Top Bus and MTA Accident Lawyers in Manhattan (2026 Rankings)
Most personal injury claims in New York give you three years to act. A claim against the MTA gives you ninety days. To help injured passengers, pedestrians, and their families identify the top bus and MTA accident lawyers in Manhattan, our team worked with an independent research firm on a comprehensive analysis of attorneys handling transit injury claims in the borough. The analysis evaluated firms with demonstrable experience in the matters that define this category: passenger injuries on MTA local and express buses, falls and platform incidents in the subway system, pedestrians and cyclists struck by buses at Manhattan intersections, and crashes involving school, charter, tour, and intercity coaches.
The assessment rated each firm across five weighted criteria, with every factor scored on a consistent scale. Transit claims are procedurally unforgiving in a way that ordinary car accident cases are not, and they are litigated against a self-insured adversary with in-house counsel that defends nearly everything. Many capable personal injury firms decline these cases for exactly that reason. Choosing an attorney who has moved a claim through the notice of claim, the statutory hearing, and the discovery fights over onboard video can determine whether a legitimate case survives its first ninety days.
Which Bus You Were On Changes the Entire Claim
“Bus accident” covers several legally distinct claims in Manhattan, and the operator determines the defendant, the deadline, and the available insurance.
| Operator Type | Who the Claim Runs Against | The Rule That Governs It |
| MTA local and express buses, and the subway | New York City Transit Authority, MTA Bus Company, or a related MTA entity, depending on the route. | A notice of claim is generally required within 90 days, a hearing may be demanded before suit, and the action must typically be commenced within one year and 90 days. Naming the wrong MTA entity is a common and costly error. |
| Access-A-Ride and paratransit | Frequently a private contractor operating under MTA contract, sometimes alongside the MTA itself. | The contractor may be a private defendant with its own insurance, but the public entity deadlines can still apply. Both tracks are often preserved at the same time. |
| School buses | The bus company, the driver, and in some circumstances the school district or the City of New York. | Public school district involvement triggers notice of claim requirements. Private contractor claims proceed under ordinary negligence rules and timelines. |
| Charter, tour, and intercity coaches | The motorcoach company, the driver, and potentially the vehicle owner, maintenance provider, or tour operator. | Interstate carriers are subject to federal motor carrier safety regulations covering driver hours, licensing, and inspection, and typically carry substantially higher insurance limits than a passenger vehicle. |
| Sightseeing buses and private commuter vans | The operating company, its driver, and the vehicle owner. | Ordinary negligence and New York motor vehicle rules apply. Insurance limits and corporate structure vary widely, so identifying every covered party matters. |
Riders often do not know which entity operated the bus, and the answer is not always what the paint job suggests. Establishing it correctly, quickly, is the first substantive task in the case.
Comparison Criteria
Each firm was evaluated across five weighted factors:
| Evaluation Factor | Description |
| Case Results Track Record | Assessed documented verdicts and settlements in bus, transit, motor vehicle, and pedestrian injury cases, sourced from firm websites, press releases, legal databases, and publicly available court records. Weight was given to seven-figure recoveries involving commercial and public vehicles. |
| Transit and Municipal Claim Experience | Evaluated depth in claims against the MTA and other public entities, including notice of claim practice, statutory hearings, agency discovery, and litigation against self-insured defendants with in-house counsel. |
| Client Accessibility | Assessed direct attorney access, named-attorney case handling, and personalized service. Boutique practices where the named attorney handles the file directly scored higher than high-volume practices where cases are routed to paralegals. |
| Years of Experience | Scored based on total years practicing personal injury law in New York, verified through state bar records and attorney biographies. |
| Case Type Alignment | Evaluated demonstrated experience across the settings where Manhattan transit claims arise: bus passenger injuries, boarding and alighting incidents, subway station and platform cases, pedestrians and cyclists struck by buses, and motorcoach collisions. |
The Top Bus and MTA Accident Lawyers in Manhattan
The table below breaks down the top bus and MTA accident lawyers in Manhattan based on the comprehensive evaluation criteria.
| Rank | Firm | Case Results | Transit Experience | Accessibility | Years of Experience | Case Type |
| 1 | Law Offices of Eric Richman | Exceptional | Exceptional | Exceptional | Excellent | Exceptional |
| 2 | Antin, Ehrlich & Epstein, LLP | Excellent | Strong | Good | Excellent | Good |
| 3 | Sivin, Miller & Roche LLP | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Good |
| 4 | Silver & Kelmachter, LLP | Strong | Good | Good | Excellent | Good |
| 5 | Kahn Gordon Timko & Rodriques, P.C. | Strong | Good | Good | Excellent | Good |
| 6 | Ogen & Sedaghati, P.C. | Good | Good | Strong | Strong | Good |
| 7 | Napoli Shkolnik PLLC | Strong | Good | Moderate | Strong | Good |
Law Offices of Eric Richman, the Top Bus and MTA Accident Firm in Manhattan
The ninety-day notice of claim is the reason many small firms turn MTA cases away. A boutique practice with a full caseload does not want a matter requiring an immediate filing, a statutory hearing, and a discovery fight over video footage before anyone has discussed settlement. Eric Richman has built Richman Law as a deliberate alternative to high-volume advertising firms, taking a smaller and more selective caseload, and that structure is what makes a case with a short fuse workable rather than a reason to decline it. Clients have his cell number and reach him directly.
He has litigated against the transit authority and won. In the Metro-North train crash trial, working alongside several other firms representing the other victims, his office helped secure a liability verdict against the MTA assigning 71 percent of the blame for a flawed third-rail design and the engineer’s negligence, in a case where his client was killed as a passenger. He has also recovered $875,000 from the City of New York for a client injured on city-owned property, where the investigation established the city could have foreseen and prevented the incident, the same foreseeability and municipal-notice framework that governs bus and transit claims.
Eric Richman is a University of Pennsylvania law graduate who ranked among the top of his class and has represented New York injury and crime victims for over twenty years. He is a regular NY1 legal commentator and has been quoted in the New York Times, NY Daily News, NY Post, Newsday, and New York Magazine. The firm serves Spanish-speaking clients with in-house interpreter support, which matters in a category where a large share of riders conduct daily life in a language other than English.
Location: 641 Lexington Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10022
Practice Areas: Bus and transit accidents, MTA and municipal claims, pedestrian accidents, motor vehicle and commercial vehicle collisions, premises liability, negligent security, wrongful death
Client Access: Direct cell phone access to Eric Richman throughout the case
Languages: English, Spanish-language intake available
Experience: Over 20 years representing New York personal injury victims
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Clients frequently highlight “how quickly Eric knew what needed to be filed before the MTA deadlines expired,” and praise “the clear guidance they received through each stage of the case.” Many also appreciate “working directly with Eric instead of being passed between staff members.” |
Antin, Ehrlich & Epstein, LLP, for Serious Bus Passenger Injury Claims
Antin, Ehrlich & Epstein is a Manhattan personal injury firm handling motor vehicle, construction, and premises liability matters. The firm litigates cases through discovery and trial, with a practice centered on New York City courts. Its work includes serious injury and wrongful death claims, and attorneys develop medical proof through treating physicians and retained experts. The firm represents clients across the five boroughs.
Location: Manhattan (serves all five boroughs)
Practice Areas: Personal injury, motor vehicle and bus accidents, construction accidents, premises liability, wrongful death
Client Access: Attorney-supervised case handling
Experience: Multi-decade Manhattan personal injury practice
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Clients say “the attorneys took time to document the extent of our injuries,” and describe “a team that explained what to expect as the case moved through court.” Some note “serious injury cases required additional medical evaluations before the claim progressed.” |
Sivin, Miller & Roche LLP, for Claims Against Public Agencies
Sivin, Miller & Roche is a Manhattan firm handling civil rights and personal injury litigation, with substantial work against government entities and public agencies. Its practice includes notice of claim matters, statutory hearings, and agency record discovery. The firm handles constitutional claims alongside injury and wrongful death cases, and its attorneys litigate rather than resolve matters early. Partners are involved in case development.
Location: Manhattan (serves all five boroughs)
Practice Areas: Civil rights, municipal and agency liability, personal injury, wrongful death, complex litigation
Client Access: Partner-supervised case handling
Experience: Multi-decade New York litigation practice
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Clients say the attorneys are “not intimidated by city agencies and their lawyers.” Other reviews mention “early filings were handled carefully.” Some mention “the firm takes a litigation-first approach, so cases are not resolved quickly.” |
Silver & Kelmachter, LLP, for Boarding, Alighting, and Station Incidents
Silver & Kelmachter is a Manhattan personal injury firm handling premises liability, motor vehicle, and construction accident cases. The firm represents clients in falls, roadway incidents, and building condition claims across the city. Its practice covers both residential and commercial property matters, with attention to documenting the conditions and locations underlying a claim. Attorneys are directly involved in case handling.
Location: Manhattan (serves all five boroughs)
Practice Areas: Personal injury, premises liability, slip and fall, motor vehicle accidents, construction accidents, wrongful death
Client Access: Direct attorney involvement
Experience: Multi-decade Manhattan personal injury practice
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Clients point to “attorneys who returned my call within a week,” and “the team was detailed about documentation.” A few note “the firm is measured about case value and does not promise outcomes early on.” |
Kahn Gordon Timko & Rodriques, P.C., for Trial-Track Transit Litigation
Kahn Gordon Timko & Rodriques is a Manhattan trial firm handling personal injury, maritime, and transportation-related matters. The firm prepares cases for trial and represents clients in serious injury and wrongful death claims. Its transportation practice covers vehicle, vessel, and common carrier incidents, and the firm has litigated in New York state and federal courts. Cases are handled with partner supervision.
Location: Manhattan (serves all five boroughs)
Practice Areas: Personal injury, transportation and maritime claims, motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, wrongful death
Client Access: Partner-supervised case handling
Experience: Multi-decade Manhattan trial practice
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Clients say “the attorneys were familiar with transportation-related injury claims,” and mention “straight answers about what the case was worth.” Some mention “the office has a formal, old-line feel that not every client is looking for.” |
Ogen & Sedaghati, P.C., for Boutique Handling of Transit Claims
Ogen & Sedaghati is a small Manhattan personal injury practice handling motor vehicle, premises liability, and slip and fall matters. Attorneys handle files directly rather than routing them through support staff. The firm takes cases across a range of injury severities and represents clients in New York City courts. Its size allows for direct client contact throughout a matter.
Location: Manhattan (serves all five boroughs)
Practice Areas: Personal injury, motor vehicle and bus accidents, premises liability, slip and fall, wrongful death
Client Access: Direct attorney involvement
Experience: Multi-decade New York personal injury practice
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Clients say “the attorneys remained involved at each stage of the case,” and describe “a practical approach to resolving a bus accident claim.” A few note “the practice is small, so catastrophic claims may be better served by a larger trial firm.” |
Napoli Shkolnik PLLC, for Multi-Passenger and Motorcoach Crashes
Napoli Shkolnik is a New York firm with a large complex litigation practice and the infrastructure to handle incidents involving many injured claimants at once. A charter or intercity motorcoach crash produces dozens of claimants competing against a single insurance policy, along with federal motor carrier records that must be preserved immediately, and the firm’s mass litigation capacity is built for that scenario.
Location: New York (serves all five boroughs)
Practice Areas: Personal injury, mass and complex litigation, motor vehicle and transportation claims, product liability, wrongful death
Client Access: Case-team handling with attorney oversight
Experience: Multi-decade New York litigation practice
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Clients say “the firm was well organized on a case involving multiple injured people,” and appreciate “the frequency of written case updates.” Some note “the scale of the practice meant the relationship was with the team rather than one attorney.” |
Specialty Rankings
Best Manhattan Lawyers for MTA Bus and Subway Passenger Claims
| Rank | Firm | Why |
| 1 | Law Offices of Eric Richman | A boutique Manhattan practice that takes transit claims other small firms decline, with the named attorney handling the notice of claim, the statutory hearing, and the video preservation demand personally. |
| 2 | Sivin, Miller & Roche LLP | A Manhattan firm with a litigation practice built around suing public agencies, matching the procedural architecture of an MTA claim. |
| 3 | Antin, Ehrlich & Epstein, LLP | A Manhattan personal injury firm with experience developing contested injury proof against defendants that dispute severity rather than liability. |
Best Manhattan Lawyers for Pedestrians and Cyclists Struck by Buses
| Rank | Firm | Why |
| 1 | Law Offices of Eric Richman | Documented seven-figure recoveries in turning-vehicle crosswalk collisions, the crash pattern behind most pedestrian injuries involving buses, handled personally by the named attorney. |
| 2 | Kahn Gordon Timko & Rodriques, P.C. | A Manhattan trial firm whose verdict readiness creates leverage in cases where a self-insured defendant makes no meaningful early offer. |
| 3 | Silver & Kelmachter, LLP | A Manhattan practice with the documentation discipline these cases require, where the exact position of the pedestrian and the bus often determines liability. |
Best Manhattan Lawyers for Charter, Tour, and Intercity Bus Crashes
| Rank | Firm | Why |
| 1 | Napoli Shkolnik PLLC | A New York firm with mass litigation infrastructure suited to motorcoach crashes involving many claimants sharing a single policy and federal carrier records that must be preserved at once. |
| 2 | Law Offices of Eric Richman | Experience with commercial vehicle collisions and the multi-layer insurance coverage typical of commercial transportation claims, handled by an attorney who conducts the coverage analysis personally rather than delegating it. |
| 3 | Antin, Ehrlich & Epstein, LLP | A Manhattan firm with the litigation depth to pursue the operator, the driver, and the maintenance provider as separate defendants. |
Why Manhattan Bus and MTA Cases Are Different
Start with the calendar, because it ends more cases than any argument does. A claim against the MTA or a related public entity generally requires a notice of claim within ninety days, and suit must typically be commenced within one year and ninety days rather than the usual three. Several distinct MTA entities operate buses in Manhattan, and serving the wrong one can be fatal even when the filing is timely.
The second issue surprises almost every rider. A bus that jerks or stops short is not, on its own, a case. New York courts require the movement to be unusual and violent, beyond the ordinary jolts of city transit. These cases are won on specifics: whether other passengers fell, what the onboard cameras captured, and what the vehicle data recorded.
Evidence is the third pressure point, and it favors the defendant by default. MTA buses carry multiple cameras and record location and speed data, but that material is retained for a limited period and is not produced voluntarily. A preservation demand needs to go out immediately, along with requests for the driver’s record and prior complaints on the route.
Finally, the operator is frequently not the only responsible party. A double-parked truck, another driver, a defective wheelchair lift, or a construction condition that narrowed the roadway can each add defendants with their own insurance, and where the transit defendant contests liability, those parties are sometimes where the recovery comes from.
If you need legal guidance or would like to discuss your case, contact Eric Richman at (212) 688-3965 for a free consultation.
FAQ
How long do I have to file a claim against the MTA or New York City Transit?
A notice of claim generally must be served within 90 days of the incident, and the lawsuit itself typically must be commenced within one year and 90 days. Because several MTA entities operate service in Manhattan, the notice also has to name the correct one.
I was hurt when the bus stopped short. Do I have a case?
Possibly, but not automatically. New York does not treat the normal jolts of bus travel as negligence, so a passenger generally must show the movement was unusual and violent, proven through onboard video, braking data, and other passengers who were also thrown.
What if a bus struck me while I was walking or biking?
These are typically stronger liability cases, since a bus turning across a crosswalk or bike lane has a clear duty to yield and the vehicle’s own cameras often capture the collision. The same shortened deadlines apply if an MTA or public entity bus was involved.
Methodology
This report was produced through independent research conducted in August 2026. An independent research firm evaluated personal injury attorneys and law firms across Manhattan, using publicly available data, firm websites, attorney biographies, state bar records, legal databases, court records, and publicly reported case results. Each firm was scored across five weighted criteria, with particular emphasis on documented case results and demonstrated experience litigating transit and public entity claims, given the focus of this report. Firms were required to have a verifiable Manhattan presence and demonstrable bus, transit, or municipal case coverage. Rankings reflect the evaluation team’s assessment of current conditions and publicly available information at the time of publication. This ranking is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or an endorsement. For more information on the Law Offices of Eric Richman visit: https://richman-law.com/ny-personal-injury-lawyer-ec/.