Grand Rapids is a busy transit hub, from The Rapid’s routes downtown to the school buses and charter coaches on the highways around Kent County. When one of those buses is in a crash, the injuries are often severe, and the claims are rarely simple. Finding the right Grand Rapids bus accident lawyer should never add to your family’s worry.
At Christensen Law, we listen to your story with compassion, we protect you from insurance company pressure, and we fight for the full recovery you deserve. We have stood up for injured people across Michigan since 1991, and we bring that same relentless care to every bus accident claim in Grand Rapids and Kent County.
Our firm was built on three principles: listen, protect, and win. That philosophy has guided us to record results, including a $17.8 million motor vehicle verdict, and a $9.5 million wrongful death recovery. When a bus crash leaves you or someone you love injured, our team is ready to step in, and carry the legal burden for you.
Call Christensen Law 24/7 at (616) 512-0718 for a free, no-risk consultation. From the D to the UP, Proven Expertise, Powerful Results.
CHRISTENSEN LAW HAS A 24 HOUR RAPID RESPONSE SERVICE
How Can Our Grand Rapids Bus Accident Lawyers Help You?
Our Grand Rapids bus accident lawyers help by handling every part of your claim, so you can focus on healing. From the first phone call, we take on the insurance companies, the investigation, and the mountain of paperwork on your behalf.
Buses leave behind a rich trail of evidence, and that evidence can disappear quickly. We move fast to preserve black box data, driver logbooks, dispatch records, onboard camera footage, and maintenance histories before they are lost or overwritten.
We also work closely with your doctors, so your medical needs are fully documented. Our team accounts for future care, including long-term attendant care, lost earning capacity, and the daily support a catastrophic injury can require.
Here is what our clients can count on from us:
- A thorough, independent investigation of how and why the crash happened
- Direct communication with insurers, so you never face them alone
- A case prepared for trial from day one, not built around a quick settlement
- Honest, plain-language updates at every stage of your claim
We treat every client like family, and we prepare every case as if a jury will decide it. Preparing for trial is not about rushing to court. It is about building a case so strong that the other side has every reason to settle fairly, and every reason to worry about a jury if they do not.
When you call us, you reach a team that has handled catastrophic injury cases across the state. That experience shapes every decision we make, from the questions we ask on day one, to the way we present your story in the courtroom.
Types of Bus Accidents We Handle in Grand Rapids
We handle bus accident claims of every kind in Grand Rapids, from public transit crashes to school bus and charter bus wrecks. Each type of bus, and each type of owner, brings its own rules and its own insurance questions.
Grand Rapids sees a steady mix of transit buses, yellow school buses, motor coaches, and shuttle vans. Each of these vehicles is heavy, hard to stop, and capable of causing serious harm to riders, drivers, and people on foot. Our team represents people hurt in situations like these:
- Public transit crashes involving The Rapid, including the Silver Line and Laker Line routes
- Charter, tour, and casino shuttle bus collisions
- School bus accidents involving children or other drivers
- Airport and hotel shuttle crashes near Gerald R. Ford International Airport
- Pedestrians and bicyclists struck by a bus
- Passengers thrown or injured while riding
No matter which kind of bus was involved, we build your case around the facts, and the law that fits your situation. The sooner we get started, the more evidence we can protect for you.
Who Is Liable in a Grand Rapids Bus Crash?
Liability in a Grand Rapids bus crash can rest with more than one party, and finding every responsible party is often the key to a full recovery. A single collision may involve the driver, the company that owns the bus, a maintenance contractor, another motorist, or even the maker of a defective part.
Bus companies are treated as common carriers under Michigan law, which means they owe their passengers a very high duty of care. When that duty is broken, the company, and not just the driver, can be held accountable for the harm.
Commercial buses generate the same kinds of records that big-rig trucks do. Driver hours, inspection logs, and electronic data can reveal fatigue, poor maintenance, or a company that cut corners on safety.
Michigan also follows a modified comparative fault rule. In general, an injured person can still recover compensation even if partly at fault, as long as they are not more than 50 percent responsible for the crash.
Because many bus crashes also involve other passenger vehicles, our Grand Rapids car accident lawyers often work alongside our bus injury team on the same case. We treat every bus case as a full investigation, not a quick claim, and we pursue every source of recovery available for your Michigan bus accident claims.
How Does Michigan No-Fault Insurance Apply to Bus Accidents?
Under Michigan’s no-fault system, your own Personal Injury Protection benefits, known as PIP, generally pay first for medical care and lost wages, no matter who caused the crash. These first-party benefits can cover hospital bills, rehabilitation, attendant care, and a portion of lost income while you recover.
PIP benefits are meant to start paying while your case is still being worked out. That safety net can cover reasonable medical treatment, replacement services at home, and mileage to appointments, among other costs.
No-fault does not end there, though. When an injury is serious, you may also bring a third-party lawsuit against the at-fault party for pain, suffering, and other losses that PIP does not pay. To bring that claim, Michigan law requires a serious impairment of body function, or a permanent, serious disfigurement.
Because bus crashes often cause exactly these kinds of catastrophic injuries, many riders and pedestrians do qualify for a third-party claim. For a bus passenger, the question of which insurer pays first can depend on your own auto policy, a resident relative’s policy, or the state’s assigned claims plan. We sort through that priority puzzle, so your benefits are not delayed.
Injured on a Rapid Transit Bus in Kent County?
If you were injured on a Rapid transit bus in Kent County, special rules apply, because The Rapid is a public agency, and not a private company. The Rapid, formally the Interurban Transit Partnership, provides fixed-route and paratransit service across six member cities in the Grand Rapids area.
The Rapid carries riders throughout Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids, Grandville, Kentwood, Walker, and Wyoming. Its buses share the road with cars, cyclists, and pedestrians every day, and crashes do happen.
Claims against a government agency are governed by Michigan’s governmental immunity law. While public agencies are usually shielded from lawsuits, there is an important motor vehicle exception that allows recovery for injuries caused by the negligent operation of a government-owned vehicle.
These government claims also come with strict, short notice deadlines that are far tighter than the deadlines in an ordinary crash. Missing one of them can end a claim before it begins, so speaking with a lawyer right away is critical.
We handle the extra steps a government claim requires, from filing proper notice, to gathering agency records. You focus on your recovery, while we manage the deadlines, and the paperwork.
Common Injuries in Grand Rapids Bus Accidents
Because buses are large, and because passengers usually ride without seat belts, Grand Rapids bus accidents can cause severe, life-changing injuries. The force involved can throw riders into hard surfaces, or crush smaller vehicles and pedestrians in a bus’s path.
We see clients living with some of the most serious injuries a crash can cause, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, and concussions
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Severe burns from post-crash fires
- Broken bones and crush injuries
- Internal organ damage
These injuries often demand surgery, long rehabilitation, and lifelong attendant care, and we make sure those future needs are counted in your claim. A catastrophic injury reshapes daily life for the whole family, not just the person who was hurt. Spouses become caregivers, parents miss work, and homes may need costly changes to stay safe and accessible.
In the hardest cases, a family loses a loved one entirely. When we handle a wrongful death claim, our focus is never on money for its own sake, but on justice, and on the resources a grieving family needs to move forward.
The attorneys and staff there are amazing and really care about their clients where you're treated with care and not... Jason Waddell From the 1st interaction with Christensen Law it was a positive, wonderful experience! Dustin, Samantha and the entire staff, had... Susan Schroeder They took amazing care of my uncle after his accident. I would recommend then to anyone injured in an auto... Steve Huber They were well-versed in the intricacies of the law and provided me with clear explanations of my rights and legal... Shana Goodrich I presented to them a situation that was quite scary and financially overwhelming. David and his kind staff listened to... Wendy Henn Thanks to Dave, Stephanie, and Michelle for getting me through this hard time. I didn't know what to do, I... Tim Taylor Christianson Law stepped in after my motorcycle accident when another firm had dropped the ball—and they completely and very quickly... Erin Magee They were communicative, compassionate, made the process easy for me to understand. I was able to effectively receive a size-able... Wren Bell He, Samantha, and the entire staff at Christensen Law treated me like family, demonstrating kindness, expertise, and a genuine interest... Janelle Garza The Christensen Law firm, compassionate approach to my injuries. Their attentive listening, and thorough understanding are truly commendable I highly... Mr. Douglas Whole team of Christensen law is amazing and wonderful from start to finish. They often contact me to see how... Amandeep Sohal From start to finish, the entire team was professional, compassionate, and dedicated to achieving the best possible outcome for me.... Gjon Ivezaj
I recommend all of my friends and family to Christensen Law.
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If it wasn't for Christensen Law, I don't know where I would be today.
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I had an excellent experience working with Christensen Law on my settlement case.
Why Families Across Michigan Trust Christensen Law
For more than 35 years, families across Michigan have trusted us to stand beside them after a catastrophic crash. We are trial lawyers first, and we treat every client like a member of our own family. People searching for a bus accident lawyer in Grand Rapids, MI want a team that will truly go the distance, and that is exactly who we are.
Our firm is led by two respected advocates. Founder David Christensen is a Michigan Lawyers Weekly Hall of Fame attorney, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, or ABOTA, and he holds the AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Managing Partner Sarah Stempky-Kime is a recognized Leader in the Law, and she is also an ABOTA member.
As Sarah puts it, the client is the most important part of every case. We let the treatment team tell the medical story, and we let the evidence speak for itself, while we carry the fight to the insurance companies.
That approach has produced results like a $17.8 million motor vehicle verdict, and a $9.5 million wrongful death recovery, along with a client rating of 4.9 to 5.0 stars across our offices. There is never a fee unless we win, and consultations are always free. Call us 24/7 at (616) 512-0718, and let us listen to your story.
FAQs Answered by a Bus Accident Lawyer in Grand Rapids
Here are answers to some of the questions we hear most often from injured riders and their families in Grand Rapids.
Hiring a Grand Rapids bus injury attorney from our firm costs nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee, which means we are paid only if we recover money for you, and your first consultation is always free.
Michigan generally gives injured people three years to file a personal injury lawsuit, under state law. Claims involving a public transit agency like The Rapid can carry much shorter notice deadlines, though, so understanding the Michigan personal injury case timeline early can protect your claim.
You may still recover compensation even if you were partly at fault. Under Michigan’s comparative fault rule, you can generally recover as long as you were not more than 50 percent responsible, although your award may be reduced by your share of fault.
Yes, pedestrians struck by a bus can often recover both PIP benefits, and third-party compensation. Michigan’s no-fault system provides a path to medical and wage-loss benefits, even when you were not in a vehicle at the time.
You are not required to give a recorded statement to the other side’s insurer, and you should talk to a lawyer first. Insurance adjusters often use recorded statements, early lowball offers, and requests for independent medical exams to reduce what they pay, so it helps to have someone protecting you.
Compensation can include medical bills, lost wages, future care, and pain and suffering. In a wrongful death case, it can also help provide for a family’s future, and hold the responsible party accountable.
Talk With a Grand Rapids Bus Accident Lawyer Today
You do not have to face the insurance companies alone, and you do not have to work through Michigan’s complicated bus injury rules by yourself. Our Grand Rapids bus accident lawyers are ready to listen to your story, protect your rights, and fight for the justice you and your family deserve.
A Grand Rapids bus accident lawyer from our firm is only a phone call away. Reach us any time at our Grand Rapids office, at 401 Hall St SW, Suite 185L, or call 24/7 at (616) 512-0718 for a free, no-risk consultation. Serving all of Michigan, from the D to the UP.
