COSTA MESA

Sara F. Hougard, who lost her leg in an accident on Victoria Street in September, plans to file suit against the city and the two drivers involved in the crash, her lawyer said. The City Council rejected her $10-million claim last week.

Hougard was sitting on a curb Sept. 20, waiting for co-worker Monica Miyata to pick her up. When Miyata spotted Hougard, she started to make a lane change, not seeing a second car, according to police reports. The drivers swerved to avoid a crash, and the second car jumped the curb, hitting Hougard and severing her leg. In addition to her severed leg, Hougard suffered massive internal injuries, including a lacerated liver and broken spleen, a broken neck and back and a shattered right leg.

Police reports don’t point to any abnormalities in the road design or traffic lights. Miyata was found to be at fault for making an unsafe lane change, according to police reports.