Paul M. da Costa Spoke to NJ.com Regarding a Family Sueing NJ Transit

Partner, Paul M. da Costa, Esq., of Sarno da Costa D’Aniello Maceri LLC is representing the estate of Robert A. Schirripa Jr. in a wrongful death lawsuit. Schirripa, 40, of Freehold, was returning from Manhattan on an NJ Transit bus after taking his engineers licensing exam on October 5, 2019. He arranged for his father to pick him up at the Freehold bus stop and called at 8:15 p.m. to tell him he’d call 10 minutes before the bus arrived. His father drove to the bus stop and when Schirripa didn’t get off the bus. The bus arrived at Lakewood, 8 miles away, at 9:22 p.m., where all passengers got off except Schirripa. The bus driver subsequently drove back to New York to pick up passengers at Port Authority with Schirripa passed out in the back of the bus and desperate need of medical attention. He was ultimately found unresponsive by a passenger who got on the bus at the Port Authority bus station. He was taken by New York Fire Department EMS to Mt. Sinai Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 12:32 a.m., Oct. 6, 2019.

Schirripa’s parents filed a lawsuit in Monmouth County Superior Court on September 14th against NJ Transit and the bus driver alleging that if the bus driver followed the proper safety protocols and checked the bus upon completion of his route, their son would have been discovered and would have received the lifesaving treatment he desperately needed. Specifically, the bus driver’s conduct is in direct violation of NJ Transit’s internal regulations, which states that “operators must check for lost articles and sleeping or intoxicated persons after each trip.”

When making a statement to the Star Ledger/NJ.com for an article on this case: Mr. da Costa commented that “the driver had a duty to walk the bus, would have found my client’s son passed out, would have called for help and he would have received treatment and be alive.”…“He was close to starting a new chapter in his life…he had a letter of employment offer to start (a new job) two to three weeks later,” da Costa said.

The sudden loss of a loved one is always difficult, especially if the circumstances surrounding your loved one’s death involved negligence that could have been avoided. If someone you know was killed due to another’s negligent acts, a wrongful death lawsuit may provide the compensation needed to cover damages such as medical bills, funeral costs, loss of support, and more. Our hardworking and dedicated attorneys will review your claim and help you navigate the legal options that may be available to you. You can schedule a consultation with the head of our Personal Injury/Medical Malpractice department, Paul M. da Costa, via email (pdacosta@sarnolawfirm.com) or call us at 973-274-5200 to get the guidance you need.