Personal Injury

Martine Aniel initiated a lawsuit against the City and County of San Francisco following a severe trip-and-fall incident on Hayes Street. On May 4, 2023, while walking in front of 528 Hayes Street, Aniel tripped over irregular and raised sidewalk slabs that the City had failed to maintain. The resulting fall caused a fractured left acetabulum and significant physical impairment. Although the City initially denied her administrative claim, the parties ultimately reached a $45,000 settlement to cover her medical expenses and physical suffering.

Bryn Miller filed a lawsuit against the City and County of San Francisco and Officer Anthony Montoya following a severe collision at the intersection of 20th and Folsom Streets. On a rainy night in March 2023, Miller was cycling with proper safety gear when Montoya, operating a city-owned Ford Explorer, turned directly into her path. The impact threw Miller over her handlebars, resulting in serious physical trauma and a lingering fear for her life. An investigation found the officer at fault for failing to yield the right-of-way. To resolve claims for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, the City agreed to a $95,000 settlement.

On a summer afternoon in August 2019, 15-year-old Roberto Diaz Garcia attempted to cross the street near the intersection of Maple Avenue and East 37th Street in Los Angeles. As the teenager stepped into the crosswalk area, a vehicle struck him with significant force, resulting in life-altering injuries. The legal action alleged that the City of Los Angeles maintained a "trap" for pedestrians due to poor visibility and inadequate safety measures. The collision left the young Plaintiff with devastating trauma, including permanent orthopedic injuries and third-degree burns. After extensive litigation regarding the city’s failure to implement traffic-calming measures, the parties reached a $1,500,000 settlement to cover the minor’s lifelong medical care and lost earning capacity.

Theodore Franzone was walking near the 16th fairway at the Lincoln Park Golf Course when a utility box cover flipped up, causing his leg to fall into the hole. The accident resulted in a chipped right patella and a torn tendon that required surgical repair. Franzone sued the City and County of San Francisco, alleging the municipal government failed to secure the cover, creating a dangerous condition on public property. While the City denied all allegations and argued that the risk was trivial or caused by Franzone’s own negligence, the parties ultimately resolved the dispute with a $75,000 settlement.

In the matter of Ana Warrick v. Byelas, LLC and The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC, the Plaintiff alleged she sustained significant injuries, including a rotator cuff tear and hand fracture, after tripping on a "depressed" sidewalk seam outside a Westport, CT grocery store. Warrick argued the Defendants violated state building codes and ASTM standards for safe walking surfaces. However, the defense successfully argued that the Plaintiff failed to prove the existence of a specific dangerous condition. On January 8, 2025, a Fairfield District jury returned a verdict in favor of all Defendants, concluding that no actionable defect was present at the time of the incident.

On a December morning in 2022, Zoila Moran De Alfaro stepped into a marked crosswalk at the intersection of Sepulveda and Victory Boulevards, guided by a "walk" signal. Simultaneously, the traffic light for oncoming northbound traffic turned green, leading driver Gilberto Cabrera to strike Ms. De Alfaro at high speed. The collision caused a shoulder fracture, a rotator cuff tear, and a torn ACL. Investigations revealed a catastrophic malfunction in the traffic control system—essentially a "concealed trap"—that granted both the pedestrian and the driver the right of way at the same time. Facing allegations of maintaining a dangerous condition on public property, the City of Los Angeles and Caltrans reached a $1,000,000 settlement to compensate for the victim's permanent injuries and medical expenses.

This legal action emerged from a two-vehicle crash that took place on May 20, 2021, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Dorka Morales had been driving her car south on East Main Street when she encountered a city-owned street sweeper. According to the legal complaint, Luis Antonio Rodriguez had been operating an Elgin city sweeper in the same direction when he suddenly and without warning pulled out into the street, leading to a collision. The Plaintiffs alleged that Rodriguez failed to keep a proper lookout and neglected to give any signal before moving into the path of traffic. The defense argued that Morales was responsible, claiming she attempted to pass the street sweeper in a "no passing" zone while its caution lights were flashing. Following a trial in November 2025, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the Defendants, awarding no damages to the Plaintiffs.

A Connecticut jury awarded Giya Perrin $10,057 after finding Alain Malimba fully responsible for a 2022 highway collision on Interstate 91 South in New Haven. The jury rejected the defense's contributory negligence argument and assigned 100% liability to the defendant for the early morning crash that left Perrin with spinal injuries.

On November 21, 2022, a significant motor vehicle collision occurred in Darien, Connecticut, when a vehicle operated by John Romanovsky and owned by Hood Services 24 LLC struck the rear of a vehicle driven by Extra Desther on Ledge Road. The impact resulted in Desther suffering from cervical and lumbar radiculopathy, persistent hand pain, and the aggravation of a pre-existing spinal condition. Represented by The Flood Law Firm, LLC, Desther argued that Romanovsky’s negligence—specifically failing to maintain a proper lookout and following too closely—was the direct cause of his permanent physical and mental suffering. While the defense admitted the collision occurred, they vigorously contested the extent of the injuries and the necessity of the claimed medical expenses. The trial concluded in the Superior Court of Fairfield at Bridgeport with a jury verdict totaling $488,958.89. This award included $35,563.89 in past medical expenses, $133,107.00 for future medical care, and $320,288.00 in noneconomic damages for pain and suffering. Notably, the jury meticulously reviewed medical provider bills, opting to award specific amounts to providers like Stamford Hospital and CARE Health & Wellness while declining others.

On November 25, 2018, 19-year-old Nora Rose-Hines attempted a left turn from Strathern Street onto Balboa Boulevard in Los Angeles. As she entered the intersection, a vehicle driven by Tiana Brown struck her car on the driver’s side. The impact caused fatal injuries to Nora. Her mothers, Patricia Hines and Margot Rose, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles and CalTrans. They alleged the intersection was a dangerous condition of public property because it lacked the safety modifications necessary to handle high traffic volumes and had a history of similar accidents. While the City initially argued that Nora was negligent and the intersection met design standards, the parties eventually reached a settlement of $1,850,000 to resolve the litigation.

On November 26, 2022, Ryen Motzek was traveling eastbound in a designated bike lane on Eddy Street in San Francisco when he was struck by a 2021 Honda Accord. The vehicle, owned by Dwight Hall and operated by Kendu Bomani, caused Motzek to suffer severe bodily injuries requiring immediate and long-term medical intervention. Motzek filed suit (Case No. CGC24611404) alleging both the driver's negligence and the owner’s negligent entrustment of the vehicle. Although the defense initially contested the allegations—citing contributory negligence and the statute of limitations—the parties ultimately reached a $420,000 settlement. This award compensates the plaintiff for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering resulting from the collision.

A West Covina homeowner’s decision to skip building permits led to a $550,000 legal settlement after a guest suffered a life-altering fall. In October 2019, Dennis Brown visited the home of Victoria and Frank Fusaro at 1440 South Meeker Avenue. He stepped out onto a newly renovated patio, unaware that the recent construction work created a dangerous nine-inch vertical drop. The height discrepancy violated local building codes and lacked any visual warnings or handrails. This hazard caused Brown to lose his balance and strike the hard stone pavers with immense force. The resulting injuries inflicted immediate trauma and left Brown with permanent physical limitations. After Brown filed a premises liability claim in Los Angeles Superior Court, the parties reached a financial agreement to address his mounting medical bills and lost earning capacity.