Seven lawsuits were filed late last week against the Washington County school district over a bus crash in September that injured 26 students.
Johnson City personal injury lawyer Tony Seaton confirmed he represents 12 students who were injured in the crash Sept. 20 on Mount Wesley Road when the driver, Brenda K. Gray, 54, of Jonesborough, lost control and went off the road.
The bus, which carried 39 David Crockett High School students — including Gray’s son — turned onto its side and rolled once, officials said.
Gray is charged with eight counts of reckless aggravated assault, 31 counts of felony reckless endangerment, speeding, reckless driving and failure to exercise due care.
Several students received life threatening injuries and many were transported to the Johnson City Medical Center by WINGS Air Rescue.
Seaton said the lawsuits allege “general negligence against the county because of the injuries,” to his clients.
He said his office represents 12 of the injured students and other lawsuits will be filed soon.
“It’s just based upon the negligence on the county for failing to supervise bus drivers,” and their routes, he said.
“We’ve got some information the bus driver was not on the route she was supposed to be on and she was possibly horse playing.”
Tennessee Highway Patrol investigators and the District Attorney’s office have said they have no evidence at this point that Gray was playing a game with the bus on the curvy county road or claims that she wasn’t supposed to be on Mount Wesley Road.
“We’ve done some investigation but we haven’t completed it,” Seaton said. “One of reasons we filed so early is to get information before it gets cold.”
Another local attorney, Don Spurrell, represents Cheyenne Bunton, the most seriously injured student on the bus. His position at this point is to negotiate with the school system instead of filing a lawsuit.
“We have been in touch with the attorney for the county and we’re in the process of providing him with medical records, documents related to the injuries sustained by my client,” Spurrell said.
“That’s the way we’re handling it right now instead of filing suit. We don’t feel there’s any need whatsoever to file suit right now. We think the case will settle. We’re no where near the statute of limitations.”
Both attorneys said there is a $700,000 limit on what the school system would be required to pay for all the students injuries.
“This is tort reform. The max amount the county would have to pay out is $700,0000. So if (she) had rolled this bust twice and killed these kids, we’d be looking at these parents and saying your child is worth $16,000,” Seaton said.
He said after discussion with the county attorney, John Rambo, he believes the county might step up and accept responsibility and allow a judge to determine how to distribute the $700,000.
“What we anticipate the county doing is waiting until the statute of limitations runs, which is a year, and file a lawsuit called an interpleader. They will ask the court to divide the $700,000.
“We’ve been in touch with the county and their attorney ... his response is they may go ahead and filed the interpleader.”
With the lawsuits being filed against the county and not Gray personally, the civil action doesn’t have to get delayed while the criminal case is pending.
Gray is free on a $50,000 bond and has a preliminary hearing scheduled in Washington County General Sessions Court Nov. 13.
Jagerdawg writes:
October 24, 2012
7:47 AM
Can't believe it took this long, by the time this is through the score will be lawyers 75% and victums 25% or about $3.75 each.
BobbyB writes:
October 24, 2012
9:32 AM
"Both attorneys said there is a $700,000 limit on what the school system would be required to pay for all the students injuries.
“This is tort reform. The max amount the county would have to pay out is $700,0000. So if (she) had rolled this bust twice and killed these kids, we’d be looking at these parents and saying your child is worth $16,000,” Seaton said."
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No, this is the ill effect of Republicans protecting their capitalist overlords ... limitiing lawsuits.
Wake up sheep ..... baaa baaa
Be sure an' vote for 'em again.
TnMtns writes:
October 24, 2012
10:13 AM
I agree that the amount seems small That these students might collect and they probably deserve 10 times that amount, however if that was the case it would probably bankrupt the school system and where would that leave the rest of the students in the county system? This is such a tragic accident that thankfully wasn't worse but it could have been avoided if better decisions had been made by the driver and possibly better supervision of the drivers as well. I just hope all parties in the suit can reach a settlement that all are comfortable with outcome.
EvilLady writes:
October 24, 2012
3:09 PM
i made a comment to an earlier article....and got a reply that shocked me and raised questions for me....i might be rednecked...by if my grandchild told me something like this....i would be camping on the roads with a camcorder and camera...and the results would have been attached to an email sent to every dept in Tennessee i could find....therefore, this should never have been "allowed" to happen...if you complain and dont get results....you legally have every right to monitor your kid's safety and if you knew about this and you did nothing.....this was as much your fault as it was the bus driver....and whoever heads up your dept of education...they are the ones that should be sued if they received complaints about this and did nothing...!!
http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News/article.php?id=102585
tnredhead writes:
September 27, 2012
11:56 PM
Suggest Removal
My granddaughter rode this bus for 3 years and I know that the parents on our road registered complaints with the county about Miss Grey several times. She drives too fast. Miss Grey played "roller coaster" going over the two small hills where the accident happened. My granddaughter told me several times that the students urged her to speed over the hills so they could either stand or be bounced out of their seats. Come on who is suppose to be the adult here? She endangered those kids every day and should have been removed as driver long before this accident happened.
MannyCalavera writes:
October 24, 2012
4:53 PM
Seaton will get paid. The victim's family's will be told to blow it out their ass.
dave1964 writes:
October 25, 2012
9:46 AM
I'm not sure I understand the comments about Seaton. I had a car wreck claim with his office recently and they charge on a percentage. Plus, in my case he and robert lowered my bills by tens of thousands. then, after everything was done, they reduced their fees by thousands so that I could get more than everyone else. In other words, I put more in my pocket then the attorneys or the medical bills. Thats the way it should be I think and they did it without even asking.
lucyloo writes:
October 30, 2012
3:37 PM
We should stop having school buses. Washington county just put in a huge order for new buses. I thought they had no money......? The bussing of students is not a must have. How about the school board trying to save money? That's a unheard of idea around here. This shows how the county will throw money at a problem instead of making sure it doesn't happen again. Why weren't students that ride a bus given a waiver to make the county not responsible ? how much does it cost the county per child to ride a bus? It is not anyones responsibility to see that your child gets to school but the parents. It seem that the writing could be on the wall with the county school system with the tax incease veto - stop wasting money!
provided.