Pittsburgh woman sues Port Authority after falling on bus, fracturing knee

A Pittsburgh woman is suing the Port Authority of Allegheny County after she said she fractured her knee on a bus.

Patti McTonic, of Pittsburgh’s West End neighborhood, filed a lawsuit in Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas against the authority last week.

The authority does not comment on pending litigation, spokesman Adam Brandolph said.

McTonic boarded a Port Authority bus Oct. 23, 2017, just after 1 p.m. She swiped her card and was about to take a seat when the bus started moving suddenly, causing her to fall, the lawsuit alleged. She fractured a bone in her left knee, which required surgery.

After the fall, McTonic asked the driver to stop the bus, but the driver continued along the route, the lawsuit stated.

After she got off the bus, another passenger helped McTonic get to a restaurant where she called for medical help, the lawsuit alleged. McTonic also suffered leg pain, bruises, anxiety and other injuries.

The Port Authority’s operator manual requires drivers to make sure passengers are seated or have a hold in a strap or stanchion bar before driving, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims one count of negligence.

Theresa Clift is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Theresa at 412-380-5669, tclift@tribweb.com or via Twitter @tclift.