A Teacher's Fight for Safety and Justice

A special education teacher from California recently won a huge settlement after a fall that changed her life. Justine Gurrola was walking in Whittier when she tripped on a broken sidewalk. This happened back in 2018, but the case just wrapped up with a big win for her. The city of Whittier agreed to pay her $7. 5 million. This is a record amount for a sidewalk accident in California. Her lawyer, Nick Rowley, said the city was fully at fault. He also mentioned that the city had ignored complaints about the sidewalks for years. Tree roots had made the sidewalks uneven, and the city didn't fix them. Gurrola suffered serious injuries. She broke her wrist, elbow, and nose. She also hurt her knees, neck, and back. On top of that, she had a mild brain injury. She has been in pain ever since the fall. The trial lasted five weeks. The jury agreed that the city was to blame. Gurrola's lawyer said the city didn't have good inspection rules. He argued that public safety isn't just about police and firefighters. It's also about keeping sidewalks safe. Gurrola spoke to NBC 4 about the case. She said it wasn't just about the money. She wanted to make sure no one else gets hurt like she did. She loves Whittier's trees but said they can also be dangerous if the sidewalks aren't fixed. The city of Whittier didn't comment on the case. Neither did the state of California. Gurrola's story shows how important it is to keep public spaces safe. It also highlights the struggles people face when they get hurt because of neglect.