Public transit claims look like ordinary accident claims and are not. If you were hurt on a CTA bus or train, at a station, or by a transit vehicle while walking or driving, the rules that decide your case are different from the ones that apply to a crash between two private drivers. This page collects every public transportation guide on this site.
The most consequential difference is time. A civil action against the Chicago Transit Authority must be commenced within one year from the date the injury was received or the cause of action accrued, under the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act, 70 ILCS 3605/41. That is half the ordinary two-year deadline, and it is the single most common way a good transit case is lost.
It is worth being precise about what that deadline is, because outdated information circulates widely on this subject. It is a deadline to file the lawsuit, not to send a notice letter. The CTA’s separate six-month written notice requirement was repealed effective June 1, 2009, and the Tort Immunity Act’s general notice provision at 745 ILCS 10/8-102 was repealed back in 1986. Reporting an incident to a driver or station staff is valuable evidence, but it does not satisfy or extend the deadline. Pace, Metra, and suburban municipal systems are separate entities with their own governing statutes, so the applicable deadline should be confirmed rather than assumed.
The law also helps transit passengers in one significant way. A bus or train operator is a common carrier, which in Illinois owes passengers the highest duty of care consistent with the practical operation of its business — a materially higher standard than the ordinary reasonable care owed by a private motorist. Evidence moves fast in these cases: onboard and platform camera footage is frequently overwritten on a short retention cycle, so preserving it is usually the first urgent task.
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Public Transportation Accidents
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Phillips Law Offices handles cta, bus and public transit accident claims cases across Chicago and Illinois. The consultation is free and there is no fee unless we win. Call (312) 346-4262 or contact us online. Our office is at 161 N Clark St Suite 4925, Chicago, IL 60601.
Attorney Advertising. This article provides general information about Illinois law and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Deadlines and outcomes depend on the specific facts of your case — speak to a licensed Illinois attorney about your situation. Contingency fees cover legal fees only. Clients may remain responsible for case costs and expenses such as filing fees, expert witnesses, and medical records; ask any firm to put its cost policy in writing.
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