Attorney Barry J. Reagan and Caitlin J. Hoffman obtained a defense verdict from a jury in Los Angeles County, California, on behalf of a homeowners association sued for damages after a tree-fall incident that occurred on the property maintained by the defendant in late 2019.
Plaintiff, a U.S. Postal Service worker, claimed he was delivering mail on the property when an allegedly rotten tree limb fell on him. Plaintiff claimed that the homeowners association knew or should have known that the tree was rotten and posed a danger to passersby. Defendant countered that it took all necessary steps to maintain the trees on the property and had no reason to know that the tree was rotten or at a risk of falling.
Plaintiff asked the jury for almost $1.3 million in damages. The jury unanimously found no liability and held that defendant’s actions were not negligent.