I was recently assaulted by a bus driver. Long story short I asked for my money back due to dissatisfaction with the bus company that day in general plus the drivers attitude when I tried to raise complaint about the services. The bus company advertises that you can ask the driver for money back if you're not satisfied with the service and is no quibble guarantee.
The driver was rude and it resulted in him taking a handful of pound coins and throwing them hard in my face, in front of my children before driving away fairly recklessly. This escalated to him doing this within a couple of minutes so he lost it pretty quickly.
I have been assured by the bus company that there is no possible way that it wouldn't have been recorded by the on board cctv so obviously everything I say will be backed up.
Originally I was happy to let the company and police deal with it. But I'm honestly struggling because of it. My mental health isn't great I've been recovering from anorexia and some fairly traumatic events.
In my mind I know I come off as a bit dramatic and whiney sometimes but that's not an excuse to do that. It really hurt as the coins hit me quite hard on the bones like around my eye socket.
I feel stupid because all he did was throw some coins at me but I don't want to go out of my house. My kids dad and I have shared care and he's fuming as our eldest son won't get on a bus since so he's getting taxis everywhere. So am I and I'm not walking distance from school like their dad is because I signed the house over to him when we split. I'm a self employed nail technician and I've just had to send my client away because I keep shaking. I feel sick and keep crying and I know I need to get a grip but I don't want to be near anyone. I thought I was ok but I was having some time off when it happened as my boyfriend had annual leave so I don't book work then and today's my first booking since.
If a random man can be as vicious as he was to me, and he was about my size, all because he didn't like my tone what could my boyfriend do to me when he's twice my weight in muscle?
Or any of my friends boyfriends if they think I'm nagging or complaining?
My housemate said I need to cancel my work and ask the bus company for some sort of compensation for loss of earnings because she thinks I'm going to have a nervous breakdown and is worried about me. I'm going to have to cancel it anyway because I can't keep my hands steady whether or not I can claim anything, but is that even a possibility? Would it have to involve courts? I'm not a money grabber I don't want to really go down any official route but it's making Christmas really difficult for me now and I was already struggling and all I want to do is cry in bed I don't want to deal with anything I want to be left alone.
I don't know I just feel shit everything is a struggle at the minute and this has just not helped. I know my personal circumstances aren't the drivers problem but my friend said the physical symptoms and how I'm feeling are a result of his actions not just how I was feeling anyway. I was actually starting to feel like things were getting better
Before he threw the coins in my face, When I explained to him why I was asking for my money back he called me a liar and said I was a scrubber trying to get free rides. I don't want people to think of me that way. I've put so much time and money and effort into my training and work since I qualified 5 years ago and it's the only thing I'm actually good at. It's the only thing I make money from. My friend said to ring the bus company but i don't want to ask anyone in real life and have them think I'm some sort of scrounger like he said.
I'm sorry if I come across as pathetic or silly but I don't really have anyone to talk to.