Jurimatic: Verdicts and Settlements

On September 29, 2023, Frank Mufarreh tripped on an uneven sidewalk at 1959 Ocean Avenue, San Francisco. The pavement, lifted near a street tree, had been flagged in a 311 report over two months earlier. Mufarreh sued the City and County of San Francisco and property owner Timoleon Zaracotas, alleging negligence, premises liability, and dangerous condition of public property. He claimed the defect was known but unrepaired, causing his fractured hand and lasting impairment. Defendants denied liability, citing immunities, comparative fault, and lack of notice. The case settled for $75,000, pending Board of Supervisors approval, ahead of a November 2025 trial.

In a reverse mortgage servicing dispute, Sun West Mortgage Co. sued First National Bank of Pennsylvania, successor to First Mariner, over a 2017 Settlement Agreement requiring loan repurchases. After Fannie Mae flagged defects in two loans, Sun West covered payoffs when the Bank failed to act. Following a bench trial, the Court ruled for Sun West on the Hastings Loan, awarding $511,918.55 plus interest, but found for the Bank on Barner Loan claims, with attorneys’ fees to be decided later.

On November 2, 2022, minor Plaintiff Rieyahne Blaylock tripped on a broken sidewalk at Ellis and Steiner Streets in San Francisco. She alleged the City negligently allowed a dangerous condition to exist and failed to repair or warn. The City denied liability and raised multiple defenses, including immunity and lack of notice. On January 13, 2025, Plaintiff filed notice of a conditional $100,000 settlement, resolving all claims before the scheduled February 2025 jury trial.

On September 22, 2023, Mary Feller tripped on a raised sidewalk near 3400 Lawton Street in San Francisco, suffering serious injuries. Her husband, Gordon Feller, claimed emotional distress and loss of consortium. The couple alleged that property owner Tilo Dickopp and the City and County of San Francisco knew of the hazard but failed to repair or warn, despite prior notices. The defendants denied liability, citing statutory immunities, comparative negligence, and trivial defect defenses. To avoid trial, the parties reached a $250,000 settlement, resolving all claims with prejudice.

On February 14, 2023, Sara Black tripped on a 2.5-inch sidewalk defect on Main Street in Los Angeles, suffering multiple facial fractures that required surgery. She alleged the City knew of the hazard but failed to repair it, creating a dangerous condition of public property. The City denied liability, citing contributory negligence, statutory immunities, and other defenses. To avoid trial, both parties agreed to a $300,000 settlement, compensating Black for medical costs, pain, and related damages without the City admitting fault.

On September 6, 2020, the Bobcat Fire ignited in Angeles National Forest after a tree contacted Southern California Edison’s power lines, with Utility Tree Service responsible for vegetation management. The blaze burned 114,577 acres, destroyed 171 structures, damaged 47, and caused extensive environmental harm, including loss of habitat and cultural sites. The United States sued SCE and UTS for negligence, dangerous condition, trespass by fire, and breach of permit, seeking over $121 million for suppression, restoration, and damages. The defendants denied liability, citing Acts of God, compliance with standards, and third-party causes. On December 1, 2024, after mediation, the parties reached a proposed $82.5 million settlement, pending Department of Justice approval, resolving all federal claims from the Bobcat Fire.

On April 5, 2021, Laurie Nolan’s Lexus was rear-ended on Pacific Coast Highway near Driftwood Drive, Los Angeles. City employee Luis Diego, driving a City-owned Ford Taurus, struck Daniela Ruiz’s Ford Explorer, pushing it into Nolan’s vehicle. Nolan alleged both Diego’s unsafe speed and Ruiz’s negligent driving caused the crash. She suffered serious injuries, pain, and wage loss, seeking compensatory and punitive damages. The City and Ruiz denied liability, citing comparative negligence, statutory immunities, and other defenses. On June 14, 2024, Nolan settled for $200,000, resolving all claims ahead of the July 2024 trial.

On October 4, 2021, Ada M. Guzman tripped on an unmarked hole in the sidewalk near 783 Mission Street, San Francisco. She alleged the City and San Francisco Public Works negligently maintained the area, creating a dangerous condition that caused her injuries, wage loss, and emotional distress. The City denied liability, citing statutory immunities, comparative negligence, and lack of notice. On October 4, 2024, Guzman settled her premises liability lawsuit for $45,000, resolving all claims ahead of the scheduled December 2024 trial.

On May 9, 2021, Juan Jose Perez and Adriana S. Osorio collided with a City-owned vehicle driven by employee Nathaniel Miranda at South Broadway and West 67th Street. They alleged Miranda’s reckless driving and the City’s negligent entrustment, training, and supervision caused serious injuries and lasting harm. Claims cited motor vehicle and general negligence under California Government and Vehicle Codes. The City and Miranda denied fault, citing comparative negligence, statutory immunities, and procedural defenses. In August 2024, both sides reached a conditional settlement, pending Los Angeles City Council approval, resolving all claims.

On January 18, 2022, Raul Velazquez Guzman was struck twice by Nathan Scott Wigle’s reversing 2012 Mercedes CLS 550 while working on a cabinetry project at Wigle’s Sacramento home. Guzman alleged Wigle acted negligently and recklessly, while Farmers Insurance disputed coverage, arguing the collisions were a single occurrence. Guzman suffered severe injuries, emotional distress, lost earnings, and extensive medical costs. He sought declaratory relief against Farmers and negligence damages against Wigle. Wigle denied liability, raised comparative negligence, duplicative claims, assumption of risk, and statutory defenses. On June 13, 2025, a jury found Wigle negligent and awarded Guzman $18,512,253—$613,063.47 in economic damages and $14.5 million in non-economic damages, with the remainder in additional categories holding Wigle’s negligence a substantial factor in Guzman’s harm.

On May 21, 2020, Marie Thornton tripped over concealed fence wires on the Legion of Honor Side Path in San Francisco. She sued the City and County of San Francisco for negligence, premises liability, and dangerous condition of public property (Gov. Code §835), citing poor maintenance, overgrown foliage, broken fencing, and lack of warnings. Thornton alleged severe, permanent injuries, medical costs, lost wages, and impaired daily function. The City denied liability, asserting procedural defects, statutory immunities, assumed risk, comparative negligence, and failure to mitigate damages. On February 6, 2025, the parties reached a $300,000 conditional settlement, pending City approval, with dismissal expected by June 1, 2025.

On April 13, 2021, in Santa Monica, Liliana Barrios Viamari’s 2019 Honda Civic collided with Sara Toribio-Ruiz’s 2017 Honda Civic as Toribio-Ruiz drove southbound on 21st Street. Plaintiffs alleged Liliana’s negligent driving and Michael Viamari’s negligent entrustment caused the crash, injuring Toribio-Ruiz and affecting her daily life. Her husband, Paul Parra, sought loss of consortium. Defendants denied liability, citing comparative negligence, superseding causes, statute of limitations, and limits on non-economic damages. On June 16, 2025, a Los Angeles jury awarded Toribio-Ruiz $1,295,000, including $595,000 for future medical expenses, $200,000 for past non-economic losses, and $500,000 for future non-economic losses. Parra received no damages.