Chicago’s public transit system is one of the largest in the country. According to Chicago’s Regional Transportation Authority, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses and trains provided about 319.2 million rides in 2025. Accidents happen when people take public transit at that scale, and when they do, riders are often unsure whether they can sue a government agency. In Illinois, the CTA is treated differently from most public entities. If you get injured on public transit in 2026, a Chicago, IL personal injury lawyer may be able to help.
Does Illinois Tort Immunity Law Apply to CTA Injury Claims?
The Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act (745 ILCS 10/) limits when injured people can sue local public entities. However, 745 ILCS 10/2-101 excludes entities organized under the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act (70 ILCS 3605/), which created the CTA. The CTA cannot use tort immunity as a defense, as a city department or county agency might. Injured riders can bring standard negligence claims against the CTA. To win, a claimant must show the CTA owed a duty of care, breached that duty, and that the breach caused real injury.