Facts

This case involved the wrongful death of Sangeetha Amaldas, a 20 year old honor student and only child of plaintiffs. She was a passenger in the vehicle driven by defendant Meena Meka. The women were driving on Interstate 10 near the Cabazon truckstop when the vehicle hydroplaned during rainy weather and struck a lamp standard. Sangeetha Amaldas died at the scene.

PLAINTIFF'S CONTENTIONS:
The driver was negligent for failure to slow up in the rainy conditions. CALTRANS was liable for a dangerous condition of the roadway due to the lack of maintenance the roadway was no longer grooved which caused it to become slippery when wet, signs warning of said condition had been placed but were removed prior to the accident and then replaced after the accident.

DEFENDANT'S CONTENTIONS:
Defendant Meeka alleged she had slowed and was driving at a reasonable rate of speed when the vehicle hydroplaned due to the accumulation of water on the roadway. CALTRANS denied the roadway was in a dangerous condition based on the lack of other accidents. In addition, CALTRANS did not have a duty to maintain the roadway and weather conditions were the cause of the accident.

Result

Wrongful death case settled for the policy limits of the driver, $15,000, plus $40,000 in personal assets; CALTRANS for $500,000.

Other Information

Keith Miller, accident reconstructionist, testified that the slippery roadway caused the Meka vehicle to hydroplane, losing control and striking a lamp standard. Harry Kueper, traffic engineer, CALTRANS failed to maintain the roadway allowing the surface to become smooth and accumulate water in the roadway, warning signs of the slippery condition were missing and the increased speed limits on this stretch of roadway created a dangerous condition. The case was mediated with Retired Judg Leroy Simmons.