Find a bus accident lawyer in McAllen: who runs the bus and how fast to file
Metro McAllen is a city department, so a claim goes to City Risk Management at (956) 681-1410. Texas gives a government at most six months of notice, and a city can set less. We could not confirm a shorter McAllen rule, so file now. Most lawsuits have a 2-year limit.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (37)
Who runs the bus I was on in McAllen?
Start with the name on the side of the bus. Four different kinds of operators use McAllen streets, and each one changes who you notify and how long you have. Central Station is a good example. Metro McAllen runs from 1501 W. U.S. Business 83, Valley Metro uses McAllen Central Station as its main Hidalgo County hub, and Greyhound lists the same street address for its station.
| Bus | Who runs it | Who to notify | Time limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro McAllen routes, the Bridge Route and Micro McAllen | City of McAllen | Risk Management, (956) 681-1410 | Six months at most, possibly less |
| Metro McAllen Paratransit | City of McAllen | Risk Management. The paratransit office is (956) 681-3535 | Six months at most, possibly less |
| Valley Metro | Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council | Call 1-800-574-8322 and ask where claims go. Send it in writing | Treat it as six months |
| McAllen ISD school bus | The school district, (956) 618-6000 | The district's main office, 2000 N. 23rd St. | Six months at most |
| Greyhound or another private carrier | A private company | Its insurer | Generally 2 years |
We could not confirm in writing whether the Development Council counts as a governmental unit for claim purposes. Waiting to find out could cost you the claim, so give notice inside six months anyway.
How do I file a claim against Metro McAllen after a bus crash?
- Open the city's online claim form and choose Personal Injury. In Spanish, use Aviso de Reclamo and choose Lesiones Personales.
- Add your police case number if you know it.
- Write where, when and how you were hurt, in your own words. Add the route number, the direction and the bus number if you saw it.
- Keep a copy and the date you sent it. Hand delivery at City Hall, 1st Floor, gives you a clear date.
- If you work for the city and were on the job, this form is not for you. It makes you confirm you were not a city employee at the time.
We read the charter the city posts and found no claim deadline in it. An ordinance could still set one, so ask Risk Management when you file. The state rule excuses formal notice when the government actually knew about the injury, but that is a hard thing to prove. A driver's incident report may not be enough. Send your own notice.
Who pays after a bus accident in McAllen?
Texas lets people sue a government over harm from the operation or use of a motor vehicle. A city's liability stops at $250,000 per person and $500,000 per crash. Other local government units are limited to $100,000 per person and $300,000 per crash. Those limits count everyone on the bus, which matters when many riders are hurt in one crash. Punitive damages are not available under this law.
If a car hit the bus, that driver's insurer is often first in line, with a Texas minimum of only $30,000 per person. Your claim can run against both. You can recover only if your share of the blame is 50% or less.
Private carriers are different. Federal rules set $5 million in coverage for many for-hire buses with 16 or more seats, and $1.5 million for 15 or fewer. Transit providers fall under separate limits. Texas also holds companies in the transportation business to a high standard of care.
What if my child was hurt on a McAllen ISD bus?
Texas school districts can be sued under this law only for motor vehicle claims. A crash or a driver's mistake usually fits. A fight on the bus usually does not, because the bus has to be more than the place where it happened. Tell the campus in writing the same day and ask the district to save the bus video.
A child's age can pause the lawsuit deadline, but it does not pause the six-month notice. Write down the bus number, the stop and the time.
How do I get the report and video for a McAllen bus crash?
- McAllen Police reports cost $6, or $8 certified. Call Crime Records at (956) 681-2080 to see if yours is ready.
- Ask for bus video in writing through a public information request. We could not find how long Metro McAllen keeps its video, so ask this week.
- After a fatal crash, transit employers must test for drugs and alcohol as soon as practicable.
Questions
How long do I have to sue Metro McAllen?
Give notice within six months at most, and generally sue within 2 years. Confirm any shorter city deadline with Risk Management.
Can I file the city bus claim in Spanish?
Yes. McAllen has a Spanish form called Aviso de Reclamo with a Lesiones Personales option.
Do I need a lawyer for a bus accident in McAllen?
Not to file the notice. A lawyer helps most when many riders share one limit or when you are not sure who ran the bus.
Bus accident in McAllen? See if you are owed money.
A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
See if I’m owed moneySources (37)
- City of McAllen, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “McAllen Public Utility Metro McAllen Municipal Court”
- City of McAllen, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “1300 Houston Ave. City Hall - 1st Floor McAllen, TX 78501 (956)681-1410”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
- Martinez v. Val Verde County Hospital District (Tex. 2004), checked 2026-11-09. “The lower courts held that it is not,[2] and we agree.”
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.023, checked 2026-11-09. “Liability of a municipality under this chapter is limited to money damages in a maximum amount of $250,000 for each person and $500,000 for each single occurrence”
- Metro McAllen, Contact Us, checked 2026-11-08. “1501 W U.S. Business 83 Suite 100”
- Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council, Valley Metro, checked 2026-11-09. “Main transfer hub: McAllen Central Station (downtown McAllen) Service hours are typically Monday - Saturday, from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Office Number: 1.800.574.8322”
- Greyhound, McAllen Bus Station, checked 2026-11-09. “1501 US-83 Bus Mcallen, TX 78501”
- Metro McAllen, checked 2026-11-09. “See schedule times for Bridge Route”
- Metro McAllen, checked 2026-11-09. “Micro McAllen is a short ride system to get to local Metro McAllen routes or certain locations.”
- Metro McAllen, Services, checked 2026-11-09. “call the Metro McAllen Paratransit (MMP) office (956) 681-3535”
- Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council, Valley Metro, checked 2026-11-09. “The Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council provides public transportation in urbanized and non-urbanized areas of the lower Rio Grande Valley through its transit department, Valley Metro.”
- McAllen ISD, Transportation, checked 2026-11-09. “McAllen Independent School District 2000 N. 23rd St. McAllen, TX 78501 956-618-6000”
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.101, checked 2026-11-09. “not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred”
- City of McAllen Risk Management, Submit a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Property Damage Personal Injury”
- City of McAllen Risk Management, Aviso de Reclamo, checked 2026-11-08. “Daños a la Propiedad .. Lesiones Personales”
- City of McAllen Risk Management, Submit a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “INCLUDE A POLICE CASE NUMBER, IF KNOWN”
- City of McAllen Risk Management, Submit a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “describe in your own words where , when , and how the damage or injury occurred”
- City of McAllen Risk Management, Submit a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I AM NOT UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE CITY OF MCALLEN AT THE TIME OF OCCURRENCE”
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.101, checked 2026-11-09. “do not apply if the governmental unit has actual notice”
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.021, checked 2026-11-09. “arises from the operation or use of a motor-driven vehicle or motor-driven equipment”
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.023, checked 2026-11-09. “liability of a unit of local government under this chapter is limited to money damages in a maximum amount of $100,000 for each person and $300,000 for each single occurrence”
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.024, checked 2026-11-09. “This chapter does not authorize exemplary damages.”
- Tex. Transp. Code § 601.072(a-1), checked 2026-11-08. “(1) $30,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person in one collision; (2) $60,000 for bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in one collision, subject to the amount provided by Subdivision (1) for bodily injury to or death of one of the persons; and (3) $25,000 for damage to or destruction of property of others in one collision.”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-08. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
- 49 CFR 387.33, checked 2026-11-09. “seating capacity of 16 passengers or more, including the driver $5,000,000”
- 49 CFR 387.33, checked 2026-11-09. “seating capacity of 15 passengers or less, including the driver 1,500,000”
- 49 CFR 387.33, checked 2026-11-09. “Limits applicable to transit service providers”
- Speed Boat Leasing v. Elmer (Tex. 2003), checked 2026-11-09. “the high standard of care associated with common carriers”
- Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 101.051, checked 2026-11-09. “Except as to motor vehicles, this chapter does not apply to a school district or to a junior college district.”
- LeLeaux v. Hamshire-Fannett ISD (Tex. 1992), checked 2026-11-09. “When an injury occurs on a school bus but does not arise out of the use or operation of the bus, and the bus is only the setting for the injury, immunity for liability is not waived.”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001, checked 2026-11-08. “the time of the disability is not included in a limitations period”
- McAllen Police Department, FAQ, checked 2026-11-08. “All accident reports are $6.00 dollars and certified copies of accident reports are $8.00 dollars.”
- McAllen Police Department, FAQ, checked 2026-11-08. “inquiry on the status of your report at (956) 681-2080”
- City of McAllen, Public Information Request, checked 2026-11-09. “A public information request must be in writing.”
- 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”