Facts

On November 29, 2007, after being let off an LACMTA bus at the intersection of Adams and Grand in Los Angeles, and while walking in a marked crosswalk at the same intersection, the plaintiff, a 21-year-old man, was struck by the buss from which he had just exited.

The police reported found the bus driver to have been the primary cause of the accident by violating CVC Section 21451(a) which requires he yield to pedestrians lawfully in the intersection.

The bus driver was later fired by MTA following their finding that the accident was “avoidable.”

Injuries

The plaintiff suffered severe orthopedic, neurologic, psychiactric and plastic/reconstructive injuries as a result of the bus accident. He was taken from the scene by ambulance and noted to have a severe crush /degloving injury to his left leg, a complete avulsion from his mid left thigh to mid left shin.

Over the next 8 months following the accident, the plaintiff had a total of five surgeries involving three hospital admissions. He returned to the hospital in January 2008 for multiple skin grafting surgeries, where he developed a serious staph infection.

The plaintiff lost a significant amount of calf tissue from his left leg in the accident. He has constant pain in his knee and left leg, exacerbated when he tries to stand for more than a few minutes or walk more than a short distance. He has impaired balance on the left knee and walks with a limp because of decreased weight bearing ability in his left leg.

Verdict Information

The case settled for $3.3 million.