Find a bus accident lawyer in Tempe: Valley Metro, Orbit and the 180-day claim
Hurt on a Tempe bus, Orbit shuttle or train? Valley Metro claims go to its Risk Management office. Arizona gives you 180 days to file a notice of claim against a public agency. If Valley Metro stays silent for 60 days, treat the claim as denied. Then you have one year in total to sue.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (31)
Who runs the buses in Tempe?
More than one group is involved, and that is why these claims get confusing. Tempe has 13 bus routes, two express routes, a free Flash route and six free Orbit neighborhood routes. Light rail has nine stops here. The streetcar runs 3.1 miles with 14 stops.
Valley Metro is a brand name. Valley Metro Rail, Inc. operates light rail, and the Regional Public Transportation Authority handles bus service. Tempe also shares ownership of a 250-bus maintenance yard on Rio Salado Parkway with Scottsdale and Valley Metro.
We could not confirm from public pages which company employs the drivers on a given Tempe route. Tempe's own transit page sends bus, Orbit, rail and streetcar complaints to Valley Metro.
Because of that, a careful claim goes to Valley Metro and, when the city might be involved, to the Tempe City Clerk as well. Sending both costs little. Sending the wrong one and missing 180 days can end the case.
Where do I file a bus accident claim in Tempe?
| What hurt you | File with | How |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Metro bus, light rail or streetcar | Valley Metro Risk Management | 101 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 1300, Phoenix 85003, or [email protected]. |
| City of Tempe bus stop, sidewalk or street | Tempe City Clerk | 31 E. 5th Street, 2nd Floor. Book hand delivery at 480-350-8242 or [email protected]. |
| Bus on an ASU route or ASU property | Arizona Board of Regents, if ASU is at fault | ASU cannot accept a notice of claim. |
| Private tour or charter bus | The bus company and its insurer | No 180-day notice, but the usual 2 years to sue applies. |
Your notice has to do more than say you were hurt. It must give a specific amount you would settle for and the facts that support it. A late claim is barred. Each injured person needs a separate form.
What do I do right after a bus injury in Tempe?
- Tell the operator or a Valley Metro employee. On buses you can also call Customer Service at (602) 253-5000.
- On light rail, use the Alert VM app, a security officer or the emergency call button.
- Write down the route, the bus number and the time. Take a photo of your stop or the seat if you can.
- If police came, ask for the GO number. Tempe Police handle crashes on city streets.
- Get checked the same day. If you waited, say so plainly and do not guess what caused your pain.
- Ask in writing for bus video and the driver's incident report. Arizona public records are open to inspection, with some limits, so ask early.
- Put the date 180 days out on your calendar, and file well before it.
What kinds of bus accidents happen in Tempe?
Some are specific to how Tempe runs transit. Orbit drivers use flag zones, picking up and dropping off in neighborhoods as long as it is safe. So a shuttle can stop where there is no shelter or curb. If you fell getting off in a flag zone, take a photo of the exact ground.
The streetcar shares the road with cars on Mill and Ash avenues. That means bike riders, drivers and people on foot can all come into conflict with it. Tempe counted 37 crashes in five years on the stretch of Mill Avenue and Apache Boulevard between University Drive and College Avenue. If a car hit the bus, the car's driver may be part of the claim too.
Transit agencies must use reasonable care under all the circumstances. That covers how the driver pulled away, braked or helped someone board. Federal rules set separate insurance limits for transit providers, so the public-bus figures you may see online might not apply to you. After a deadly crash, federal rules require drug and alcohol tests as soon as practicable.
How long do I have to sue after a Tempe bus accident?
| Step | Time limit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Notice of claim to a public agency | 180 days | A child may have 180 days after turning 18. |
| Agency response | Deemed denied after 60 days | Valley Metro says the same. |
| Lawsuit against a public agency | 1 year | Superior court. Small claims court cannot hear claims against public bodies. |
| Lawsuit against a private bus company | 2 years | Arizona reduces your award by your share of fault. |
A public agency does not pay punitive damages. It can still pay for medical bills, lost wages and pain.
What should I ask a bus accident lawyer in Tempe?
- Which agencies will you send my notice of claim to?
- What dollar amount will the notice state, and how do we support it?
- How will you ask for the bus video before it is written over?
- If a car caused it, does that driver's insurer pay as well?
Questions
How long do I have to file against Valley Metro?
180 days after the claim arises. Send it to Risk Management at 101 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 1300, or [email protected].
What if Valley Metro never answers my claim?
After 60 days with no response, you can assume it was denied. That is when to talk about filing suit.
Who do I call if I got hurt on an Orbit shuttle?
Tempe sends Orbit complaints to Valley Metro at 602-253-5000 or [email protected]. A complaint does not replace a notice of claim.
Can my child file later if hurt on a Tempe bus?
Arizona gives a minor 180 days after the disability ends, usually at 18. Medical proof fades fast, so do not wait.
Bus accident in Tempe? See if you are owed money.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (31)
- Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Valley Metro Attention: Risk Management 101 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 1300 Phoenix, AZ 85003”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
- Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “If you do not receive a response to your claim within sixty (60) days of your submission, you can assume that the claim has been denied.”
- A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “The claim shall also contain a specific amount for which the claim can be settled and the facts supporting that amount.”
- Valley Metro, Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “On buses, report issues to the operator or a Valley Metro employee, or contact Customer Service at (602) 253-5000”
- City of Tempe, Transit, checked 2026-11-09. “13 bus routes, two express routes, one free Flash route, and six free Orbit neighborhood circulator routes”
- City of Tempe, Transit, checked 2026-11-09. “with nine stops in Tempe”
- City of Tempe, Transit, checked 2026-11-09. “Tempe Streetcar is 3.1 miles long with 14 stops”
- Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Please note, Valley Metro is a brand name only. Valley Metro Rail, Inc. operates light rail service.”
- City of Tempe, Transportation Facilities, checked 2026-11-09. “is a 250-bus maintenance/transit facility and is owned and operated by the cities of Tempe and Scottsdale and Valley Metro”
- City of Tempe, Transit, checked 2026-11-08. “Call 602-253-5000 for bus, Orbit, light rail, streetcar and express route complaints”
- City of Tempe, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “claims must be filed with the City Clerk's Office within 180 days after the cause of action accrues”
- City of Tempe, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “City of Tempe City Clerk's Office 31 E. 5th Street, 2nd Floor Tempe, AZ 85281”
- Arizona Board of Regents, Service of Process, checked 2026-11-08. “are not authorized to accept service of lawsuits or notices of claim”
- A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
- Valley Metro, Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “On rail, riders can use the Alert VM app, speak with a security officer or Customer Experience Representative, or use emergency call buttons”
- Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “If the report you are requesting was the result of a collision that occurred on a town, city or county road, contact the law enforcement agency in that jurisdiction.”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 39-121, checked 2026-11-09. “Public records and other matters in the custody of any officer shall be open to inspection by any person at all times during office hours.”
- City of Tempe, Orbit, checked 2026-11-09. “the driver will pick up and drop off passengers in neighborhoods as long as it's safe”
- Valley Metro, Tempe Streetcar, checked 2026-11-08. “differs from light rail in that it shares the roadway with vehicle traffic”
- Tempe Safety Action Plan, checked 2026-11-08. “Mill Avenue/Apache Boulevard experienced 37 crashes”
- Nunez v. Professional Transit Management of Tucson (Ariz. 2012), checked 2026-11-09. “We hold that the general negligence standard- reasonable care under all the circumstances - applies.”
- 49 CFR 387.33, checked 2026-11-09. “Limits applicable to transit service providers”
- 49 CFR 655.44, checked 2026-11-09. “As soon as practicable following an accident involving the loss of human life, an employer shall conduct drug and alcohol tests”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “a minor or an insane or incompetent person may file a claim within one hundred eighty days after the disability ceases”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “is deemed denied sixty days after the filing of the claim”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 22-503, checked 2026-11-08. “Actions against this state, its political subdivisions or an officer or employee of the state or its political subdivisions in his official capacity.”
- A.R.S. § 12-2505, checked 2026-11-08. “the claimant's action is not barred, but the full damages shall be reduced in proportion to the relative degree of the claimant's fault”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-820.04, checked 2026-11-09. “Neither a public entity nor a public employee acting within the scope of his employment is liable for punitive or exemplary damages.”
- City of Tempe, Orbit, checked 2026-11-09. “please call 602-253-5000 or email Valley Metro at [email protected]”