$7.25M Settlement in Frank Valles vs. LAPD Crash Case
Table of Contents
Case Background
Plaintiff Frank Valles, an employee of the Los Angeles County Probation Department, filed a personal injury lawsuit against Defendant Terrence Andra Cross, an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), and the Defendant City of Los Angeles. The legal action originated from a motor vehicle collision that occurred on April 13, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. Mr. Valles was riding as a front seat passenger in the LAPD vehicle when Officer Cross, who had been driving northbound on Washington Boulevard, attempted a left turn at the intersection of Hooper Avenue. The Complaint alleged that Officer Cross turned in front of an oncoming vehicle traveling southbound, causing a catastrophic impact that severely injured Mr. Valles. The subsequent litigation became a major test of employer responsibility, as Mr. Valles sought to hold the City of Los Angeles accountable for the on-the-job actions of its employee.
Cause
The core cause of action in the Complaint was general negligence related to the operation of a motor vehicle.
The Plaintiff asserted that Officer Cross, while acting within the course and scope of his employment, drove his official 2006 Ford Crown Victoria negligently. Specifically, the officer executed an unsafe and illegal left turn, failing to yield to traffic that had the right of way. This failure to operate the police vehicle with due care directly resulted in the collision.
The Complaint further invoked California Vehicle Code Section 17001, which establishes that a public entity is legally responsible for death or injury proximately caused by a negligent or
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