CC SR 20251216 D - Claim Against the City Ivory GuzmanCITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 12/16/2025
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA TITLE:
Consider a claim against the City by Ivory Guzman.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1)Reject the claim and direct Staff to notify the claimant, Ivory Guzman.
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Enyssa Sisson, Deputy City Clerk
REVIEWED BY: Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A.Ivory Guzman claim (page A-1)
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes (City) 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
CITYOF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
Claimant:
On November 24, 2025, the City received a claim for damages from Ivory Guzman. The
claim was referred to Carl Warren for review and investigation. The claimant states that
she suffered injuries while horseback riding in Palos Verdes Estates on May 22, 2025.
The claimant alleges that the City is liable for their injuries due to a failure to adequately
train its staff and to maintain a safe environment for its patrons.
Deposition:
Carl Warren has reviewed the claim and found there is no liability for the City as the
incident occurred in Palos Verdes Estates, and not in the City of Rancho Palos Verdes.
Carl Warren recommends denying the claim for damages.
2
A-1
FILE WITH:
CITY CLERK'S OFF ICE
City of Rancho P al os Verdes
30940 Hawtho rn e B lvd.
CLAIM FOR DAMAGES
TO PERSON OR PROPERTY
Ranc ho Pa l os Verdes, CA 90275
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Claim s for deat h, i nj ury to perso n or to persona l property must be filed not
lat e r than six month s after the occ urrence. (Gov. Code Sec. 911 .2.)
2. Cla i ms for damages to rea l property m ust be filed not later tha n 1 year after
t he occurrence. (Gov. Code Sec. 911 .2.)
3. Read entire cla im fonn before filing.
4. See Pa ge 2 f or diagram upon w hic h to locate place of acciden t.
5. THIS CLAIM FORM MUST BE S IGNED ON PAGE 2 AT BOTTOM.
6. Attach sep arat e sheet s, if necessary, t o give full deta ils. SIGN EACH SHEET.
TO: CI TY O F RANCHO PALOS VERDES
Name of Claim ant
City and St ate
City and State
Give address and tel ephone number to w hich you desire notices or . . . . .
RESERVE FOR FILING STA MP
CLAIM NO. '2.o"'l. $'-'2..f
RECEIVED
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
NOV 2 4 2025
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE
Date of Birth of Clai mant
Claimant's Socia l Security No.
Pend ing
When did DAMAGE or IN JURY occur?
Date 0512212025 Tim e _1_2:0_0-'--pm ____ _
Na mes of a ny city emp l oyees invo lved in I NJURY or DAMAGE
Unknown
If cla im i s for Equitable Ind em nity, give date
c laimant served with the co mplaint :
Da te
Where d id DAMAGE or INJURY occur? Describe fully, and locate on diagram on Page 2. Where ap propriat e, g ive
stree t names a nd ad dress and meas urem ents from l and ma rk s:
Describe in detail how t he DAM AGE o r INJURY occurred.
Ms. Guzman was horseback riding w ithin the premises of and
was informed she would ride an age appropriate horse/pony or s1m 1 ar size anima . owever s
paired with a larger horse. As she was horseback riding , suddenly and without provocation by
Ms . Guzman , said horse stopped and vio lently and aggressively bucked and/or threw Ms . Guzman off
its back causing her to land hard onto the ground and sustain injuries .
Why do you cla im t he city is respons ible?
The Parks and Recreation failed to properly train employees and supervise staff and fa ile d to create
an safe and secure environment for patrons.
Describe in detail each INJURY o r DAMAGE.
Injuries includ e but are not limited to: head, back and knees.
Thi s Claim Must Be S igned o n Page 2
A-2
The amount cla imed , as of the date of presentation of this claim, is computed as follows:
Damages incurred to date (exact): Estimated prospective damages as far as known:
Damage to property .................... $____ Future expenses for medical and hospital care . $ ___ _
Expenses for medical and hospital care ... $____ Future loss of earnings ..................... $ ___ _
Loss o f earnings ...................... $____ Other prospective special damages .......... $ ___ _
Special damages for ................... $____ Prospective general damages ............... $ ___ _
Total esti mate prospective damages ....... $100 ,000,000.00
General damages ...................... $ ___ _
Total damages incurred to date ........ $ 100.000.000.00
Total amount claimed as of date of presentation of th is claim: $ 100,000 ,0 00 .0 0
Was damage and/or injury investigated by pol ice? no If so, what city? ________________ _
Were paramedics or ambulance called? no If so, name city or ambulance _______________ _
If injured, state date, time, name and address of doctor of your first vlsit _P_e_nd_in-"------------------
WITNESSES to DAMAGE or INJURY: List all persons and addresses o f persons known to have information:
Name Pending Addres s Pending Phone ________ _
Name _____________ .Address ________________ Phone ________ _
Name _____________ .Address ________________ Phone ________ _
DOCTORS and HOSPITALS :
Hosp ital _P_en_di...:ng __________ Address_P_en_d_ing ___________ Date Hospitalized ______ _
Doctor Address Date of Treatment ______ _
Doctor Address Date of Treatment ______ _
READ CAREFULL Y
For all accident claims place on following diagram names
of stree ts, Including North, East, South, and West; indicate
place of accident by "X" and by showi ng house numbers
or distances to street corners. If City Vehi cle was
involved, designate by letter "A" location of City Vehicle
when you f i rst saw it, and by "B" location of yourself or
CURBJ
your vehicle when you first saw City vehicle ; location of
City vehicle at time of accident by "A-1 " and location of
yourself or your vehicle at the time of the accident by
"B-1 " and the point of impact by "X." NOTE : If diagrams
below do not fit the situation, attach hereto a proper
diagram signed by the claimant.
SID EWALK
CURB•
PARKWA Y
Signature of Claimant or person filing on
his behalf giv ing rel ationship to Claimant:
Leg al Asst.
SIDEWALK
Typed Name : Date:
An gie Al varez 080 Ivory G uzman
NOTE : CLAIMS MUS T BE FILED WITH CITY CLERK (Gov. Code Sec. 915 a). Presentation of a false c laim is a felony (Pen. C o de Sec. 72.)
THIS DOCUMENT IS A PUBLIC RECORD AND MAY BE PROVIDED TO A REQUESTOR UPON DEMAND.