PITTSBURGH – A Pittsburgh woman claims that she suffered severe arm and shoulder injuries due to a fall she took while being a passenger aboard a bus operated by The Port Authority of Allegheny County.
Flora Bagley filed suit in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on April 14 versus The Port Authority of Allegheny County. Both parties are of Pittsburgh.
“On April 26, 2021, at approximately 3 p.m., plaintiff boarded The PAT bus at the station located at 7th Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219, paid the bus fare, and approached an available seat on the bus. Shortly after plaintiff boarded the bus, the driver suddenly accelerated, took a sharp right turn at an unreasonable speed, and without notice, jolted the plaintiff, causing her to lose her balance,” the suit says.
“In an effort to stabilize herself, plaintiff grabbed a handgrip of one of the seats which caused her to slam into the seat and twist her shoulder. In grabbing this handgrip in order to keep herself from falling, plaintiff seriously injured the right side of her body, causing plaintiff severe pain and anguish.”
The suit adds that the defendant, acting by and through its servants, employees and/or personnel, operated the bus and negligently failed to maintain proper speed and control over the bus, while simultaneously, the plaintiff acted reasonably and prudently.
“As a direct and proximate result of defendant’s negligent conduct, plaintiff suffered the following injuries, some or all of which may be permanent: Strains, sprains, contusions of the right shoulder, torn right rotator cuff, right biceps tendon tearing and disruption, severe pain in left biceps, strains and sprains of the back; bruises, contusions and other injuries in or about nerves, muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, tissues and vessels of the left leg and other injuries as the medical records might reveal,” the suit states.
For one count of negligence, the plaintiff is seeking damages in excess of the jurisdictional limits of compulsory arbitration, together with court costs, interest and all other relief permitted by the Court.
The plaintiff is represented by G. Christopher Apessos of Apessos Law, in Pittsburgh.
The defendant has not yet obtained legal counsel.
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas case GD-23-004962
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com