Facts

In August of 2020, James Khuri gifted his son, Brenden Khuri, a Lamborghini Urus Sport Utility Vehicle for Brenden's seventeenth birthday.

On February 17, 2021, Monique Munoz was traveling home to Hawthorne, California from her job working for UCLA Health in Los Angeles. She was traveling Westbound on Olympic Boulevard, waiting to make an "unprotected" left turn onto Southbound Overland Avenue. The traffic control signal facing Munoz turned red, the intersection was clear, and Munoz began to make her turn. As she did this, Brenden Khuri, driving his Lamborghini SUV Eastbound on Olympic Boulevard, ran the red light, and crashed into Munoz's vehicle.

The crash occurred during rush-hour traffic in a 35-mph zone.

Munoz was alive for approximately fifteen minutes before passing away from traumatic injuries suffered during the fatal crash. Munoz was 32 years old.

Munoz's parents, Carol Cardona and Phillip Munoz, brought an action against Brenden Khuri, his father, James Khuri, Brenden's mother and stepfather, Christine Khuri and Richard Roderick, and their insurer, Chubb Custom Market, Inc.

On or about April 23, 2021, Brenden pleaded guilty to a felony in connection with the fatal crash.

PLAINTIFFS' CONTENTIONS: Plaintiffs asserted claims for wrongful death; intentional infliction of emotional distress; strict liability for engaging in an ultrahazardous activity; negligent entrustment; negligent per se; aiding and abetting; and violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act. Plaintiffs contended that defendant Brenden was driving without an adult in his car and in excess of 100 miles per hour in the moments leading up to the fatal crash. Plaintiffs also claimed that defendants James, Christine, and Roderick were vicariously liable for defendant Brenden's negligence on the date of the fatal crash. Plaintiffs further asserted that this vicarious liability was unlimited in scope (in terms of damages) because each of them were on notice of defendant Brenden's dangerous propensities to drive his Lamborghini SUV at a high rate of speed on surface streets prior to the fatal crash. Plaintiffs contended that each of those defendants knew of Brenden's convictions for moving violations prior to the fatal accident. Plaintiffs further alleged that individual defendants did not discipline Brenden but created an environment that further encouraged this behavior. For example, defendant James operated his Lamborghini on surface streets in Beverly Hills at speeds in excess 100 miles per hour, with defendant Brenden videotaping his father's illegal actions from the front seat. Plaintiffs also contended that defendant Chubb Custom Market denied plaintiffs a full and equal valuation pertaining to monetary damages associated with plaintiffs' claim because of the Hispanic race and ancestry of plaintiffs.

DEFENDANTS' CONTENTIONS: Defendants denied all contentions.

Result

The case settled for $18,850,000.