Man thrown to floor of city bus sues SEPTA

A Montgomery County, Pa. man who alleges he became injured after he was thrown to the floor of a city bus is suing the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.

Philadelphia attorneys Ricky L. Liss and George S. Marion, of the firm Liss & Marion, P.C., filed the personal injury lawsuit Aug. 12 at Philadelphia’s Common Pleas Court.

The plaintiff named in the suit is Jon Ali, of North Hills, Pa.

According to the lawsuit, Ali was riding the number 22 SEPTA bus back on Oct. 5, 2009, when, while in the area of Edgehill and Easton roads in Abington Township, the vehicle suddenly and abruptly accelerated, causing the plaintiff to be to be thrown to the floor of the bus, causing him to sustain various injuries.

As a direct result of the accident, Ali suffered “aches, pains, mental anxiety, anguish and severe shock through his nerves and nervous system,” the lawsuit states.

Ali has also been unable to attend to his usual duties and occupations, “all to his great financial loss and detriment.”

Ali has also had to expend various sums of money on medical care and attention, the lawsuit states, and he has experienced a loss of earnings because of his inability to work.

The complaint alleges that Ali has incurred, or will incur, medical, rehabilitative and other related expenses in excess of the basic personal injury protection benefits required by the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law.

The lawsuit accuses SEPTA of carelessness, negligence and recklessness for allowing its driver to operate a bus in a reckless manner, failing to give proper and sufficient warning to fare-paying passengers, starting and/or accelerating the bus in an “unusual and extraordinary manner,” and failing to remain continually alert while operating said bus.

Ali demands judgment in his favor in a sum greater than $50,000. He has demanded a jury trial.

The case number is 110802314.