The city of Los Angeles will pay $20 million to settle a lawsuit brought by a teen who lost his leg in 2023 in a hit-and-run in Boyle Heights.
Thirteen-year-old Joshua Mora was walking home from school on March 30, 2023, when he was hit by a motorcycle in the crosswalk at the corner of Whittier Boulevard and Orme Avenue.
Joshua had his right leg amputated below the knee and suffered fractures to his shoulders and a mild traumatic brain injury, according to an L.A. County Superior Court filing detailing the settlement.
Joshua and his family sued for negligence, blaming not only the driver who hit him and ran away but also the city and the L.A. Unified School District “because the crosswalk was dangerous, and they knew it,” the February 2024 complaint said.
Two of the lawyers for Joshua, now 16, at the Law Brothers denied an interview request for the teen and his guardian, citing privacy and his ongoing recovery.
“Our client was just thirteen years old, walking home from school, when he suffered a devastating injury resulting in the loss of his leg. We appreciate the City’s willingness to engage constructively and reach a resolution that serves his long-term needs,” the Law Brothers office said in a statement to The Times.
The L.A. city attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The lawsuit said the intersection lacked signage, lighting and other traffic control tools that would have helped a driver see and avoid the teen in the crosswalk.
“The traffic on Whittier Blvd. is unable to expect, detect, see, perceive, react and avoid hitting pedestrians walking in the crosswalk at Orme Ave.,” the complaint said.
The $20-million settlement is another blow to the city’s budget, which has weathered significant increases in liability payouts over the last few years. In 2024, the city paid out $289 million in settlements and jury verdicts. Two years earlier, it paid $91.3 million.
The motorcycle driver, Erwin Alexander Majano of Banning, was arrested a week and a half after the accident. He pleaded no contest to hit-and-run driving resulting in death or serious injury, a felony. He was sentenced to three years in prison in October 2024, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court records.
A surgeon said Joshua’s right leg would likely require additional surgery and medical care throughout his life, which will cost $1.5 million to $2 million. “He is currently unable to participate in any running activities,” orthopedic surgeon Stuart M. Gold said in a court filing, describing a now-16-year-old boy who struggles to move around quickly.
“He does shoot baskets but cannot play basketball. He cannot play soccer and football like he used to. He is essentially sedentary and moves around as best he can,” the surgeon said.
About $9 million of the settlement, according to a detailed court filing, will pay for the teen’s attorney’s fees. The settlement includes a $72,000 reimbursement to Medi-Cal for Joshua’s medical care. He will receive a $6-million lump sum payment, with another $4.5 million in a trust until he turns 18.
After the crash, then-City Councilmember Kevin De Leon secured $250,000 in funding through the Los Angeles Department of Transportation and Bureau of Street Services to build a “high-intensity activated crosswalk” beacon at the intersection, according to a 2024 release.
The signals function like traditional traffic lights, halting drivers at busy intersection with flashing yellow lights and a solid red light while pedestrians cross, according to the L.A. Department of Transportation.
“This ribbon-cutting ceremony is more than just a new light — it’s a commitment to saving lives,” De Leon said in an October 2024 video on Instagram.