Man awarded more than $4 million in wake of bus crash

Monday, Oct. 20, 2003 | 9:38 a.m.

A Clark County jury awarded an elderly Las Vegas man more than $4 million last Thursday after an accident in which the man collided with a CAT bus.

Walter Odinas, a 71-year-old retired apartment manager, filed suit against ATC Vancom, the company that operates the CAT bus system, and former bus driver Noe Rodriguez in August 2002. Rodriguez is no longer employed with the company.

After a trial before District Judge Michael Douglas, jurors awarded Odinas $4.04 million. Jurors determined the bus driver was negligent when he made a left turn in front of Odinas, causing the June 8, 2002, collision.

Jurors also found that Odinas was comparatively negligent himself and reduced his award by 10 percent. Added attorneys fees, however, are expected to bring the award back up to $4 million.

Eric Taylor, the attorney who represented Rodriguez and ATC Vancom in the suit, did not return calls for comment.

Local attorneys Bruce Schupp and Robert Vannah represented Odinas. Schupp said Odinas was southbound on Lamb Boulevard near Lone Mountain Road when Rodriquez, who was making a left onto Lone Mountain Road off Lamb Boulevard, failed to yield at the intersection and plowed into Odinas.

Odinas suffered severe injuries in the collision, including a fractured vertebra and a spinal cord injury, his attorney said. He has lost control of his bowel and bladder functions, and he has also lost most of the movement in both hands, Schupp said.