Meussner v. Port Authority of Allegheny County

In Meussner v. Port Authority of Allegheny County, 745 A.2d 719 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2000) the Court stated that, in order to recover, a passenger on a bus must not only establish that there was a jerk or stop, but that "the jerk or stop was so unusual and extraordinary as to be beyond a passenger's reasonable anticipation." Id. Meussner relied upon Connolly in noting that there are two ways to show that the jerk or stop was so unusual and extraordinary as to merit submission to a jury: (1) by showing that the stop had an "extraordinarily disturbing effect upon other passengers"; or, alternatively; (2) by showing that "the manner of occurrence of the accident or its effect on the plaintiff inherently establishes the unusual character of the jolt or jerk." Id. at 721.