10/01/2025
Bicyclist to Receive Record $7M Payout From Oakland Over Pothole Injury
The city of Oakland, Calfornia, is poised to pay a record-setting $7 million to settle a lawsuit with a bicyclist who suffered a life-altering brain injury after his wheel struck a deep pothole on Skyline Boulevard in 2017. The city council is expected to approve the payout to Ty Whitehead, 58, which is the largest settlement Oakland has ever paid for a pothole-related injury. The accident left Whitehead in a coma for two weeks and caused permanent disabilities, forcing him to leave his job as an operations manager. The settlement follows a key California Supreme Court ruling in May that affirmed cities have a duty to maintain safe roads and cannot use liability waivers to excuse their legal obligations. The payout brings Oakland’s total pothole settlements to roughly $34 million since 2018, an amount significantly higher than other major Bay Area cities. Following an investigation into the high cost of these payouts, the city's Public Works crews have begun proactively repairing steep bike routes like Skyline Boulevard.
Lisa Fernandez, KTVU-TV 9/30/2025 full article
