CITY HALL — A three-vehicle collision cost City Hall $20,000, with more on the horizon as the City Attorney’s Office settled one injury case and approaches settlement on a second.
The accident took place on March 12 at approximately 1:30 p.m. between a Big Blue Bus route 3 and two other cars on Lincoln Boulevard just before Washington Boulevard, said Deputy City Attorney Lance Gams.
As the bus made its way up Lincoln Boulevard, a car in front of it stopped to wait for a pedestrian before making a right turn onto Washington Boulevard going east.
A second car then pulled out from a parking lot between the bus and the car attempting to turn right. The bus driver rear-ended the second car, which hit the first car at the intersection, Gams said.
Two passengers on the bus were injured in the accident.
Lidia Gomez, of Los Angeles, was standing during the accident and lost her grip on a pole. She was thrown forward, and hit her head on the front dash, next to the fare box.
She sustained neck, back and shoulder injuries, and had headaches from the head wound, Gams said.
She ran up $19,000 in medical bills.
Michael Baines, then living in Inglewood, received neck and back injuries, with pain radiating down his legs. He claimed $6,500 in medical bills, leaving the door open for future medical costs, and $2,000 in lost earnings.
The claims were filed separately in mid 2010, and the lawsuits filed in the fall.
The cases were consolidated to protect against the possibility of inconsistent verdicts, Gams said.
The Gomez case settled for $20,000. The Baines case is still in negotiation.
ashley@www.smdp.com
