A lacrosse player from Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania who was injured in a bus accident in Carlise on Saturday while the team was being transported to a match has filed a law suit against the bus company.
In the suit, Amanda Michalski claimed that the bus driver was driving recklessly and was guilty of negligence in the accident. Michalski is still hospitalized at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, where she is receiving treatment for minor injuries sustained in the accident.
Michalski filed the suit against Mlaker Transportation, Inc., the company that operated the bus, in a district court in Allegheny County on Thursday. She is being represented by lawyers from Philadelphia law firm Kline and Specter.
The bus driver, 61 year of Anthony Guatta, was killed instantly in the accident. The coach of the Seton Hill lacrosse team, Kristina Quigley from Greensburg, who was heavily pregnant at the time of the accident, was also killed in the accident. Quigley, 30, and her unborn child Jackson, were transported to Penn State Hershey Medical Centre from the scene of the accident, where they were pronounced dead after a brief attempt at resuscitation.
According to a statement released by the hospital, Michalski, who hails from Coon Rapids, Minnesota, is in stable condition and recovering from her injuries. She is a first year student at Seton Hill University.
In the lawsuit, Michalski claims that Mr. Guatta was driving recklessly at the time of the accident, and was unable to keep the vehicle under control while he was navigating bends at high speeds. The bus collided with a tree after veering off the road. The road was closed for several hours after the accident while rescue workers freed trapped passengers from the wreckage of the bus and treated the injured.
The amount for which Michalski is suing has not been released. Mlaker Transportation, in operation for more than 40 years, has a stellar safety record, with no previous fatal accidents. According to their website, the company were awarded with the US Department of Transportation’s highest safety recommendation, satisfactory.
Mlaker officials released a statement expressing their regret and condolences to the victims of the accident, stressing that the safety of their passengers remained the companies highest priority.
An investigation into the accident is currently ongoing. State police say that it could be several weeks before the official results of the investigation will be released.