Caltrans ordered to pay ex-UCLA player $35M in crash lawsuit
A jury has ordered Caltrans to pay $35 million to a former UCLA football player who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident that he said was caused because of a dangerous intersection.
KABC-TV reports Nick Ekbatani sued the agency for $50 million, arguing it knew the Redondo Beach cross streets were unsafe and did nothing to address the issue.
After a six-week trial, a Los Angeles jury on Monday sided with Ekbatani, now 29.
He was a starting offensive lineman for UCLA from 2006 to 2009. In July 2012, he was riding his motorcycle on Pacific Coast Highway when a cab driver turned left into him at the intersection.
Ekbatani underwent 13 surgeries and lost his leg.
Caltrans didn’t immediately comment on the award or say whether it planned to appeal.
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