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# Jury: City is responsible for man losing left arm
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/jury-city-is-responsible-for-man-losing-left-arm/
- Published: 2006-03-11T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T17:20:57.000Z
- Author: Kevin Herrera
- Tags: Crime, Santa Monica, #archive-import

WEST LA — A unanimous jury on Friday ordered City Hall to fork over nearly $2 million to an elderly man whose arm was crushed underneath the wheels of a Big Blue Bus.

After deliberating for nearly two days in West Los Angeles Superior Court, the jury found City Hall negligent in an accident involving a Big Blue Bus and Haroun Mehdipour, 81, who said he was trying to hail down a bus at Barrington Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard on May 5, 2004, when the bus driver slammed the door in his face and drove off, knocking Mehdipour to the ground, where his left arm was run over and the skin ripped off.

The arm was eventually amputated at the shoulder.

The jury said City Hall should be responsible for paying for Mehdipour’s medical bills as well as for the loss of his arm and the life he and his wide Parvin once knew. Parvin Mehdipour sued City Hall as well, contending her husband suffers from severe memory loss.

Still, City Hall wasn’t solely to blame. The jury also found that Mehdipour was 25 percent responsible for the accident and deducted that amount from the total award, leaving Mehdipour and his family with $1.98 million and change.

The verdict was celebrated by attorneys on both sides.

“Our clients are happy, and at the end of the day, that’s all that matters,” said Shawn Azizzadeh, an attorney representing the Mehdipours. “Finally, Santa Monica will be held responsible.”

The Mehdipours had originally asked for $7 million to settle the case, but City Hall refused, according to a report from the City Attorney.

“We are very happy with the verdict,” said Chief Deputy City Attorney Jeanette Schachtner.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 11, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/031106.pdf?ref=smdp.com)