$19M Settlement in Ventura Wrongful Death Case

Case Background

A lawsuit arose from a fatal incident on public land in Ventura County reached a confidential settlement in July 2025, closing a wrongful death and negligence case against the City of San Buenaventura and associated private contractors. The lawsuit, filed by the family of the deceased, Peter F. White, claimed negligence and a dangerous condition of public property had resulted in his death. The legal proceedings spanned nearly three years, concluding just before the trial phase was to begin.

Cause

The incident that triggered the lawsuit was the death of Peter F. White. The Plaintiffs alleged that a dangerous condition existed on property owned or maintained by the City of San Buenaventura. According to the complaint, the City and its private contractors, including West Coast Arborists, Inc., either created the hazardous situation or failed to fix it despite knowing it posed a risk to the public. The family contended this failure to act constituted a direct cause of Mr. White’s fatal injuries.

Injury

The action centered on the Wrongful Death of Peter F. White. His widow, Kathleen White, brought the suit individually and as the successor-in-interest to his estate, joined by the couple’s children: Rachel White, Joanna White, Candace White, and Eli White. The family sought to recover losses related to his passing, including medical expenses, funeral costs, and damages for the emotional devastation and loss of support they suffered.

Damages Sought

The White family sought significant financial compensation from the Defendants. The complaint outlined claims for General Damages to compensate for the pain, suffering, and emotional trauma caused by the death, and Special Damages to cover specific, measurable losses like past and future medical care, funeral and burial expenses, and the loss of financial support Peter F. White provided to his family. Furthermore, the Plaintiffs included claims for Punitive Damages against the private contractor, alleging that the company’s conduct had been malicious, oppressive, or fraudulent, thereby warranting punishment beyond mere compensation.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

The lawsuit, officially filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Ventura, saw extensive legal skirmishing as the Defendants consistently denied responsibility for the incident.

Legal Representation

Plaintiff: Kathleen White individually and as successor in interest to Peter F White deceased | Candace White | Eli White | Joanna White | Rachel White

·       Counsel for Plaintiff: Max R. Engelhardt | Ivan Puchalt

Defendant: City of San Buenaventura | West Coast Arborists Inc

·       Counsel for Defendant: Mitchell D. Dean | Heather E. Paradis | Christopher Edward Faenza

Key Arguments or Remarks by Counsel

Claims

The Plaintiffs’ counsel established a broad foundation for liability against both the municipal and private entities. They filed five core claims, each painting a picture of systemic failure that resulted in a preventable death.

The claim for Wrongful Death (Negligence) asserted that the Defendants had a legal duty to maintain public areas safely but failed to exercise reasonable care, directly causing the fatality. A separate claim for Negligence focused on the general failure to maintain the property or conduct operations safely.

The Premises Liability claim argued that the Defendants, as owners or custodians of the land, should be held liable for the unsafe conditions that caused injury. Critically, the claim for Dangerous Condition of Public Property addressed the specific legal standard for suing a government entity under California Government Code § 835. This section required the Plaintiffs to prove that the property was indeed dangerous, that the risk was foreseeable, and that the City had actual or constructive notice of the condition far enough in advance to have taken preventative measures.

Finally, the family filed a claim for Loss of Consortium, seeking compensation for the loss of companionship, affection, and emotional support that Peter F. White had provided to his wife and children.

Defense

The City of San Buenaventura’s legal team fiercely contested the claims, filing an Answer that denied nearly every allegation leveled by the White family. The City asserted numerous Affirmative Defenses to shield itself from liability.

A primary defense argued that the Plaintiffs’ own negligence or that of a third party had been the cause of the injury, attempting to shift the blame away from the municipality. The City also employed several statutory defenses available to government entities, including Government Code Immunity, arguing that certain municipal decisions or failures were protected from litigation by law. They specifically argued that no dangerous condition existed or that, even if it did, the City did not have sufficient notice of the defect. The defense also maintained that the Plaintiffs' claims had been barred because they failed to mitigate, or minimize, their damages following the incident. In their prayer for relief, the City’s attorneys insisted that the City should take nothing from the lawsuit and, if found liable, that its fault should be limited only to its proportional share of responsibility.

Settlement

The contentious legal battle concluded with a Notice of Settlement of Entire Case filed with the Court on July 10, 2025. This filing marked the end of the nearly three-year litigation process, halting any further discovery and eliminating the need for a jury trial.

The contentious legal battle concluded with a settlement totaling $19,000,000, which the parties formally reported to the court. This substantial financial resolution provided certain and immediate compensation for the White family’s losses, while the defendants the City of San Buenaventura and West Coast Arborists, Inc. avoided the high costs, risks, and public exposure associated with a lengthy jury trial. The specific allocation of the financial responsibility among the defendants remained confidential. The court record confirmed that the parties had resolved all claims in the action, and the plaintiffs' counsel agreed to file a Request for Dismissal of the entire case within the subsequent month. The outcome brought closure to a tragic incident that had pitted a grieving family against a local government and its private contractors over the safety of public property.

Court documents are available upon request at jurimatic@exlitem.com