School bus accidents in the Las Vegas metro area and across Clark County put Nevada’s most vulnerable passengers — children — at serious risk of injury. When a school bus is struck by another vehicle, rolls over due to driver error, or is involved in a pedestrian accident at a school bus stop, the children aboard suffer injuries ranging from whiplash and soft tissue injuries to traumatic brain injuries and spinal fractures. Nevada law governing school bus accident liability involves multiple potential defendants: the school district, if the bus driver was employed by a public school district and the accident resulted from negligent driving or inadequate driver training; the private transportation contractor, if the school district contracted bus service to a private company; and the at-fault driver of the other vehicle involved in the collision. Claims against public school districts in Nevada involve the Nevada Tort Claims Act and specific notice requirements that must be followed to preserve the injured child’s rights. Marathon Law Group represents Las Vegas children and families injured in school bus accidents throughout Clark County and Nevada.
Nevada Tort Claims Act, Notice Requirements, and School Bus Accident Liability
Claims against Clark County School District (CCSD) or other Nevada public school districts for school bus accident injuries are subject to the Nevada Tort Claims Act (NRS Chapter 41). A claimant must file a written notice of claim with the school district within two years of the injury under NRS 41.036 — failure to provide timely notice can bar the claim entirely. The notice must include the claimant’s name and address, the date, time, and location of the accident, the nature of the injury, and the amount of damages claimed. After filing the notice, the claimant must wait 90 days for the district to respond before filing suit. Nevada’s tort immunity for government entities does not apply to negligent driving by government employees acting within the scope of their employment — a school bus driver’s negligent operation of the bus subjects the district to liability for resulting injuries under respondeat superior principles. For accidents caused by a third-party driver who struck the school bus, the injured child’s family can pursue a direct negligence claim against that driver and their insurer without the Tort Claims Act notice requirements. Given the complexity of school bus accident claims involving public entities, strict notice deadlines, and often catastrophic injuries to children, Marathon Law Group advises Las Vegas families to consult an attorney immediately after a school bus accident to protect their child’s legal rights.