BELLEVILLE — Bi-State and one of its bus drivers are facing a suit after a passenger claims he was thrown from his motorized scooter and suffered severe injuries.
Leonard Smith filed a complaint April 9 in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit for St. Clair County against Bi-State Regional Development Agency and Terry Perry alleging negligence.
Smith alleges in his complaint that he was a passenger on a vehicle operated by Bi-State employee Terry Perry when he was "violently thrown from his motorized scooter" and struck his head. He claims he suffered "severe and permanent" injuries to his head, neck and back which aggravated a pre-existing medical condition and has also incurred medical expenses as a result of the accident.
Smith alleges the defendants were negligent for failing to secure his motorized scooter to prevent it from tipping over and for failing to follow "its own rules and obligations" relating to the security of its passengers.
Smith seeks monetary relief of more than $100,000, and all other just relief. He is represented by John Papa of Pratt & Tobin PC in East Alton.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit for St. Clair County case number 210337