Paoli and Purdy Make the Case for Preventative Traffic Reform in LA with $9.5 Million Settlement

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Aug 26, 2024, 20:01 ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A turn signal was recently added at an intersection after a 4-year-old child was struck and killed while crossing the street legally with her mother in 2019. The death occurred in Koreatown, Los Angeles, California, on the way to school.

Law firm and Advocate Capital client Paoli and Purdy, PC helped the family sue the City of Los Angeles in 2020, arguing that officials knew that the intersection was unsafe well before their daughter's death.

William Paoli and Court Purdy of Paoli and Purdy, PC

The family's attorney, Court Purdy, told the LA Times, "They had the knowledge back in 2013 to have prevented [the child's] 2019 death." The case was settled in December 2023, and the protected left turn signal was added at the intersection in 2024. Despite multiple documented reports on the dangers pedestrians faced in the neighborhood and around the school she attended, it took over four years after her death for the city to install safer traffic signals at the intersection. This tragic incident underscores the broader issues of delayed action and systemic failures in addressing pedestrian safety in Los Angeles.

The family's lawsuit against the city brought to light the negligence and delays that contributed to their beloved daughter's death. The city settled the case for $9.5 million, a reminder of the financial costs associated with inaction, especially considering the new signals only cost $530,000 to install. However, the human cost is immeasurable. The child's family continues to struggle with the loss of their daughter, reflecting on what could have been if timely measures had been taken. Her mother drives her other children to school every day, never returning to the five-minute walk she and her late daughter had made so many times before the crash.

This case exemplifies the need for a more proactive and equitable approach to traffic safety, particularly in low-income, minority neighborhoods that are disproportionately affected by traffic violence.

Advocate Capital commends Paoli and Purdy, PC, for their dedication to representing those affected by traffic violence in LA. They are proud to support law firms that make a difference in their communities.

Advocate Capital, Inc. is passionate about helping plaintiff attorneys get even better results for their clients, mainly through their AdvoTrac^® Case Expense Funding Service. For more information, visit www.AdvocateCapital.com or call 1.877.894.9724.

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Rachel Minyard
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Advocate Capital

SOURCE Advocate Capital, Inc.