GREENWICH – A Greenwich man who was injured by a city garbage truck while riding his electric bike has sued the city and the truck’s driver, claiming the driver’s negligence caused the cyclist “severe, painful, disabling and permanent injuries.”

Gary Masouredis and his attorney have offered to settle the lawsuit against the city of Greenwich and Arthur Joseph Greco of Norwalk for $33 million, according to an offer presented to the court on July 25.

The lawsuit, filed on October 5, 2022, in state Supreme Court in Stamford, alleges that the city, as Greco’s employer, is liable for Masouredis’ injuries and financial losses, including medical expenses and loss of earning capacity.

The city has not yet accepted an offer, but the City Council is scheduled to discuss the case in a closed session on August 27. Legal settlements must be approved by the city councillors, the City Council of Assessment and Taxation and the Representative City Assembly’s Motions Committee.

Neither Anthony Medico, Masouredis’s attorney, nor Aamina Ahmad, an assistant district attorney, would comment on the case, although Ahmad said the case would be discussed with “the relevant city authorities.”

According to the lawsuit, Masouredis was riding his electric bike on Shore Road near Grass Island and Greenwich Harbor at about 11:15 a.m. on April 20, 2022, when a city-owned dump truck and the bike collided. Masouredis was thrown from his bike and the truck ran over his right leg and thigh, the lawsuit says.

Masouredis suffered “scaling” of the skin on his leg, fractures to his hands, legs and ribs, “extreme blood loss,” infections, emotional distress and more, which will likely require him to receive medical treatment for the rest of his life, the lawsuit says.

The complaint states that Greco was attempting to pass the motorcycle on the left when the collision occurred. It also alleges that Greco was speeding, failed to warn Masouredis of an impending collision by honking, and failed to swerve to avoid the collision. Greco, through his attorney, denied these allegations in a response to the lawsuit filed on February 3, 2023.

Police reports on the accident quoted a witness as telling officers that she was driving behind the dump truck on nearby Horseneck Lane when the vehicle “turned in front of her, cutting off her path to Shore Road.”

The witness further told police that she saw Masouredis driving close to the curb before heading toward the middle of Shore Road while giving a hand signal to turn left, which would have taken him onto Grass Island Road.

On the road, according to the police report, Greco’s truck allegedly crossed the double yellow line and collided with Masouredis. A second witness also saw the truck cross into the oncoming lane before hitting Masouredis, according to the police report.

Greco told police at the time that Masouredis was in the middle of the road and was honking, but the cyclist did not move to the side, so he tried to overtake him on the left.

Greco told police he drove past Masouredis and saw in the side mirror that he “began to lose control and fall to the ground,” the police report said.

Masouredis was taken to Stamford Hospital.

Greco received a citation for violating passing rules on the highway, the city admitted in court documents.

In its response to the allegations in the lawsuit, the city argued that Greco “acted in good faith in public duty” and that Masouredis “failed to operate his bicycle with due consideration for his surroundings.”

According to Mary Pepe, the city’s human resources director, Greco retired from the city in May.

The city has had to negotiate several lawsuits recently.

Last year, Greenwich settled two major lawsuits. One was a $650,000 lawsuit brought by a former police captain alleging wrongful termination. The other was a $5 million lawsuit brought by a former student’s family in a wrongful death case, claiming the school district did not do enough to prevent bullying that led to the student’s suicide. The majority of the $5 million settlement was paid by the city’s insurance company.

For reference, the total city budget this fiscal year is $501 million.

According to court documents, a jury will be empaneled in Masouredis’ case in February unless a plea agreement is reached sooner.