Injured Bus Passenger Accident Claims – How to Get Compensation

By Ian Morris | Updated March 22nd, 2024

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Quick Answer: Passengers who have been injured in a bus or coach accident in the UK can seek to claim compensation on a “no win no fee” basis. If the accident was not your fault, you are entitled to make a claim.

Key Takeaways:

To be eligible for a bus passenger injury claim, you must prove that you were not at fault and your injuries are serious enough to warrant compensation.
Compensation for bus accidents typically covers your injuries, as well as special damages like loss of earnings and medical expenses.
There is a standard three-year time limit to make a compensation claim unless you were under 18 at the time of the accident.
Consult a specialist solicitor experienced in bus accident claims as soon as possible to understand your rights and legal options.

With our expert team, you can expect:

Maximum Compensation: By recovering losses and payment for your injuries, we strive to ensure you are rightfully compensated.
A Swift Recovery: We’ll help you to get better with medical assistance and physiotherapy tailored to your needs.
A Smooth Process: Keeping you informed at every step, we provide clear advice, guidance, and straightforward communication.

Am I Eligible to Claim Compensation if I’m Injured on a Bus?

In order to have a valid bus passenger accident claim and receive compensation for your injuries, you’ll need to consider three main factors:

Fault and Liability: Assess whether the accident was someone else’s fault. If another party is responsible for the accident, you likely have grounds for a claim. If you are responsible for your own injuries, you won’t be able to claim.
Medical Treatment: Successful claims often require evidence of medical treatment. If you’ve sought medical attention for your injuries, it strengthens your case.
Time Frame: In most cases, claims must be made within three years of the accident. Exceptions apply if the injured party is under 18.

In all cases of someone making a claim, they are doing so because they have been injured as a result of someone else’s mistake or negligence. Common scenarios leading to bus or coach accident compensation include:

Colliding with another vehicle, a road sign, bus stop or kerb.
Losing control and leaving the road.
A driver not allowing a vulnerable person sufficient time to take a seat before pulling away from a stop, causing them to fall.

The bus company’s duty of care

Bus and coach companies (and their employed drivers) have a duty of care to their passengers. Those that fail to ensure passenger safety through compliance with relevant vehicle maintenance, adequate driver training and safety warnings, may well be liable should any injuries happen to the passengers travelling on their vehicle. Any person injured in this way is entitled to make a claim for personal injury compensation.

Furthermore, drivers should pay extra attention to vulnerable passengers who are at greater risk of injury:

Children riding a school bus
Disabled passengers with mobility issues or in a wheelchair
Pregnant women or passengers pushing a buggie
Elderly passengers

How much compensation can I get?

Bus accident compensation payouts depend on what kind of injury you sustained, how severe it is and how it affects your life.

As a guide, here’s some common bus passenger injury claim values:

Type of injury	Compensation amount
Whiplash	£240 - £4,345
Minor brain or head injury	£2,070 - £11,980
Fractured Cheekbone	£2,180 - £9,570
Wrist injury	£3,310 - £44,690
Hip or pelvis injury	£3,710 - £24,950
Fractured forearm	£6,190 - £18,020
Permanent back injury	£11,730 - £26,050
Serious shoulder injury	£11,980 - £18,020
Ankle injury	£12,900 - £46,980

You can also claim for special damages, which would include your financial losses. As part of this, your compensation settlement will make up for lost income now and in the future if the injuries have prevented you from working.

Your solicitor will inform you of the expected compensation amount once they have collected all the facts and evidence. They’ll also explain the expenses you can claim for on top of any injury, potentially upfront before the claim is settled:

Lost earnings if you have been unable to work
Future loss of income if you can’t return to work
Psychological after effects, such as PTSD
Changes to your home and transport needs
Private medical treatment
Ongoing care costs
Miscellaneous expenses (bus fares, painkillers etc)

Accessing private medical treatment

If successful, a claim can release funds from the liable party to pay for private medical treatment and rehabilitation therapies to speed the recovery process of the injured party.

Bus accidents often involve soft tissue injuries such as whiplash, a back injury or broken bones, and such rehabilitation would most likely involve physiotherapy, osteopathic/chiropractic or massage therapies. Any private treatments will be provided at the expense of the third party dealing with your claim and their cost will form part of the value of the total settlement. Further information on this will be available from your solicitor once your claim has been active for a sufficient amount of time.

No Win No Fee claims for injured bus passengers

“No win no fee” agreements, also known as Conditional Fee Agreements (CFAs), offer a financial safety net for passengers seeking compensation after being injured in a bus accident. This arrangement means that you can pursue a claim without the worry of upfront legal fees. Here are the key aspects of no win no fee claims in the context of passenger injury compensation:

Risk-Free Legal Representation: Under a no win no fee agreement, you will not be required to pay your solicitor’s fees if your claim is unsuccessful. This removes the financial risk associated with pursuing compensation.
Success Fee: If your claim is successful, your solicitor will receive a success fee as a percentage of the compensation awarded. This percentage is agreed upon in advance and is capped by law to ensure you keep the majority of your compensation.
Insurance: To protect against potential costs, such as the defendant’s legal fees in the event of an unsuccessful claim, your solicitor may advise taking out an After The Event (ATE) insurance policy. This insurance covers these costs, so you’re not left out of pocket.
Transparency: Solicitors offering no win no fee agreements are required to explain the terms and conditions clearly before you agree to proceed. This ensures you are fully informed about any potential costs or fees involved.
Access to Justice: No win no fee agreements make legal representation accessible to those who might not otherwise afford it. This means that as an injured passenger, you can seek the compensation you deserve without financial barriers.
Incentive for Solicitors: Since solicitors only get paid if they win, there’s a strong incentive for them to only take on cases they believe have a good chance of success. This can provide you with reassurance about the strength of your claim.

Considerations for Passengers

When considering a no win no fee agreement for your bus passenger injury compensation claim, it’s important to:

Choose the Right Solicitor: Look for a solicitor with experience in handling passenger injury claims under no win no fee agreements. Their expertise will be invaluable in navigating the claims process and maximising your compensation.
Understand the Agreement: Ensure you fully understand the terms of the no win no fee agreement, including the success fee and any potential costs you might incur.

No win no fee agreements provide a vital pathway for injured passengers to pursue compensation without the worry of upfront legal costs. By understanding how these agreements work and choosing the right legal representation, you can confidently move forward with your claim, focusing on your recovery while your solicitor handles the legal complexities.

The evidence you’ll need for proof

A successful no win, no fee bus passenger accident claim will depend on having the right evidence in place.

A solicitor will need evidence to present a compelling case to the defendant insurers and demonstrate that the claim is justified. At the very least, they will need to be able to prove that the bus accident has happened and that injuries have been treated professionally.

This would seem a fair enough requirement, but how do you do that? How can you make sure that the details of your bus accident are properly reported and recorded? Who should you speak to? What evidence can you provide to prove your claim and maximise your chance of success?

Medical reports

Medical records provide expert evidence confirming the cause and severity of injuries, as well as recommended treatments and a prognosis for recovery. They’re an important part of your claim that your solicitor can use to build your case and seek the correct amount of compensation.

If you have not yet seen your GP, you can still pursue a claim and you can contact us for advice and support in this.

While you will need an independent medical assessment to make a claim, you won’t need to pay for it and your solicitor will arrange one local to you.

Incident reports

With all claims for compensation, it is really important to report and record your accident with the right people.

Bus accidents should be recorded with the operating company. In most cases, when a qualified bus or coach driver is involved in a collision, they will ensure that they have properly recorded the necessary details. Then you will simply need to obtain an incident reference from the company. You should contact them as soon as possible to obtain this and report your involvement in the accident.

If you haven’t completed these steps already, we can help you to do so.

Insurers will exploit all areas of weakness in any claim, especially in claims for bus accident compensation. To combat this, there are some helpful things that you can do to ensure a strong case.

What to do after a bus accident to protect your rights

Here is a useful checklist of how to protect your rights if you’re involved in a bus accident, and give your claim the very best chance of success:

Retain proof of travel. If you have a bus ticket, keep it. This proves that you were on the bus at the time of the accident
Ensure that the driver takes your details in full, including a description of any injuries
Take the name and ID of the driver of the bus and any other vehicles involved
Record the bus service number and registration plate
Record the registration plate of any other vehicles involved
Note the accident location – street name and any landmarks
Take the details of any fellow passengers who may be witnesses
If the police attend, take details of the investigating officer and ideally a collision reference number
Contact the customer services department of the bus company to further report the accident and make sure that your involvement is recorded
Attend your GP surgery or local A&E asap, or should any injury symptoms worsen. This will add further medical evidence to support your claim

Remember, time is of the essence, so don’t delay. The sooner you start your claim, the sooner we can fight for the compensation you deserve. Our team is here to support you every step of the way, ensuring that your rights are protected and your voice is heard.
Ian Morris, Senior Claims Advisor

How to start your bus passenger injury claim

We’ve been helping claimants win bus accident compensation for almost 30 years. To find out if you can claim, please call our team on 01225 430285, or if you prefer, we can call you back. After just a few minutes on the phone, we’ll have enough information to allow our solicitors to get your claim started.

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Comments & Questions

Read on for questions and advice about claiming, plus bus accident claim examples...

I was a on a bus with my newly turned 1 year old son when a motorcycle crashed in front of us. This caused the bus driver to slam her breaks on twice at different times which sent my sons pram flying. I now have tingling in one side of my face and a stiff neck. Is there anything that can be done about this??

You are likely to be able to pursue a claim as the cause of the injuries sustained rests with the motorcycles/other vehicles that crashed. This caused the bus driver to have to take evasive action and as such, the other vehicles are liable.

You should ensure that a report of the incident is made with the bus company and that appropriate medical attention is provided. You can then seek to make a claim. If your injuries are of a ‘soft tissue’ nature and you have avoided any broken bones or serious lacerations, you will have to pursue your claim without legal representation via the official injury claim website.

I was in the bus station on a bus last Thursday and we reversed out of the bay, as we reversed back ready to turn and move off another bus next to us reversed back into the front of us, I was on my phone so my head was down and the bang made me jolt, it wasn’t a really fast speed however I suffered a really bad headache straight afterwards and attended hospital the next day as my GP told me to as I was still sufferering and had a really sore neck and back. The gp prescribed me strong codine and said I had torn a muscle in my neck and tissue in my back and this is what has been causing me to feel this way. The gp said I should be better in a couple of weeks. The bus company straight after the incident asked if we were ok but at the time I seemed ok, they didn’t take anyone’s details. I contacted the bus company the following day and they noted what I reported, I initially did this so I had evidence for my employer as I had to take the day off to go to hospital but I’m wondering would I have a claim as I feel it’s unfair I’m currently down a days pay and bonus from work because of this happening?

You certainly have a claim, but it is unlikely to be a matter that you can instruct a Solicitor to act on a No Win No Fee basis. This is due to the recent changes to soft tissue injury claims arising from motor accidents effective from 1st June 2021. Claimants who have not suffered broken bones or lacerations in non-fault motor accidents must establish that their soft tissue injuries exceed £5000 in value to be able to recover legal fees and it is extremely rare for soft tissue injuries to meet that valuation. In a further reduction to justice for people in your situation, the Government have also bowed to insurer pressure to vastly reduce compensation settlement amounts in claims for whiplash and other similar soft tissue injuries.

As such, you would need to pursue a claim via the official injury claim page.

My friend and I took the bus to Kings cross station from the university’s direction. We went to the top, when our driver stopped at the stop before ours, we stood up to go downstairs the moment thr bus stopped. We were still going down the stairs, my friend just before me, and the driver pulled away from the stop with such a speed, My friend grabbed the rail and got herself to a seat below next to stairs. I had to cling to rails on stairs and in the force that he pulled away. I hit my knee to the side of the stairs. We got off at our next stop and immediately could not walk properly. The driver took off again, I did not have time to even take the plate or details. I didn’t think of it at that time. My friend helped me home and it will be a week ago to this day and still very sore, got better but can’t walk or climb stairs properly. Can you give advice on what I need to do? I am an international student, living in London.

Do you have any proof of travel? (did you keep the bus ticket or do you have a bus pass?). It is really important that you ensure that the details of the injury and the actions of the driver are on record with the bus company. You can contact them via one of their bus stations or regional hubs to do so. You need to let them know of the date, approximate time and which bus service (route number) you were on at the time. It is also important that you seek medical attention regarding the injury too.

I was on a bus when it braked hard so that it didn’t collide with a car. I went forward and banged my face and head onto the seat in front of me. I have been in pain off and on since the accident. A work colleague put an ice pack on my face when I got to work and I have been sick a few times.

Do I have a claim or would it be disregarded because it was to prevent the accident of hitting the car?

It would appear that you can’t make a claim against the bus company as their driver appears to have been taking evasive action to avoid a collision and was therefore not the negligent party. You may however have a valid claim against the insurance of the car that caused the driver of the bus to have to apply emergency braking to avoid the collision.

You should contact the bus company to enquire as to whether the bus was fitted with a dash cam and if the details of the vehicle that caused the driver to slam the breaks on and swerve can be provided to you. If so, you could then pursue a claim against that drivers insurance.

Hi , I was on a coach that hit a road sign as we were turning in London . I was on the toilet and got a bang to my head and shoulder and a few other lads were jolted by where the bus hit the sign. . The company have said because he was doing under 10mph there is nothing we can do, is he right?

Sadly, it is very unlikely that you would be able to make a claim. Although your accident is not a classic road traffic accident, the scenario in which you were injured is not excluded from the recent reforms for soft tissue personal injury claims as of 1st June 2021 and it is therefore not likely that you would be able to recover any legal fees or instruct a Solicitor to act for you (unless the head injury was substantial and there was evidence of a notable head impact – photos of bruising/soft tissue injuries etc?) and medical evidence to confirm the same.

There are also likely to be considerable issues with causation given the low velocity of speed at the time – which the coach company appear to have identified. A coach is very large and heavy vehicle and would have run through a medium sized sign with ease. Further, when you use the toilets on a coach, it would be expected that there is some risk of the coach wobbling about and that extra care will be needed to keep your footing.

With this in mind, it may well be a struggle to succeed with a claim in these circumstances.

Hello
My sun was run over by a bus.
He was on a E scooter and riding in a bus lane.
The bus was behind my sone and the cut into my son to pull into the bus lane.
the bus wheel ran over my sons foot and has sustained serious injuries which have been confirmed by A&E.
We have the bus drivers details and police also attended the accident scene.

Please contact us so that we can get our specialist Solicitors acting in this matter for your Son.

I’m not sure whether I should complain or not but today the bus I was on stopped abruptly (at red lights). The driver slammed the brakes so hard that my 15 month old daughters pushchair tipped backwards. She was strapped in and absolutely fine as I immediately bent down to sit her up again and calm her down as she had also been asleep so she was frightened, as I was comforting her the driver accelerated quickly making me fall backwards into the seat leg and leaving a large, painful and swollen bruise on my upper back under my left shoulder blade.

You should certainly make sure that the bus company has a record of the incident in which you were injured.

I work as a transport passengers assistant for a school. Last week, I had accident while we are on our way to pick up the kids in the morning. I was sitting on my seat, suddenly the seat and my self fell down to the side on the bus floor while the bus was moving and making a side turn. I had a severe back pain and the osteopath suspected that I have fracture in my back, can I make a claim against my employer?

You certainly have a right to pursue a claim for personal injury compensation and we would like to help you to do so. As the injury to your back appears to have been caused through a mechanical fault in the seat you were sat upon, it is more than likely that your employers insurers will have to settle a claim in your favour.

Please call us on 01225430285 to get further advice and to find out more about the claims process.

Hi ,
My Niece was injured on a bus a few days ago as a result of the bus driver purposely trapping her in the doors and not releasing them , her four year old child became separated from her and ended up on the pavement alone whilst the incident happened .
She has reported this to the bus company who are saying due to legal reasons they are are unable to dilvulge the results of any investigations .
Just wondering if the info can be requested under the freedom of information act ?

Thanks

Such information can be requested, but the names of the individual driver or staff members on duty may be withheld.

Your Niece can certainly make a claim for personal injury compensation and we can assist with this.

I was on a bus yesterday that crashed in to the back of a car. I hit my knees on the seat in front of me. I just left as I had to go to work and did not say anything to the driver because I just took it as I wasn’t in too much pain at the time, but this morning I woke and my knee was really painful when I had to go down the stairs.

As a passenger on the bus, you are entitled to pursue a claim for personal injury compensation regardless of who is found to be the at fault party. It would appear that the bus company is the liable party as their driver has collided with the rear of another car.

It is important that you make sure that the accident is reported to the bus company and that they record your details. It would be a good idea to either call or email the bus company in question to make sure that they have your details listed as being on the bus at the time and a list of the injuries you have sustained.

Our Solicitors can help you to make a claim on a No Win No Fee basis and recover compensation for the knee injury you have sustained.

I had an accident last Friday. I was on the upper deck of the bus when I buzzed the buzzer to get off. The Driver stoped at the bus stop, so I started to make a move to get off and go down the stairs. However, as I was going down the stairs, the driver started to drive off. This caused a jolt which resulted in me falling down the stairs. I held tight on the handrail which hurt my right arm. I also had a little scratch on my hand and some bruises on my right knee as it hits the stairs edges.

If you haven’t already done so, you should immediately report the details of your accident to the bus company in question – which can be done over the phone or via the internet. Make sure you detail which bus service, the location and date and time and explain that the driver failed to allow you sufficient time to descend the stairs. Having an accurate report or record of an accident and any injuries sustained can be very important in a claim for personal injury compensation.

We can help you to make a claim for personal injury compensation against the bus company. Our No Win No Fee service guarantees that you’ll pay no fees whatsoever if your claim isn’t successful.

I think the driver of a bus in which I had an accident was traveling too fast approaching the bus stand then had to perform an emergency stop so not to hit a child cycling out in his path. The bus company has said it’s no one’s fault, has not commented on speed he was traveling, can I prove that he was going to fast? CCTV shows me thrown into the air and I sustained severe injuries.

Do you have the details of any witnesses who were also on the bus? If a number of individuals come forward to allege negligent driving, it may well be possible to pursue a claim.

As things stand, the bus company will deny any liability as they will simply say that their driver acted appropriately in taking evasive action to avoid the cyclist and pass the blame to the cyclist. In normal circumstances, that would be a robust and just defence that would see any claim fail. However, if you can provide any evidence – such as witness details, video footage or similar that indicates that the driver was going too fast and has therefore contributed to, or caused the incident, you could make a claim.

Good afternoon, I have had an accident on the bus due to the driver’s erratic driving. I am feeling pain and bruised on my right side, the arm, back, leg and foot. I approached the driver for an accident report form but he insisted he did not have one. Furthermore, he was rude to me, shouting and not helping me at all. Though I did not get any witnesses due to being in shock, there were several people who witnessed the incident. The driver has denied that I fell and states that he was not aware of it, even though he has cctv screen at the front and also that I fell very near him. Please could you let me know how and what to do from here. I am upset, shocked and feeling pain as well. Thank you.

You should make a formal complaint and report to the Bus Company regarding the incident as they will be able to access and retain any CCTV footage (you should request that they retain the footage and if possible pass a copy to you). As you have witnesses, you appear to be in a relatively strong position and you should retain the witness details going forward.

Once you have made a report to the Bus Company and had a response (even if it is simply an acknowledgment response with a reference number), we can help you claim from the bus company. If you can, it would be helpful to retain your bus ticket too.

Thank you for the response. However, I did not get any witness details due to being in shock. However, would the solicitor be able to contact witnesses if CCTV footage was obtained? How likely am I to be compensated without witnesses but with the CCTV footage? Many thanks.

The key is to ensure that you have made a formal report to the Bus Company and received an acknowledgement from them. They should be able to retain any CCTV footage of the incident and a Solicitor can access this in due course should a claim proceed.

Hello I had an accident on the bus where the driver pulled away while me and children were standing to leave the bus for our stop which ended up with us all failing down the stairs.. I have now chipped my ankle and have to have further xrays and physio, but the driver did not note the incident though I have kept my bus ticket.

Your situation would certainly warrant detailed consideration by our specialist Solicitors.

Hi was in a bus crash company admitted liability. Have had physio and a private medical . Said Ive got 70% movement in lumbar and cervical spine, been put forward for a MRI with a orphapedic team, as walking and standing is moderate to severe restricted and in neck. But I have still not been told what my claim may be worth – if anything?!

If you have undergone a medical assessment arranged by your Solicitor, the experts report will be passed to a Barrister to consider and offer advice as to an appropriate level of compensation. Have you spoken with your Solicitor about this?

Unfortunately, it would not be possible for us – or indeed helpful – to suggest a claim value as we are simply not in sight of the full facts and medical history information. However, it is clear that your claim will certainly have a settlement value that could be substantial.

My mum was on a TFL bus en-route to work. The driver slammed his brakes really hard and my mum flew across the bus and hurt her back and head. She didn’t hold the pole because she was taking the newspaper after that she was stunned on the floor. A nurse on the bus helped her and bus driver didn’t want to call ambulance so he continued until next stop after that he gave up and call them.
How do I proceed to make a complaint against tfl? we’d like action against the negligent and disheveled driver.

You should report the incident to TFL in order that they can investigate the actions of the driver. The bus should have CCTV footage both within and outside of the vehicle and this will show whether the driver acted correctly due to a 3rd party who was negligent and the driver was forced to ‘slam on the brakes’ to avoid a collision, or whether the driver was negligent and driving dangerously.

This is something we can help with on a No Win No Fee basis. Please call our team on 01225430285.

hi,my wife got on a bus with our grandson and dog but before she could sit down the driver pulled away she then fell into the footwell between the seats breaking a rib and causing her considerably amount of pain can she make a claim against the bus company?

Has the accident been reported to the bus company? Has the bus company entered in to any correspondence with your wife since the accident? There is certainly a possibility of making a claim for personal injury compensation and we would like to help in further investigating this for her.

Last April on my way to work, the Bus driver had to brake very hard and I hit my knee so painfully that I had tears in my eyes and was limping.

After lots of Doctor appointments and various scans, I now have learned that I have torn my ACL. After the accident I was just happy to be “alive” and got off the bus at my bus stop and went to work. I now realise that I should have got the bus registration number or reported the incident. As I didn’t I guess that there is no way that I can ever prove that day ruined my life? The injury has had a huge impact on me especially because I used to be a dancer.

If you didn’t report the incident at the time and don’t have a record of the injury with the bus company, there really is nothing that you can now do to pursue a claim. As you appreciate, there is simply no evidence available to support your claim.

Hi,

My wife and 2 kids (both under 5) had an incident when the bus pulled away before they could sit down. The distance between the bus stop and roundabout was only 100 yards away, the bus driver braked so sharply that my wife and children fell down and got hurt. Though they were not seriously hurt but still called the police and ambulance. My wife got bruise on hand and muscle pain since then.

How strong is the case?

There is no obligation on the bus driver to allow passengers to sit before they depart a stop, but they must pay due attention to those passengers who may need a little more time or have extra needs (including a mother with young children).

As the incident was reported and Ambulance attended the scene, it is certainly worth looking further in to this matter.

Hi,

Thank you for your response, would you offer no win no fee if bus company denies the liability?

Amit

Any claim work we and our Solicitors undertake is done on a No Win No Fee basis. Therefore, the only fee any client with us could ever face would be a deduction of up to 25% of any agreed settlement should then win their claim and repayment of any ATE premium should the same be required.

The only caveat to this would be if a claimant were found to have provided false and dishonest information in their claim or if the claimant failed to cooperate with the Solicitor acting for them.

My wife was involved in an accident in Great Yarmouth. The bus she was on was coming to a stop in the bus station. It suddenly breaked hard & my wife was thrown to the floor. She banged her head & hurt her foot, at the time she was seen by an ambulance & sent home. She went to hospital the next day & was found to have broken her foot. We have tried to claim for this with a solicitor & the bus company have said a person walked out in front of the bus so they are not responsible. We don’t have the vehicle or driver information & they are holding it from us (Data protection), they say there is no cctv of the incident so our solicitor will not take it forward. Could you help?

Sadly it would seem that despite your wife’s obvious and nasty injuries, that there is no claim to pursue here. The Bus driver was not acting negligently and given that a pedestrian walked out in to the path of the bus, the driver had no choice other than to slam the brakes on.

To make a claim for personal injury compensation, a claimant must be able to identify an act of negligence on the part of the party they allege caused their injury. Without any evidence to support an allegation of negligence against the bus driver/bus company (and it does not appear that any such evidence would exist), there is simply no claim to pursue.

Injured Bus Passenger Accident Claims – How to Get Compensation