Camila Lopez Magallanes vs. Los Angeles Unified School District

Case Background

On November 22, 2017, Plaintiff Cristofina Lopez filed a premises liability lawsuit in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, California (Case Number: BC684669). The case stemmed from a school playground injury allegedly resulting from unsafe property conditions. Judges Alison Mackenzie, Mel Red Recana, Malcolm Mackey, Michelle Williams Court, Samantha Jessner, and Marc D. Gross presided over the matter.

Cause

On February 2, 2017, a minor student sustained life-changing injuries at Marvin Avenue Elementary School in Los Angeles. Reports revealed that staff from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) allowed students to participate in physical activities on a school playground with hazardous infrastructure. School authorities reportedly permitted children to play on damaged asphalt littered with cracks, uneven surfaces, and loose gravel. These unsafe conditions caused the student to fall and strike their head against the asphalt, resulting in severe injuries. Instead of seeking immediate medical attention, staff sent the visibly injured student back to the classroom, where their condition worsened. The student experienced escalating confusion, lightheadedness, and pain as intracranial bleeding developed.

Injuries

The traumatic brain injury caused by the school playground accident led to intracranial bleeding and brain displacement, according to medical evaluations. LAUSD’s delayed response worsened the injury's severity, as emergency protocols were not followed. Investigations revealed that staff failed to contact medical servi