Jacob Brown
A Florida woman, Aurora Beauchamp, has been awarded $72.5 million in her lawsuit against New York City’s transit agency after being struck and dragged by a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bus.
Tragic Accident:
In March 2017, Beauchamp, then 68, was hit by an MTA bus while crossing a street in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The bus, making a right turn, struck Beauchamp while she was in a crosswalk, dragging her approximately 20 feet and causing severe pelvis injuries, as well as paralysis in her left leg.
Following the accident, Beauchamp filed a lawsuit against the city’s transit agency, which resulted in a jury verdict in her favor. The six-person jury deliberated for less than three hours before awarding Beauchamp $72.5 million in damages.
Impact on Beauchamp:
Beauchamp, a native of the area where the accident occurred who now resides in Bradenton, Florida, described the traumatic incident, stating that she was en route to her mother’s apartment to discuss her uterine cancer diagnosis when she was struck by the bus.
Despite having crossed the street numerous times in her lifetime, the accident left her fighting for her life under the bus.
Legal Response:
The MTA has expressed its intention to appeal the verdict, with spokesperson Tim Minton highlighting concerns about the impact of excessive awards in personal injury litigation on transit service funding.
The bus driver involved in the accident pleaded guilty to failing to yield to a pedestrian.
Significance of Verdict:
Beauchamp’s lawyers noted that the $72.5 million verdict appears to be one of the largest awarded in a lawsuit related to an MTA bus accident, underscoring the severity and repercussions for Beauchamp’s life.
