San Diego is paying out $700,000 to settle two injury lawsuits, one involving a pedestrian in San Ysidro and another involving a motorcycle rider in northern Clairemont.
The settlements, which the City Council approved this week, continue a long string of city payouts related to decaying infrastructure alleged to have caused injuries.
One man is getting a $500,000 payout for injuries he suffered in March 2021 when raised asphalt bumps on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard caused him to lose control of his Harley-Davidson “fatboy” motorcycle.
A lawsuit he filed against the city in 2022 says he suffered a frontal lobe contusion and other traumatic brain injuries that will make it hard for him ever to work again.
Doctors found moderate to severe deficits in his executive functioning and moderate to profound deficits in memory, attention and language, the suit says.
The payout covers medical expenses, lost wages and diminished earning capacity.
The man was headed eastbound near the Clairemont Town Square shopping plaza when the crash happened.
An issue in the case was that he was wearing a “novelty” helmet that isn’t compliant with state law. It’s not clear whether that lowered the payout amount.
Separately, a woman is receiving a $199,000 payout for injuries she suffered in December 2022 when she tripped and fell on a piece of metal in San Ysidro that remained from a removed traffic sign that was allegedly cut down in a negligent way.
She was injured while walking northbound on East San Ysidro Boulevard, just north of the international border crossing.
In a lawsuit she filed against the city in 2023, she said her injuries included a fractured finger and damage to her arms, back, neck and head. The suit says she suffered “numerous internal and external injuries” that appear to be “permanent in character.”
Her payout covers medical expenses and lost earnings.
The council approved both payouts on Tuesday. Jury trials had been scheduled in both cases.
