LA pays $6.5M settlement to man who rode bike into pothole, suffered injuries

Sept. 8 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles City Council approved a $6.5 million settlement Thursday to a man who was seriously injured after riding his bike into a pothole.

In 2015, Peter Godefroy lost control of his bike after he hit the pothole and allegedly suffered "severe traumatic brain injury and numerous broken or fractured bones throughout his body," according to the lawsuit he filed against the city, reported the Los Angeles Daily News.

Godefroy's attorneys said low lighting and bad roads made the pothole a "concealed trap for bicyclists" and that the city failed to to repair it or warn residents about its dangers.

"Despite the high presence of pedestrian and bicyclist traffic in the area and the negligently maintained roadway, there were no warning signs alerting the public of this dangerous condition," said a statement from the Panish, Shea & Boyle law firm.

The city council voted 11-0 to approve the multi-million dollar settlement.

"We are happy that the city has taken responsibility for the safety of the roadway at issue that caused Mr. Godefroy's life-changing injury," said Godefroy's attorney, Spencer Lucas, said in a statement. "We are proud of the bravery that Peter and his family have shown throughout this case and hope that this settlement can improve the quality of his life despite his ongoing injuries."

Earlier this year, the L.A. City council approved a $4.5 million settlement to the family of 56-year-old Edgardo Gabat, who died when he was thrown from his bike after he hit uneven payment in the city.