Landmark Highway Design Case

“The family (of the victim)…is hopeful this case will help bring about safety measures to minimize the risk of such a tragedy happening again.” – Robert J. Francavilla

Mark and Beverly L. v. State of California

In a landmark highway design case handled by Robert J. Francvilla, the State of California agreed to pay a former San Diego couple $1 million as a result of the death of their teenage daughter, who was killed when a car in which she was a passenger veered off the State Route 163 into the center median and crashed into a large tree just off the edge of the roadway. Francavilla argued that this was a preventable tragedy, as the trees in the median have long been a safety hazard to motorists – there have been in excess of 400 known accidents in the southbound lanes to prove it.

Settlement: $1 million