SANTA ANA : City Settles Suit by Accident Victim for $650,000
The City Council has agreed to pay a woman $650,000 to settle a lawsuit she filed after suffering severe internal injuries in a collision with a police car.
Sheena Marie Beavis-Valdez, whose medical bills exceed $170,000, had to have her spleen and gallbladder removed after the collision at Civic Center Drive and Flower Street, City Atty. Edward J. Cooper said.
The officer driving the police car was not responding to an emergency or pursuing the woman, and it remains unclear who was to blame for the accident, Cooper said.
The accident occurred about 2:30 a.m. on Nov. 16, 1992, as Beavis-Valdez was driving to work, according to court documents. She has since undergone 15 surgeries to treat injuries, including a shattered ankle and a broken rib, suffered in the accident.
Cooper said the city is self-insured and will pay the settlement out of its general fund.
“We’re very happy with the outcome of the case,” said attorney Allan F. Davis, who represented Beavis-Valdez.
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