Forklift collision lawsuit set for trial in November

GALVESTON - A lawsuit claiming a local woman was hit by a forklift at the Galveston cruise terminal more than a year ago will be heard on a new date.

Recent court records show that Galveston County 56th District Court Judge Lonnie Cox signed an order granting plaintiff Mary Moses and defendant Suderman Contracting Stevedores Inc.'s joint motion for continuance on June 10.

The move comes just as the litigation was to go before jurors on June 17.

Nov. 4 is the new trial date.

Moses sued Suderman on July 5, 2012, nearly six months after an employee of the latter allegedly drove a forklift into her as she was screening baggage.

According to the original petition, the forklift knocked the plaintiff from behind and caused her to seriously injure her left knee, right hip and her entire right side.

It insists that “the hazardous forklift operation was under the sole management and/or control of the defendant.”

The respondent provided an original answer just three weeks after the suit was filed.

In their motion entered May 21, both parties explained that discovery is not complete and they "have been engaged in settlement discussions (as well as) attempted to resolve the case before incurring unnecessary expenses."

They insisted the discovery can be completed before September, noting they agree to discuss settlement or engage in mediation in the next 90 days.

Attorney Christopher K. Johns of The Buzbee Law Firm in Houston is representing Moses while attorney James R. Watkins of Royston, Rayzor, Vickery & Williams, L.L.P. in Galveston is serving as Suderman's counsel.

Case No. 12-CV-1466