Simon Ed

Holy Smoke, some guy got off the bus, duffed you up and got back on and noone did $hit? WTF!?!?!

I hope you nail the bus company to the wall, get the driver as an accessory to assault and can retire on the damages. I can't beleive this! I am guilty of having a foul/violent temper but I am still 'gob smacked'!
This guy must have been a pal of the driver.

Goddam, I am still here shaking my head.

Update please!

randya

I went down to the bus company about a week after the incident and looked at and made some still copies from their video footage from the five (count 'em, five) bus cams - it shows the bus passing me too closely, it shows my assailant riding the bus, getting off, throwing about 5 or six punches, getting back on the bus, riding a few more blocks to his stop and having a conversation with the driver before disembarking. Most everyone I've talked to about this or shown the pix to agrees that it seems like the driver knew the passenger; that the driver aided and abetted by letting the guy back on the bus; and that the bus company probably has some significant liability here. I'm working on following up - I need to talk to the DA next, and I need to try and ID the passenger - possibly do the detective work myself since it appears that the police aren't in a hurry to assign this case to a detective - and I've got about 45 days left to file a letter of intent with the bus company.

Simon Ed

Good man! Get a lawyer, the bigger the bloodsucker the better. Looks like your evidence is irrefutable. Then get the bus company or better yet the assailant to pay your legal fees.

I would go for massive damages. If some smacktard woman can get millions from burning herself with a coffee then surely you should get some of the same.
Don't hound dog this yourself, you really don't know what you are doing to maximise your claim. Get the pro's involved. I cant see any lawyer turning this down due to uncertainty.

Can you say new 'Trek'

Raiyn

No but I bet he can say De Rosa, Colnago, or Merlin! Moots perhaps?

Simon Ed

Lets hope so! or at least something made out of carboanium The bus company must have a good insurance policy.

madpogue 

Randy, can you post contact info for:
* The mayor
* The police chief
* The director of the bus company
?

Portland is supposed to have a reputation similar to Madison, for being alt-trans-friendly. What the city govt, including the police department, obviously needs is a sense of financial incentive to pursue this as a serious criminal case (an battery that puts you in the ER is probably a felony). That incentive can come in the form of people all over this country contacting the above officials, letting them know that they will not be spending a dime of tourist/visitor money until justice is served. They should also be informed that people considering visiting Portland no longer consider it safe to do so. The police department, at the very least, should be posting press releases about its investigation of this attack on its web site.

Juha

As much as I dislike law suits with absurd compensation claims - SUE THE BASTARD. I would love to see the driver's and his buddy's face when they see the footage. And what's up with local police, how much more evidence do they need? Please post updates here.

--J

Dchiefransom

Do I detect a bias here? A nice Lemond Ti would be sufficient for me, thank you, but we've also left out a new Seven, and many other fine companies. I'm still intrigued by the pics a while back here of the Colnago Ovalmaster.
Randya, find out which lawyer your insurance company would use to defend themselves in a lawsuit like this, and immediately go to him/her with all your info. Don't wait.

supcom

Suing the guy who threw the punch, or his buddy the bus driver would be a complete waste of time. I doubt you'd get a lawyer willing to take the case. From the description of the incident, it's unlikely that either if these two have any assets. Suing the bus company would be a different story. At least they have liability insurance.

The best bet for satisfaction wit regard to the two miscreants is to get the perp arrested and the bus driver fired.

Simon Ed

Bump

News Please!

Raiyn

Ya think?

randya

Here's my update: I've heard what y'all have said and I'm taking it all into consideration. I've got until 3/22 to file a letter of intent, and then two years to actually file a civil suit. I'm also going to talk to the local DA, but I've been told that it's relatively rare for a bus driver will be prosecuted in a case like this. I'm a little dubious of finding my actual assailant w/o police assistance (but you know, Portland is really a small town in some ways; I could probably find him, but don't know what exactly I would do if I did, other than get myself into more trouble...); I also agree that the transit company would be the logical defendant in a civil suit; and finally, I also agree that there would be some personal satisfaction in seeing the driver fired and my assailant given the once-over by the justice system. That's about it for now...Thanks for all of your support!