Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc. Recovers $2 million for Ventura County Client

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif., May 24, 2022 – Michael J. Chaloupka of Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc. recovers $2 million for clients Adilene Ayala and her two minor children during litigation. 

On a spring afternoon, Ms. Ayala’s husband, Eduardo Sampayo was performing tree trimming services for his employer, Master Tree Service in the backyard of a private residence. Sampayo had climbed a palm tree and was trimming palm fronds with a chainsaw when he made indirect contact with an energized high voltage power line and was fatally electrocuted.

Sampayo is survived by his wife, Adilene Ayala, and two minor children. In one moment, Ayala became a widow and a single mother. Their children were just 5 and 2 years old at the time of Sampayo’s death. The loss of a parent and spouse is incalculable. Ayala became solely responsible for the care and upbringing of their children who will now grow up without their father. 

Throughout highly contested litigation, Harris Personal Injury Lawyers discovered that Defendants Southern California Edison Company and their vegetation management contractor, Utility Tree Service were responsible for the maintenance of the palm tree due to its dangerous proximity to a high voltage power line. This palm tree which had previously been routinely trimmed twice a year had not been trimmed in over a year due to the Defendants’ negligence.

Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc. tirelessly put pressure on the defense to secure a $2 million settlement for their client.