A shop class teacher is set to face a lawsuit for an incident that took place three years ago, when he drove a forklift with defective brakes into a station wagon that was up on lifts, injuring two high school students who were working underneath.
The two Morro Bay High School students, Melissa Olson and Michael Van Heuver were trapped under the vehicle and suffered several injuries. They originally filed separate lawsuits against Roberts but their cases have been consolidated for the trial which will be held in January next year.
Olson's attorneys allege that she has been left with two damaged discs and is in constant pain while Van Heuver's attorney, Louis Koory, alleges that despite undergoing ulnar transplant surgery his client is still undergoing physical therapy.
David Cumberland, attorney for the San Luis Coastal Unified School District and for Roberts has stated that both the school district and Roberts have accepted responsibility for the incident.
While Van Heuver is asking for $75,000 in damages for medical expenses incurred to date and more than $100,000 to cover future medical damages, Olsen is asking for $37,271 for medical expenses, $4,000 for wage loss and more than $3 million for future medical expenses.
The lawsuit alleges that even though Roberts knew that the main brake of the fork lift was faulty and that its emergency brake didn't work, he still decided to drive it that ill fated day.
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