Although the City of Los Angeles had received numerous complaints from the community about a deadly intersection in Venice Beach, it wasn’t until an entirely preventable collision occurred, taking the life of a pedestrian, that the city finally decided to take action. The City of Los Angeles had even failed to recognize its own program, Vision Zero, which was an ongoing initiative to eliminate traffic-related fatalities by using allocated resources and available funding to renovate deadly intersections like this one.
Bill Paoli & Court Purdy of Paoli & Purdy, PC, represented the three children of the decedent, fighting to help them procure proper compensation for the loss of their beloved father. They wanted to make sure that the City of Los Angeles was held accountable for this foreseeable tragedy and ensure that a life would never again be lost due to the city’s negligence. Paoli & Purdy commissioned DK Global to prepare a presentation, using evidence from discovery and depositions, to outline how the city’s lack of action resulted in numerous accidents – and the tragic death of a vacation-goer.
The presentation uses footage of community members and local news agencies voicing their frustration and describing the uncontrollable intersection, along with its almost invisible signage that drivers continuously flew past. Formal requests, some from as far back as 2012, that were made by residents and employees to city councilmen illustrate that the city was well aware of the crosswalk’s hazardous conditions. In 2016, funds and resources were granted to place rectangular, rapid-flash LED beacons within the crosswalk to alert drivers to the presence of pedestrians - but the intersection still remained untouched. In fact, after receiving a donation, the city implemented these safety measures to a crosswalk located in front of the SnapChat office a mile down the road, despite the senior engineer’s opinion that the request was not necessary. Tragically, a year later, a pedestrian lost his life in the deadly Venice Beach intersection, forcing the city to finally take action.
Bill Paoli and Court Purdy were able to prove that the City of Los Angeles was at fault for continuously allowing these dangerous road conditions, securing a $12.25 Million settlement for the decedent’s children, and prompting changes that would prevent another senseless death.
Court Purdy is a partner in the law firm of Paoli & Purdy, PC. He has extensive experience in the field of environmental law, specializing in cases involving exposure to mold, lead, asbestos, chemicals, or other toxins. He also practices in civil litigation, personal injury, wrongful death, vehicle accidents, products’ liability, premises liability (slip/trip falls), and toxic exposures. He has presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, for Mealey’s, Lexis/Nexis, and a variety of other legal organizations on the topic of personal injury, trial, and mold litigation.
Bill Paoli of Paoli & Purdy, PC, has extensive experience in personal injury matters. Those who have been harmed or injured due to toxic exposure, environmental hazards, legal malpractice, or other civil rights violations can find comfort knowing that Mr. Paoli works tirelessly to ensure justice. He is currently a member of several organizations and associations including the State Bar of California, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, as well as the California Employment and Lawyers Association. He holds certification as a Civil Trial Advocacy Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
