Hollywood Woman Sues Starline Tours For Bus Accident That Damaged Her Face

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A Hollywood woman filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court against Starline Tours over an accident that disfigured her face last year.

Lauren Guerra alleges she was riding on the top level of the open, double-decker bus when she was injured in October 2013.

"I stood up at the wrong time and got taken out, going about 45 mph, by a rather large tree branch that shattered the bottom of my eye socket and also damaged the lower muscle of my eye," said Guerra, who additionally suffered a fractured skull in the accident.

She has undergone one surgery, with another planned for next week, the lawsuit states. Guerra says she is still being treated for double vision.

"This is irresponsible. So, we hope that this is the first step from stopping this company from its corporate behavior," attorney Brian Kabateck said.

The lawsuit, which includes a claim for unspecified punitive damages, comes days after 16-year-old Mason Zisette of Manhattan Beach died after a similar accident on a Starline Tours bus.

Zisette was riding on the upper level of a double-decker bus July 10 when he reportedly stood up and hit his head against an overpass of the I-405 freeway in Inglewood, according to California Highway Patrol officials.

He died Sunday after he was taken off life support.

The bus was chartered to celebrate the birthday of a female classmate, with about 40 other kids along with adult chaperones.

Starline Tours has yet to comment on Guerra's lawsuit.

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