Browne Greene

Greene’s firm says he has tried and won more million-dollar jury verdicts than any other lawyer in the history of California.

In July he negotiated a $15 million settlement for a 32-year-old client who suffered a severe traumatic brain injury when he was hit by a car while jogging in a Los Angeles crosswalk in 2013.

“We expect Los Angeles City Council approval,” Greene said. “The politicians will complain about payouts in tort cases, but if this went to trial the city couldn’t run and hide. This was horrendous. This young Navy Reserve officer was knocked 60 feet from the point of impact.” Victoria v. City of Los Angeles, BC541698 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed July 27, 2015).

The injury left plaintiff John Victoria in a nonresponsive state for a year and a half. At the time Greene filed the suit he relied on 24-hour care provided by his family. The complaint sued over the dangerous condition that resulted in a trap for both motorists and pedestrians. The crosswalk had no yield limit line, no yield to pedestrian sign and no advanced pavement marking.

The crosswalk at the intersection of Las Palmas Avenue and Franklin Avenue was well known to be dangerous, Greene said. “We went to court and got orders for the city to disclose citizen complaints about the condition of that intersection, and we got 20 of ’em, all by people who had used the intersection. We used the complaints in depositions with the city’s design principals and got them to admit they had seen the complaints but didn’t consider them significant.”

And Greene got another document that listed Los Angeles’ 10 most dangerous intersections. “Ours was number four,” he said. “We put together a video featuring our client, his doctor and our experts. It came out like something you’d see on the History Channel. We sent it to [LA City Attorney] Mike Feuer. They could see we are a major league threat and ready to go to trial.”

Greene said the evidence was both technical and emotional. “After 18 months Mr. Victoria woke up and looked at his mother and said, ‘Hi, Mom.’ Can you imagine?” He’ll never work or live alone. As a lawyer, you can improve public safety. You bet they’re going to fix this now.”

— John Roemer