Sally Lee angry after fall on Stagecoach bus
00:01, 09 February 2018
A mum-of-two who suffered a multiple leg break after falling on a bus says she has been left with post traumatic stress disorder.
Sally Lee, 52, claims the driver did not allow her enough time to reach the top deck of the double-decker before pulling away in Sea Street, Herne Bay.
The Seasalter resident, whose injured leg sports scars from the incident two years ago, has vowed to never step foot on public transport again.
She said: “The fall shattered my leg to pieces – it was busted in five places.
“It’s completely ruined my life, 100%.
"My independence has been taken away and I’ve lost my confidence – my life has been taken away from me.”
Mrs Lee, who also suffers with depression following her fall, has relived the incident.
She said: “I walked up the steps, got to the top one and then the bus jolted as the hydraulics kicked in.
"I lost grip on the rail, fell all the way down, and slipped on shower gel which squirted across the bus.
“What if it was an elderly person? Or if I fell back into my daughter, who was expecting a child at the time?
“It doesn’t bear thinking about, as someone could have been killed. I am lucky to be alive really.”
Mrs Lee, who was 50 at the time of the incident, has since had to have a knee operation and now walks with a crutch.
She said: “My leg needed a complete rebuild in major surgery so now I’m always having to rely on somebody else for help.
“My doctor fears that in later life I might become a recluse as I won’t be able to go out anywhere.
"My leg needed a complete rebuild in major surgery so now I'm always having to rely on somebody else for help" - Sally Lee
“Stagecoach’s attitude absolutely stinks. I have never had an apology from them for ruining my life.
“The driver would have known I was walking up the steps, so why did he pull away?
“I want people to know what risks they are taking when they step on to a Stagecoach bus.”
Mrs Lee planned to sue Stagecoach but his since given up on the legal proceedings.
Stagecoach says it is saddened to hear of Mrs Lee’s injuries and confirmed the bus driver has since left the company.
A spokesman said: “The safety of our passengers is our highest priority and we take incidents such as this extremely seriously.
“We are of course deeply saddened that one of our customers was injured, and although we cannot comment on the detail of an individual case, I can confirm that we had contact from solicitors acting on behalf of Ms Lee and we responded to them directly.”
Latest news
Features
Most popular
- 1
The abandoned ‘ghost road’ that once took holidaymakers to the Kent coast
19 - 2
Motorway reopens after fuel spillage in collision
- 3
Dad who took cocaine on holiday still had drug in system when stopped by police
- 4
Everything you need to know about Kent’s biggest Christmas market
3 - 5
Christmas events cancelled amid weather warning
3