CC SR 20210803 E - Claim Against the City Soltani Atash
RANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 08/03/2021
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action regarding a claim against the City by Atash Soltani.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1) Reject the claim and direct Staff to notify the claimant, Atash Soltani.
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk
REVIEWED BY: Karina Bañales, Deputy City Manager
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Atash Soltani claim (page A-1)
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes is a member of the California Joint Powers Insurance
Authority (Authority), which provides risk management services and handles any liability
claims received by the City. Under the current practice, claims presented to the City Clerk
are forwarded by the Authority to a third -party claims administrator, Carl Warren and
Company (Carl Warren) for adjusting.
Carl Warren’s staff reviews each claim on its merits and contacts the City with any
requested action pertaining to the disposition of the claim. The City Clerk and the City
Attorney review each claim when received and work closely with Carl Warren throughout
the claims process.
1
Claimant:
On June 4, 2021, the City received a claim for damages from Atash Soltani. The claim
was referred to Carl Warren for review and investigation. The claimant states tha t on May
21, 2021, a main sewer line overflowed at the corner of 6933 Maycroft Drive. The claim
alleges the City is at fault due to a City tree’s roots clogging the main sewer line.
Deposition:
Carl Warren has reviewed the claim and found that there is no liability for the City as the
sewer line is maintained by the County of Los Angeles; tree roots entered the claimant’s
lateral through the WYE (connection that connects the sewer lateral to the City main) top
cap seam due to deterioration of the top cap seam; and there is no visual evidence of root
intrusion associated with the claimed damage.
2
A-1
A-2