San Diego Ruled at Fault in Toppled-Tree Accident

A jury has found the city of San Diego at fault in the collapse of a 60-foot palm tree that crushed a man’s legs and left him a paraplegic.

City News Service says jury decided the city was liable Monday in a lawsuit filed by Michael Burke. Jurors are now considering the amount of damages to award Burke and his wife.

Burke was injured in January 2010 when the palm tree toppled near his Mission Hills home after a four-day storm.

His lawsuit claimed cutbacks in tree-trimming and inspection services created a “ticking time bomb” of diseased and dead trees that could fall at any time.

San Diego says it was an unforeseeable accident and the city isn’t responsible.