Lawyers for a Pennsylvania woman who lost part of her leg after a school bus accident were in court on Tuesday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The Inquirer reports they were seeking the $14 million that a jury awarded her back in December.
Back in January of 2007, Ashley Zauflik, who is now 22, was struck by a school bus outside Pennsbury High School in Bucks County. Her leg and hip were crushed when a bus lurched into a group of about 20 students waiting outside the school. The crash left her in a medically induced coma and her leg was eventually amputated just above the knee. She was 17-years-old at the time of the crash. Zauflik testified last year that the accident left her “disfigured” and struggling with depression.
Zauflik’s family filed a lawsuit against Pennsbury. Pennsbury officials have acknowledged liability in the crash, which the National Transportation Safety Board attributed to driver error.
Last December, a jury awarded Zauflik $14 million for pain and suffering. While the family wanted at least $3 million in damages from the district, the district offered $500,000, the capped amount allowed by Pennsylvania law. The Inquirer reports that on Tuesday, Zauflik’s lawyers argued their client deserved the $14 million award because the state cap is unconstitutional. They also argued the district should face sanctions, claiming Pennsbury officials did not reveal the existence of a $10 million insurance policy until after the trial.
The judge in the case did not indicate when he would rule, according to the Inquirer. The Inquirer also reports the case will likely head to the state Supreme Court.
