A man has settled his lawsuit against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and a property management company after he suffered severe injuries while standing on the platform of an electrified metal fire escape in 2023, according to a court document filed Friday.
Fernando Cristerna’s Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit against the DWP and Santee Design Center LLC — which does business by the name DTLA Leasing and is identified as the entity that controlled and managed the property and fire escape — alleged negligence and premises liability.
Cristerna’s attorneys filed court papers Friday with Judge Upinder S. Kalra informing him that an “unconditional” settlement was achieved, but no terms were divulged.
In their previous court papers, attorneys for the DWP and DTLA Leasing denied Cristerna’s allegations. The DWP lawyers also said the claims were barred by the statute of limitations, and DTLA Leasing attorneys contended that the plaintiff’s injuries were not caused by negligence on the company’s part.
Cristerna was standing on the second landing of the metal fire escape on Santee Street on March 17, 2023, when he was shocked by the high-voltage currents from an adjacent DWP light post, the suit stated. Cristerna fell to a sidewalk below and suffered two broken arms, a right hand wound and lower back pain that needed surgery, the suit stated.
The DWP negligently designed and operated the power pole, exposing Cristerna and members of the public to an unreasonable risk of harm, the suit filed in August 2024 stated.