Lizette Bucio, an honors student at Lincoln Park High School, was on her way to school Dec. 5, 2000, when the driver, Terry Thompson, failed to allow her access to the bus then ran over her left leg as she waited at a bus stop on the northbound Halsted line.

Bucio suffered permanent injuires and required extensive skin grafting. She has had multiple surgeries and will require future surgeries to repair the severe disfiguring injuries. Bucio was in the hospital for more than a month following the incident and the freshman has been unable to attend school since early December.

"We are concerned with the level of training, experience and judgment of CTA drivers," said John Karnezis, attorney at Clifford Law Offices . "When you send your children to school on the bus you are putting their lives in the hands of these drivers and you expect them to arrive at their destination safely. This driver’s actions here were grossly negligent and inexcusable."

The lawsuit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, alleges that the driver failed to allow her access to the bus and then sped away at an unreasonable speed.

THE BUCIO FAMILY AND ATTORNEY JOHN KARNEZIS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT AFTER 3:00 P.M. TUESDAY AT CLIFFORD LAW OFFICES, 120 N. LASALLE ST., 31ST FLOOR, CHICAGO (312-899-9090).

Clifford Law Offices is a nationally recognized personal injury firm concentrating in transportation, aviation, medical malpractice, product liability and wrongful death litigation.