BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — A new civil lawsuit filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court alleges Palm Beach County is liable for injuries a passenger says she suffered in a Palm Tran bus crash in Boca Raton.
The complaint, Ivenie Cine v. Palm Beach County, was filed Jan. 9, 2026, in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Palm Beach County, Florida. The case is docketed as 502026CA000286XXXAMB in the Palm Beach County Clerk of Court. The filing lists attorney Matthew R. Naparstek of Ehrlich & Naparstek as counsel for the plaintiff. The complaint does not identify defense counsel for Palm Beach County.
In the filing, Cine alleges a county-owned and/or maintained Palm Tran bus was involved in a collision on or about Jan. 9, 2025, while traveling eastbound on Glades Road in Boca Raton. The lawsuit asserts the bus was being operated with the county’s consent by Alix Germinal, who the complaint says was acting within the course and scope of employment and/or agency for Palm Beach County at the time.
According to the complaint, Cine was a lawful passenger on the Palm Tran bus when the crash occurred. The filing alleges the bus “crash[ed] into another motor vehicle” traveling eastbound on Glades Road in Boca Raton.
The lawsuit brings a single count of negligence against Palm Beach County and seeks damages “in an amount in excess of the jurisdictional limits” of the court. The complaint describes the case as an action for negligence and damages exceeding $50,000, exclusive of interest, costs, and attorney’s fees.
In the negligence count, Cine alleges Palm Beach County owned, registered, leased, and/or maintained the bus involved and is responsible for the actions of the bus operator. The complaint alleges the bus was negligently operated and/or maintained, leading to the collision described in the filing.
Cine claims the crash caused “serious, permanent bodily injuries” and lists categories of alleged damages including pain and suffering, disability, physical impairment, disfigurement, mental anguish, inconvenience, loss of capacity for enjoyment of life, and medical-related expenses. The complaint also alleges loss of earnings and loss of the ability to earn money, along with aggravation of a preexisting condition, and states additional losses are expected in the future.
The filing further alleges the plaintiff satisfied conditions required before suing a governmental entity under Florida law. The complaint states Cine complied with pre-suit requirements under Florida Statute § 768.28 and that Palm Beach County received notice of the claim within the time and manner prescribed by law, with copies directed to the Florida Department of Financial Services. The complaint references a “Composite Exhibit A” attached to the filing as documentation of those notices.
The lawsuit includes a demand for a jury trial on issues the complaint says are triable by jury.
The original complaint, Ivenie Cine v. Palm Beach County, Case No. 502026CA000286XXXAMB, as filed Jan. 9, 2026, with the Palm Beach County Clerk of Court, can be viewed here.
As with any civil filing, the allegations are claims made by the plaintiff in the complaint and have not been proven in court.
LEARN MORE: How Auto Negligence Lawsuits work in Florida.
