PHILADELPHIA – A Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) bus passenger, who was allegedly injured in a collision between the bus and a passing car about two-and-a-half years ago, is seeking for the transportation entity to pay his medical bills for injuries he sustained from the crash.
Sheldon Murphy of Philadelphia filed suit in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas on Feb. 13 versus SEPTA, also of Philadelphia.
On Sept. 23, 2015, Murphy was a lawful passenger on SEPTA Bus No. 66, at or near the intersection of Linden Avenue and Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia, when another vehicle crashed into the bus while it was stopped on the roadway, the suit says. Murphy was uninsured at the time of the accident.
According to the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law (PMVFRL), SEPTA must provide personal injury protection benefits in the amount of $5,000 to eligible claimants who are injured as the result of an accident involving a SEPTA vehicle, the suit says.
However, SEPTA has allegedly refused to pay Murphy’s bills due to this accident, which leaves him eligible for treble damages, in addition to the payment of attorney’s fees.
For the collection of first-party benefits and alleged bad faith, the plaintiff is seeking damages not in excess of $50,000, interest, costs and attorney’s fees.
The plaintiff is represented by Kelsey Gaynier of Joseph Chaiken & Associates, in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas case 180201018
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nickpennrecord@gmail.com