A Walk Across the Lot Turns Dangerous

Peter Gibson walked across the Universal Studios lot in Los Angeles on April 26, 2018. After lunch, he made his way uphill toward his office. A commercial barrier gate system—known as the “LiftMaster”—stood nearby, controlling vehicle access. The pathway to the right of the gate was blocked, so Gibson and his coworkers walked on the left. The gate arm stood upright. No lights flashed. No warning sounds played. Suddenly, the arm dropped. It struck Gibson on the head without any notice.

Design Flaws and Missed Warnings

Gibson claimed the gate system was unsafe. He pointed to several issues: a lack of visual and audio warnings, the failure of the arm to detect people in its path, and an unsafe pedestrian layout. He alleged that the manufacturer, The Chamberlain Group, created a defective product. He also alleged that Universal Studios and related entities failed to install and maintain it safely. In his view, the gate presented a clear risk to pedestrians, which these parties ignored.

A Life Changed in an Instant

The impact caused Gibson a trau