Trial in Lawsuit in Which Pedestrian Lost Arm Attempting to Board Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus Starts Tuesday; Opening Statements Expected to Begin Late Wednesday Afternoon

Business Wire, Feb 20, 2006

LOS ANGELES -- Trial starts on Tuesday, February 21, 2006, at 9:30 a.m. in Los Angeles Superior Court/West Los Angeles Division in Haroun Mehdipour's negligence lawsuit against The City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus. Mr. Haroun lost his left arm and suffered traumatic brain injury when he was struck by a Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus while attempting to board it on May 5, 2004. The case will be heard before the Hon. John L. Segal, Department "C," 1633 Purdue, Los Angeles, CA 90025.

Opening statements are expected to begin late afternoon on Wednesday, February 22, 2006, and the trial is expected to last two-three weeks. Mr. Haroun and his wife, Parvin Mehdipour, are represented by Browne Greene and Geoffrey S. Wells with the Santa Monica, Calif., law firm of Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP. Haroun vs. City of Santa Monica, Case No. SC083537.

On November 18, 2004, Haroun Mehdipour filed a civil complaint for damages against The City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus for negligence, negligent hiring and negligent supervision, among other claims. Mr. Mehdipour alleges that the City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus were negligent in the hiring and supervision of its bus driver employee and are thus responsible for the events which caused his horrific injuries.

On May 5, 2004, Mr. Mehdipour, age 79, was attempting to board a Big Blue Bus at the corner of Barrington and Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, Calif. Mr. Mehdipour was walking on the sidewalk along side the bus, clearly in view of the driver's mirror. He was touching the bus and trying to get the driver's attention as he walked toward the front door. Rather than wait, the Big Blue Bus driver closed the front door before Mr. Mehdipour could enter and drove off, running over Mr. Mehdipour and causing him serious injuries, including the degloving of his left arm (which subsequently had to be amputated) and a traumatic brain injury. An eyewitness to the incident drove up to the bus and signaled to the driver to stop, but he waved her off and drove away.

"Had Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus driver complied with the rules and regulations he was required to obey, Haroun Mehdipour would never have been injured," stated Browne Greene. "Instead, the bus driver's haste has forever robbed Haroun of his independence, his vitality and the ability to truly savor the joy of his golden years with his wife and family. We intend to see that the Mehdipour's have their day in court and to see to it that justice is served."

"The evidence will clearly show that Haroun Mehdipour's injuries are consistent with being run over by a bus tire," explained Geoffrey S. Wells. That the City of Santa Monica is trying to avoid responsibility for Mr. Mehdipour's injuries is both an outrage and a shame. We will show at trial that the City of Santa Monica has no viable defense and that it is clearly responsible for ruining Haroun Mehdipour's life."

Editor's Note:

Plaintiffs Haroun and Parvin Mehdipour are represented by Browne Greene and Geoffrey S. Wells with the Santa Monica, Calif., law firm of Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP (www.greene-broillet.com); Tel: 310-576-1200. Co-counsel in the case is Shawn Azizzadeh and Michael Ross with the Beverly Hills, Calif., law firm of Azizzadeh & Ross.

Defendants are represented by Lance S. Gams, Deputy City Attorney with the Santa Monica City Attorney's Office; Tel: 310-458-8336.