MORGANTOWN – Two separate lawsuits blame West Virginia University for damages caused by a February rockslide involving a vehicle and a school-owned transport system.
Susan D. Cramer of Morgantown filed her complaint in Monongalia Circuit Court against the WVU Board of Governors. WVU student Chloe Bolin from Cincinnati filed a similar suit.
According to her complaint, Cramer was driving northbound February 10 on Monongahela Boulevard near the Benjamin Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources Building toward the WVU Coliseum when a large boulder broke loose from WVU property adjacent to the street. In addition to the damage to her vehicle, Cramer says she was seriously and permanently injured.
In Bolin’s complaint, she says she was riding a WVU Personal Rapid Transit vehicle that same day in the same area when the rockslide occurred. A large boulder hit the PRT she was riding in, leaving her with serious and permanent injuries as well.
“The WVU property was in such dangerous condition that it was a common occurrence for large rocks to fall from the property onto the areas below,” the complaints state. “In fact, the WVUBOG has been aware of the problem of falling rocks from the WVU property for decades.”
The plaintiffs both say the BOG has failed to take any appropriate action to remedy the situation. She accuses the defendant of negligence.
Cramer says she suffered injuries including a fractured right femur, open fracture of right radius, left tibial plateau fracture, closed T-3 fracture, fractured sternum, fractured thoracic spine (T-11 and T-12), fractured lumbar spine, multiple rib fractures, right pneumothorax, right metacarpal bone fracture and plural effusion.
Cramer says the injuries were not only life threatening, but they also left her with permanent disabilities. She says she has been unable to return to work and cannot move around without an assistive device and cannot care for herself without the assistance of family and friends.
Cramer says she has endured more than $400,000 in medical bills and will continue to incur medical and life care expenses.
Bolin says she suffered a fracture of the left inferior pubic remus, fracture of the left superior pubic remus, multiple other fractures of the pelvis, fracture of the sacrum, pulmonary contusion and hematoma adjacent to the pubic symphysis and bladder.
Bolin says she required surgery to repair her injuries, and she was required to use assistive devices to move around. Because she was a student, she says her classroom work was disrupted and her ability to enjoy life was severely limited or discontinued entirely. She says she has incurred medical expenses in excess of $100,000 and will continue to incur medical expenses.
Both seek compensatory damages for pain, suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, inconvenience, past and future medical and life care expenses, attorney fees and other damages. They also seek pre- and post-judgment interest.
Both Cramer and Bolin are being represented by Dino S. Colombo and Kala Sowers of Colombo Law in Morgantown.
Monongalia Circuit Court case number 20-C-245 (Cramer) and 20-C-246 (Bolin)