Illinois school districts to pay $1 million to man injured in bus crash

By Jim Greene

Published on August 31, 2005

Clifford Pantaleo filed suit soon after the October 2003 accident against the driver and the two McHenry, Illinois, school districts that own and operate the bus. A settlement was reached earlier this month, according to plaintiff's attorney.

According to attorney Kevin Justin, the crash left Pantaleo in a temporary coma, caused by brain trauma. Justin said his client also suffered multiple fractures and emerged from the coma with some memory loss. He said Pantaleo has amassed $200,000 in medical bills and will require lifelong therapy.

The bus involved in the accident was not carrying any students at the time of the crash, and driver Brian Lump was not injured. According to a police report, Lump failed to obey a stop sign as he drove the bus out of a district lot, for which he was cited. He is still employed by the districts as a bus driver.

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