A woman who had legally immigrated to the Bronx and worked as a nanny boarded the BxM3 bus to ride to work. In a freak accident, the bus driver hit the woman with a folding seat injuring her neck. The woman contacted me for help in collecting compensation from the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) for her injury. This week, we settled her claim with an amount that met the value of the case and made the woman happy.
Bus and Subway Cases 
Help, I was Hit in the Rear in a Car Accident
I heard today from a woman who was hit in the rear while stopped at a traffic light. She immediately felt some pain in her back and neck, most likely from the whiplash of moving forward and then her seatbelt… Read More ›
Not Every Case Is a Big Dollar Case, but Every Case Matters
I often hear from potential clients who ask if their case is large enough for me to take. Others wonder if I will devote enough attention to their case if it will not return a large award. I make a… Read More ›
Manhattan Jury Awards $500,000 for Woman Knocked Down by New York City Transit Bus
On September 27, 2010, a Manhattan jury awarded Antonia Reyes $500,000 in compensation for the injuries she suffered when knocked down by a New York City Transit Authority bus. The jury made the award in the case Antonia Reyes v. New York City Transit Authority (Index No. 106304/05).
The case stemmed from a December 23, 2004 incident when Ms. Reyes, at the time a 74-year-old factory worker, crossed 181st Street at the intersection with St. Nicholas Avenue. As she reached the curb, the Bx3 bus pulled up to the intersection and hit Ms. Reyes. The impact, while not very hard, knocked Ms. Reyes to the ground. While some passer-bys offered assistance, Ms. Reyes refused immediate medical attention. Ms. Reyes testified that the bus driver, who was a relief driver temporarily assigned to that route, asked her not to say anything because the bus driver would get in trouble.
Student Put on the Wrong School Bus –Are Those Grounds for a Lawsuit?
I received an inquiry from a woman concerned about a mistake in placing her child on the right school bus. It turns out that on the first day of school, the school aides put her six year old on the wrong school bus. The child eventually made it home, though late, scared and tired. She wanted to know if she could and should sue the school district. I thought I would share my response.
Assuming that your child eventually arrived home safe and sound and suffers no lasting repercussions from this incident, you probably do not have grounds on which to sue the school district. However, I do think it is important that you follow up with the school authorities and the bus company to ensure that this does not happen again to your child or any other student in your school district.
Bus Accident Cases and New York’s Joint and Several Liability Law
A few years ago, a client of mine injured her knee while riding a New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) bus in Brooklyn and she received $150,000 in compensation for her injuries. The resolution of this case illustrates New York’s joint and several liability law and how it often comes into play in bus accident cases.
Decisions at the New York City Transit Authority Get Curiouser and Curiouser: The Transit Authority Law Department Abandons Early Settlements While a Law Department Kick-back Scheme Robs the TA Blind
Will the New York City Transit Authority never learn? Once again, they have set a policy that avoids short-term accountability and will drive up costs at taxpayer expense. At the same time, a Transit Authority employee stole $150,000 from the Transit Authority’s Law Department. Who’s in charge over there?
