Ramsey County Jury Awards $5.9
Million to Pedestrian Struck by School Bus
St. Paul, MN
April 12, 2000
On June 3, 1998, Constance Stellmach,
age 54, an employee of the Minnesota Department of Transportation,
was struck by a school bus in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota
as she walked from her office to a nearby parking ramp.
The accident occurred at the intersection of Minnesota
Avenue and 7th Street as Ms. Stellmach walked across
the intersection in a designated crosswalk. Her foot
was trapped beneath the tire of the bus until the driver,
Daniel Hickok, was asked by bystanders to back up. Ms.
Stellmach sustained severe foot and leg injuries, which
caused several surgeries to save her leg. Her leg was
ultimately amputated below the knee.
Yesterday, a Ramsey County jury awarded
Ms. Stellmach a $5.9 million verdict against Hickok
and Ryder Student Transportation. It is believed to
be the largest personal injury verdict in Ramsey County.
Ms. Stellmach had substantial medical
expenses and wage loss. The jury, however, awarded her
over $5 million in pain, suffering, and emotional distress.
Ms. Stellmach’s lead attorney, John P. Sheehy
of Meshbesher & Spence, Ltd. in Minneapolis, Minnesota
said: “Ms. Stellmach has a documented constant
phantom foot pain. She testified she experiences daily
burning pain in a foot that was amputated. Phantom pain
is well-documented in the medical literature, well-documented
in her case, and the jury awarded its verdict based
on that evidence.”
The jury also found that Hickok attempted
a left turn to Minnesota Avenue and failed to yield
the right of way to a pedestrian lawfully in a crosswalk.
Debra Fairbanks of Hopkins, Minnesota was also in the
crosswalk but narrowly escaped injury.
Ryder Student Transportation serves over
450 school districts and operates more than 10,000 school
buses across the United States. The company transports
nearly 600,000 students to school each day. Ryder attorneys
were not available for comment.
John P. Sheehy, Michael C. Snyder and
Ronald I. Meshbesher of Meshbesher & Spence, Ltd
represented Ms. Stellmach.
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