Case Background
This case arose from a conflict between Gabriel Dominguez and the City of Los Angeles, along with individual defendant Joshua Phillip Guillory and the Los Angeles Police Department. Dominguez alleged that the defendants’ conduct gave rise to the dispute, ultimately resulting in substantial damages. According to the complaint, the relationship between Dominguez and the defendants broke down due to a pattern of alleged misconduct, which led to the filing of this lawsuit.
Cause
Gabriel Dominguez claimed that the City of Los Angeles, Officer Guillory, and the LAPD acted wrongfully and negligently. He alleged that they breached their duties, engaged in malicious interference, and committed other harmful acts. These incidents reportedly occurred over a period of time and, as alleged, directly triggered the litigation.
Injury
Dominguez reported suffering both physical injuries and emotional distress. He claimed the harm disrupted his daily life and affected his mental and emotional well-being. The complaint emphasized psychological impacts such as trauma and anxiety.
Damages
Dominguez sought compensation for medical expenses, loss of income, and emotional suffering. He argued that the damages extended beyond direct financial loss to include long-term mental health effects. His claim aimed to recover both economic and non-economic losses resulting from the defendants’ conduct.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
Legal Representation
Plaintiff(s): Dominguez Gabriel
Counsel for Plaintiff: Daniel Azizi | Peter N. Hakim | Kevin Gerard Little
Defendant(s): City of Los Angeles | Joshua Phillip Guillory | Los Angeles Police Department
Counsel for Defendants: Joshua Anthony Quinones | Christina Patrizia Schmidt
Claims
The plaintiff brought several legal claims, including negligence, intentional misconduct, and wrongful interference. Each count outlined specific alleged violations and sought relief through the court system.
Defense
The City of Los Angeles, along with Police Officer Joshua Phillip Guillory, denied all allegations raised in Gabriel Dominguez’s First Amended Complaint. In their formal answer, the defendants asserted that Dominguez’s claims lacked merit and failed to state a cause of action. They raised multiple affirmative defenses, arguing that any alleged damages were caused by Dominguez’s own negligence or by third parties, and not by the defendants. They also claimed that Dominguez voluntarily assumed the risks involved and failed to mitigate his damages.
Further, the City and Officer Guillory invoked several statutory defenses, including immunity under the California Tort Claims Act and Vehicle Code provisions for emergency vehicle operation. They asserted the lawsuit was time-barred under applicable statutes of limitation and that Dominguez failed to comply with procedural requirements such as timely claim presentation. Based on these defenses, they requested that the court dismiss the case, award costs, and grant any additional relief deemed appropriate.
Jury Verdict
A Los Angeles jury found that Police Officer Joshua Phillip Guillory was acting in his official capacity during the incident involving Gabriel Dominguez and that Guillory’s negligence was a substantial factor in causing Dominguez’s harm. The jury awarded Dominguez $35,000 in medical expenses and $80,000 in past non-economic damages, such as pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. However, no future damages were granted. Importantly, the jury assigned 90% of the responsibility for the harm to Dominguez himself and only 10% to Guillory, indicating shared fault in the outcome.
Court Documents
Court documents are available for purchase upon request at [email protected]
