Bus collides with bicycle: Inattentive driving: Wrongful death: Settlement

Law Reporter, Apr 2000

Bus collides with bicycle: Inattentive driving: Wrongful death: Settlement.

Paolone v. City of Culver City, Cal., L.A. County Super. Ct., No. SC 039089, Apr. 8, 1999. Paolone, 43, was riding his bicycle when he collided with a municipal bus. He was run over by the bus and killed instantly. Paolone had been a movie set painter earning $75,000 annually. He is survived by his wife and one minor child.

Paolone's wife, individually and on behalf of her child, sued the city, alleging that the bus driver had not been paying attention. Defendant argued that decedent had been on the wrong side of the road and may have been under the influence of alcohol.

The parties settled for $1.7 million.

Plaintiffs' experts included Steve Anderson, accident reconstruction, Long Beach, Cal.; John S. Fabian, bus safety, Schenectady, N.Y.; and Peter Formuzis, economics, Santa Ana, Cal.

Defendant's experts included George Bretting, accident reconstruction, Playa del Rey, Cal.; Alan Nahum, biomechanics, San Diego, Cal.; Stephen Walsh, bus safety, Santa Monica, Cal.; and Anthony C. Stein, human factors, Los Angeles, Cal.

Plaintiffs' Counsel

*Michael J. Piuze, Los Angeles, Cal.