Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation pays $50K to settle suits over crash

CHARLESTON - Three lawsuits against Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority have been settled and dismissed from state court.

Katie Curtis, a woman who crashed into a KRT bus, was also named as a defendant in the suits. On Aug. 20, an order of distribution was filed in Kanawha Circuit Court.

By previous order, the insurance carrier for KRT deposited $50,000 with the clerk of the court, which represented the uninsured motorist coverage policy limits pursuant to KRT's insurance policy.

The total medical expenses for the five plaintiffs totaled $72,242.15. The percentage of each plaintiffs' total medical costs applied to the available funds resulted in:

-Samuel Brooks receiving 47.4 percent, which was $23,724.11;

-Edward Sturdivant Jr. receiving 19.6 percent, which was $9,809.97;

-Jo'Niesha Johnson receiving 18.5 percent, which was $9,259.41;

-Rose Mary Foye receiving 8.3 percent, which was $4,154.22; and

-Annaniesha Bagley, Johnson's minor daughter, receiving 6.2 percent, which was $3,103.15.

The total was $50,050.86.

On Aug. 18, 2009, the plaintiffs were all passengers on a bus being driven by Eugene Naylor at the intersection of Clendenin Street and Quarrier Street in Charleston when a vehicle being driven by Katie Curtis collided with the bus, according to complaints filed Aug. 16 and Aug. 18 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

The plaintiffs claimed Curtis operated her vehicle in a negligent manner, failed to yield the right of way and negligently collided with the bus.

The plaintiffs were thrown against the interior of the bus and received injuries because of the vehicle accident, according to the suits.

The plaintiffs were seeking compensatory damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. The plaintiffs were being represented by Shannon M. Bland of Bland & Bland; R. Michael Martin of Michael Martin & Associates; and Michael L. Myers of Myers & Perfater.

The defendants were represented by Michael J. Schessler of Bowles Rice McDavid Graff & Love LLP.

Kanawha Circuit Court case numbers: 11-C-1365, 11-C-1414, 11-C-1415