway traffic near bus stops.
Downtown Streets
Clematis Street, Quadrille Boulevard, and the waterfront draw crowds of pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers looking for parking. Trolleys and buses making tight turns downtown can strike people in crosswalks.
How We Build a West Palm Beach Bus Accident Case
Our team builds a bus case in a set order so that notice deadlines, evidence, and medical proof all come together before negotiations begin. Each step is something a public agency or bus company expects a claimant to know how to do.
Our process usually follows these steps:
- Confirm who operated the bus and whether a public agency, a contractor, or both are involved.
- Send written notice of the claim to the correct agency and any required state office.
- Request the crash report, bus video, and incident records.
- Collect your medical records and bills as treatment continues.
- Present a documented demand that accounts for future care and lost income.
- File suit in Palm Beach County Circuit Court if the claim is denied or the review period passes without a fair offer.
Every bus case has its own facts, and some steps happen at the same time. Our attorneys keep you updated at each stage, so you know what is happening and what comes next.
Injuries Bus Passengers Bring to Us
Bus passengers face injuries that people inside cars often avoid, because many passengers are standing, walking to a seat, or stepping on or off when a crash or sudden stop happens. Those injuries are easy for an agency to minimize unless they are documented well.
Injuries we often see in bus cases include:
- Head injuries from striking poles, windows, or seat backs
- Shoulder and wrist injuries from grabbing a rail during a sudden stop
- Hip and knee injuries from falls in the aisle or on the steps
- Neck and back injuries from rear-end and side impacts
- Fractures for pedestrians struck by a turning bus
Each of these injuries needs medical records that connect it to the bus incident, especially when an agency argues you were hurt some other way. We work with your doctors to make that connection clear.
When the Agency Says You Share the Blame
Florida's modified comparative fault rule in section 768.81(6) trims an award by the injured person's percentage of blame and eliminates it once that share passes 50%. Agencies sometimes argue that a passenger was not holding a rail or that a driver passed a stopped bus too closely.
A Worked Example From Okeechobee Boulevard
Suppose a Palm Tran bus pulls away from a stop on Okeechobee Boulevard and strikes your car, and your damages are valued at $150,000. If you are found 20% at fault for trying to pass the bus as it moved, your recovery becomes $120,000, and that amount is still subject to the county's caps.
Time Limits for Bus Claims
Against a private bus company, the usual window to sue for an injury on or after March 24, 2023, is two years under section 95.11(5)(a). Claims against public agencies require written notice within three years, and wrongful death claims against an agency have shorter notice timelines, so we confirm your deadlines at the first meeting.
Results for Clients With Similar Injuries
Bus passengers often suffer spine, knee, and ankle injuries, and our published results include recoveries for each:
- $494,122.94 for cervical and lumbar injuries
- $285,500 for spinal injuries
- $190,000 for a knee injury
- $110,000 for ankle injuries
Prior results come from different crashes, injuries, and insurance coverage than yours, and they should not be read as a forecast for any new claim.
Why West Palm Beach Bus Passengers Call Frankl Kominsky
Passengers hurt in West Palm Beach call Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers because we know how county, school district, and private bus claims differ, and we start each one correctly. We are based just down I-95 in Boynton Beach, and plenty of West Palm Beach clients never need to make the trip because we meet by phone or video.
Clients count on:
- A lawyer who stays involved in every stage of the case
- Over $250 million recovered for people hurt across Florida
- 60+ years of combined experience in injury law
- Honors from Super Lawyers and the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40
- Media coverage from NBC, the Sun Sentinel, and the Miami Herald
- Staff fluent in Spanish and Creole
Your first meeting with us costs nothing, and our fee comes only from a recovery. Call 561-800-8000 and we will review where your claim needs to go.
Our West Palm personal injury lawyers also handle claims arising from car crashes, falls, and other injuries, and our work on Florida bus accident cases reaches communities across the state.
West Palm Beach Bus Injury Questions
What if a bus forced me off the road but never hit my car?
A bus driver whose careless lane change or turn forces you to swerve and crash can be responsible in Florida even without contact between the vehicles. Witness statements and bus video are especially important in these claims, since there is no damage on the bus to show what happened.
Can I sue a Palm Tran bus driver personally?
In most cases, no. Florida law generally makes the public agency, not the individual employee, responsible for an employee's on-the-job negligence, unless the employee acted in bad faith, with malicious purpose, or with wanton and willful disregard for safety.
What if I was hurt at a Palm Tran bus stop or shelter?
An injury caused by a broken bench, damaged shelter, or hazardous sidewalk at a bus stop in Palm Beach County may support a claim against whoever owns or maintains that location, which could be the county, the city, or a private property owner. Photos of the hazard and the stop number help identify who is responsible.
Can I still bring a claim if I didn't report my injury to the bus driver?
Yes, you can still bring a claim in Florida even if you did not tell the driver you were hurt, since many injuries are not obvious until hours or days later. Reporting the incident to the operator as soon as possible and getting medical care promptly helps connect the injury to the bus.
What if a Greyhound or other intercity bus started its trip in another state?
A passenger hurt on an intercity bus that crashes in West Palm Beach can generally bring a claim in Florida, and the carrier's commercial insurance is usually the main source of payment. A coach company carrying passengers across state lines with 16 or more seats generally needs at least $5 million in coverage under 49 CFR 387.33, far more than a typical passenger car policy.
Getting Your Claim to the Right Desk
Bus claims in West Palm Beach can stall for months when they start in the wrong place or miss a required notice. A clear plan from the beginning keeps the claim moving while you focus on healing.
Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers is ready to sort out who is responsible and start the process for you. Our West Palm Beach bus accident lawyers are available 24/7 at 561-800-8000, and the first meeting is free.
