Alton District 11 sued by work-study attendee injured on school bus ride

A woman blames her injuries on an Alton school bus driver, who she claims drove over a curb, causing her to bounce out of her seat.

Shadawanda Smith filed a lawsuit July 9 in Madison County Circuit Court against Alton Community Unit School District No. 11.

In her complaint, Smith alleges she was riding on a school bus, which was driven by an unknown bus driver, on March 14, 2012, when the driver attempted to turn from Central Avenue into a parking lot for St. Anthony’s Hospital. Smith was being transported on the bus as part of a work-study program at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Alton, according to the complaint.

As the driver was turning into the parking lot, he failed to see a curb and drove over it, causing the bus to bounce, the suit states.

Because of the incident, Smith became sick, sore, lame and disordered; suffered great pain and anguish; experienced head, neck, shoulder, left wrist, chest, hips, back and leg injuries; and was required to take various medications because of her injuries, the complaint says.

Smith blames the school district for causing her injuries, saying its driver failed to keep the bus under proper control, failed to properly turn into a parking lot, attempted to turn when it was not safe to do so, drove in such a manner as to strike the curb and drove too fast.

In her complaint, Smith is seeking a judgment of more than $100,000, plus costs.

Richard G. Reed of Belleville will be representing her.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 13-L-1141.