$4.5M Default Judgment Tossed in Detroit Bus Fatality

In August 2020, Terrance Ragan was found bleeding near the curb of a Detroit road. A witness, who had noticed his condition and turned around to help, observed Ragan lying in the street before she could intervene. Before emergency services arrived, a city bus driven by Lorengo Watts ran over Ragan’s body. A subsequent lawsuit filed by Ragan’s estate alleged that Watts had been grossly negligent in causing his death. However, ambiguity surrounded whether Ragan was already deceased when the bus struck him.

Watts never responded to the complaint filed by the estate. As a result, the trial court granted a default judgment in favor of the estate and awarded $4.5 million in damages. The judgment was based on claimed losses, including pain and suffering, funeral costs, hospital bills, and lost financial support.

The Panel's Reversal

The Michigan Court of Appeals reversed the award on September 11, 2025, finding that the estate had failed to present sufficient evidence to justify the damages amount. In an unpublished opinion, the panel noted that the estate did not submit documentation for hospital bills, admitted there were no funeral expenses, and acknowledged that Ragan had no income, spouse, or dependents at the time of his death.

Furthermore, the estate’s claims for conscious pain and suffering rested solely on the medical examiner's findings. However, the panel determined that the record contained no evidence showing whether Ragan was alive or conscious when struck by the bus. “While plaintiff suffered a tragedy, he still had the burden of establishing damages. He did not do so in this case,” the panel concluded.

The Legal Arguments

Watts challenged the default judgment, arguing both that it was improperly granted and that he had not been properly served. The panel rejected the latter claim, affirming the trial court’s finding that Watts had been effectively served when the complaint and summons were tacked to his apartment door. The court also dismissed Watts’ affidavit denying receipt of the complaint as “unbelievable.”

Despite affirming proper service, the appellate court emphasized that the trial court had erred in awarding damages without evidentiary support. The court found that no admissible evidence substantiated the estate’s claims of financial or emotional loss. “On this record, plaintiff did not meet his burden establishing his claim for $4.5 million in damages,” the panel wrote.

What’s Next?

The case has been remanded to the trial court to determine an appropriate damages amount based on actual evidence. The appellate court also advised that Watts should not be barred from presenting comparative negligence arguments during further proceedings. This opens the door for the defense to assert that Ragan’s own actions may have contributed to the incident.

Matthew Payne, an attorney for the estate with Sigal Law Firm PLLC, expressed satisfaction that the panel found Watts’ affidavit lacking credibility. He stated that the estate has “no issue creating a better record as to damages on remand.” Watts is represented by Sheri Whyte of the City of Detroit Law Department, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The appellate panel included Judges Matthew S. Ackerman, Michael J. Kelly, and Colleen A. O'Brien. The case is Estate of Terrance Ragan v. Lorengo Watts, case number 371458, in the Michigan Court of Appeals.