L.A. to Pay $3.8 Million to Boy Hurt in Van Crash

In what is believed to be the largest settlement of its kind, the Los Angeles City Council on Friday approved a $3.8-million payment to settle a lawsuit brought on behalf of a boy who was severely injured when a city van driven by a part-time lifeguard crashed into a South Los Angeles home nearly five years ago.

Under the agreement, Brian Casales, 5, will receive $3.8 million in a trust and his sister, Elizabeth, 11, will get $100,000 for injuries they suffered in June, 1985, when a van driven by Shawn Jordan, 19, crashed into a house at 70th and San Pedro streets where the children were being cared for by a baby-sitter.

Witnesses told police the van was traveling more than 60 m.p.h. in a 25-m.p.h. zone when the driver lost control. Brian, who was 8 months old at the time, suffered massive head injuries and brain damage. The child was left virtually blind on the left side, and has severe atrophy in his left leg. He still wears diapers and crawls on his hands and knees.