On September 26, 2020, a large tree branch failed in a public park in Burlingame, California. One person was killed, and another severely injured, when the three-thousand-pound branch fell from a tree while a group was having a picnic beneath the tree.

Andrew H. Meisel of Meisel Law Group represented the injured victims. A public entity claim was filed against the City of Burlingame, who disputed liability for the branch failure. Meisel asserted there were multiple, readily identifiable structural defects in the tree and branch, creating a dangerous condition of public property. Further, that Burlingame knew or should have known of the dangerous condition and had ample time to have corrected the dangerous condition and prevented the tragedy.

The case was settled less than one-year after the incident for thirty-five million dollars.

Top Verdict listed this settlement in the top 10 personal injury settlements obtained in the United States in the year 2021, a list comprised of cases filed in either state or federal court, as well as cases that settled prior to commencing a lawsuit.

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