By Lookout Staff

February 19, 2010 --The City of Santa Monica this week won a personal injury lawsuit that could have cost the municipality several million dollars had it lost. The decision was made by a jury in Santa Monica Superior Court.

Beatrice Kaufman, 84, claimed she had become a partial quadriplegic when she fell after boarding the Big Blue Bus in September 2008. Kaufman blamed her fall on what she said was the the bus driver’s failure to give her adequate time to sit down before the vehicle left the curb.

City attorneys argued that Kaufman had enough time to take a seat. Rather than do that, she stood and held onto the safety bar. While the bus was in motion, City attorneys said, Kaufman let go of the safety bar and collapsed when the vehicle came to a stop.

Kaufman was seeking damages for past medical bills of more than $1 million, future medical costs of more than $3 million and unspecified damages for pain and suffering.

“While the accident was very unfortunate, the City vigorously defends against lawsuits where the City and its employees have done nothing wrong,” Deputy City Attorney Debra S. Kanoff said in a press release.

Kaufman’s attorneys could not immediately be reached for comment.