Los Angeles to pay $20 million to teen who lost leg in Boyle Heights hit-and-run
This is read by an automated voice.Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
See more from the L.A.Times in Google Search.
Set us as preferred The city of Los Angeles will pay $20 million to settle a lawsuit brought on behalf of a teen who lost his leg in 2023 in a hit-and-run in Boyle Heights.Thirteen-year-old Joshua Mora was walking home from school March 30, 2023, when he was hit by a motorcycle in the crosswalk at Whittier Boulevard and Orme Avenue.
Joshua had his right leg amputated below the knee and suffered fractures to his shoulders and a mild traumatic brain injury, according to an L.A.County Superior Court filing detailing the settlement.
A court-appointed guardian for Joshua sued for negligence, blaming not only the driver who hit him and ran away but also the city and the L.A.Unified School District “because the crosswalk was dangerous, and they knew it,” the February 2024 complaint said.
Two of the lawyers for Joshua, now 16, at the Law Brothers denied an interview request for the teen and his guardian, citing privacy and his ongoing recovery.“Our client was just thirteen years old, walking home from school, when he suffered a devastating injury resulting in the loss of his leg.
We appreciate the City’s willingness to engage constructively and reach a resolution that serves his long-term needs,” the Law Brothers office said in a statement to The Times.The L.A.
city attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The lawsuit said the intersection lacked signage, lighting and other traffic control tools that would have helped a driver see and avoid the teen in the crosswalk.
“The traffic on Whittier Blvd.is unable to expect, detect, see, perceive, react and avoid hitting pedestrians walking in the crosswalk at Orme Ave.,” the complaint said.
The $20-million settlement is another blow to the city’s budget, which has weathered significant increases in liability payouts over the last few yea...