Mass. Woman Struck by Transit Bus Awarded $10M in Damages

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A jury in Cambridge, Mass. has awarded $10 million in damages to a 58-year-old Somerville woman who suffered brain damage when she was struck by an MBTA bus.

Louise Scialdone was waiting at a bus stop in February 2004 when the driver lost control of the bus on an icy street and fishtailed on to the sidewalk. Scialdone, who used a walker because of arthritis, was thrown several feet and hit her head on a parked car.

MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo says the transit agency’s insurance company will cover only $7.5 million of the nearly $12.8 million owed to Scialdone, including interest from the time the lawsuit was filed.

Pesaturo told The Boston Globe that lawyers for the authority are reviewing Monday’s verdict to determine whether an appeal will be filed.

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Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.boston.com/globe