Former councilman Julio Tavarez has filed a lawsuit against New Jersey Transit alleging he suffered “severe injuries of permanent nature” after he slipped and fell on the stairs of the downtown Paterson train station, according to court documents.

Tavarez states he slipped and fell on March 25th, 2015 at the Paterson Train Station located at the intersection of Market and Ward Streets. He alleges the fall resulted from NJ Transit’s alleged failure to properly maintain the train station.

The former 5th Ward councilman sustained severe permanent injures and required extensive medical treatment as a result, reads his court complaint filed on March 1st, 2016. He endured “great pain and suffering” and will require “extensive medical treatment as a result of the injuries sustained,” states his lawsuit.

Tavarez could not be reached for comments on Friday.

NJ Transit in an answer to the complaint denied allegations it failed to properly maintain the train station.

Tavarez has an unrelated lawsuit pending against four of his former colleagues, the mayor, and the city over a no confidence vote that was taken against him in February 2015. He alleges council members defamed him when a no confidence vote was taken against him based on remarks he made to a Spanish language radio station. His remarks aired as the council was preparing to appoint new city and deputy clerks.

Tavarez wanted a Latino clerk to be appointed to the deputy clerk post; however, a majority of his colleagues disagreed. The former 5th Ward councilman decided against running for re-election in May.

The former councilman has appeared in public meetings often limping and on crutches. It’s not clear whether this resulted from the injuries he suffered in the alleged incident mentioned in the lawsuit.

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