Taylor & Ring Obtains $4.25 Million Settlement Against Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Taylor & Ring obtained a $4.25 million settlement against the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) on behalf of their client Gilberto Rebollar. This is considered the largest amount paid to a single pedestrian injury case by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

On April 6, 2009, Mr. Rebollar was struck by an LACMTA train when he attempted to cross the train tracks in the designated pedestrian crosswalk at the Southwest Museum Station. He suffered severe injuries, including a brain injury requiring surgery, a traumatic amputation of his left foot and a dislocated shoulder. The lawsuit filed against LACMTA cited the negligence in operating of its train—the engineer was going too fast, creation of a dangerous condition and failure to provide adequate signs, devices and barriers to protect pedestrians.

Attorneys John Taylor and Robert Clayton proved the design of the pedestrian crosswalk was highly dangerous and included a blind spot where pedestrians were not able to see oncoming trains. LACMTA had also closed a pre-existing pedestrian tunnel under the tracks, and created the unsafe pedestrian crossing across the tracks.

“Metro was aware that this was a potentially dangerous situation and promised to fix it by slowing the trains; however, it never happened and someone was injured as a result of their negligence,” said Mr. Taylor