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Metro Transit settles lawsuit with skateboarder for state max
Metro Transit will pay $500,000 to a skateboarder who was run over by a bus in a south Minneapolis intersection, according to his attorney. The half-million settlement is the maximum allowed on liability claims against governmental entities under state law. FOX 9's Paul Blume has the story.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Metro Transit will pay $500,000 to a skateboarder who was run over by a bus in a south Minneapolis intersection, according to his attorney. The half-million settlement is the maximum allowed on liability claims against governmental entities under state law.
Video captures moment bus strikes, runs over skateboarder
What we know:
Metro Transit has agreed to settle a negligence lawsuit with Bradley Legrid for $500,000.
The agency agreed to settle the case days after the FOX 9 Investigators obtained video that showed Legrid being run over while riding a motorized skateboard in a crosswalk at the intersection of Lake Street and Hennepin Avenue.
Legrid says he had the walk signal.
He was badly injured after he was dragged half-a-block.
"I remember feeling something and then I put my hands up and then looked and it was the bus right next to me," recalled Legrid, who suffered broken legs, a shattered pelvis, and cracked vertebrae. "It is terrifying. Honestly, I feel it is mortifying for anybody to see something like that."
Metro Transit told the FOX 9 Investigators it does not generally provide public comment on ongoing legal proceedings and declined to elaborate on Legrid’s case.
The FOX 9 Investigators previously revealed that a state law caps damages at $500,000 when it involves government agencies such as Metro Transit.
"Although we are happy they have finally agreed to pay the maximum that can be recovered under law, we are frustrated it has taken them so long to finally accept responsibility for causing this crash and the life-altering injuries to Mr. Legrid," said Cody Scharpf, Legrid’s attorney.
Attorney blasts state liability cap law
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$4M jury verdict slashed by state law
A man, who had his left leg amputated after he was run over by a Metro Transit bus, has now had his $4-million jury verdict reduced to $500,000 due to a state liability law.
Dig deeper:
Scharpf says the state’s liability caps incentivizes government entities to "delay, deny, and act unfairly" even when they are clearly at fault.
"We have video evidence that shows that it is not a ‘he said, she said.’ We have clear evidence on video of exactly what happened," Scharpf said. "But it seems Metro Transit is inclined to defend these cases knowing there's really no risk to them."
Metro Transit recently took another case all the way to trial.
A jury found in favor of a man who had to have his left leg amputated after he was run over while attempting to catch a bus. The jury awarded him more than $4 million in medical bills and damages. But Metro transit will pay only a fraction of that because of the $500,000 cap.
Legrid argues the caps are not fair and wants lawmakers to take a closer look at how the statutes are used when someone is badly injured or killed due to alleged negligence.
"After being struck by a Metro Transit bus and seriously injured, I waited nearly two years before the Metropolitan Council engaged in any settlement discussions," said in a statement to the FOX 9 Investigators. "They refused to have any discussion about a settlement until just three days after FOX 9 aired a story about Minnesota’s tort laws, when they suddenly offered to settle."