Barragan

Plaintiff and appellant Veronica Barragan was rendered quadriplegic in a single-car rollover accident. She was hospitalized for three months following the accident, and virtually bedridden for the next seven months. Thereafter, she consulted an attorney, who determined that she may have a claim against respondent County of Los Angeles (County) for dangerous condition of the road where the accident occurred. Under the Tort Claims Act (Gov. Code, § 905 et seq.; TCA), an individual claiming personal injury must file a claim with the relevant governmental entity within six months. (Gov. Code, § 911.2.) As Barragan missed that deadline, she filed an application for leave to present a late claim, which was denied. She then filed, with the trial court, a petition for relief from the TCA filing requirements, arguing: (1) excusable neglect; and (2) physical and mental incapacity. The trial court denied the petition on the second ground, concluding that while Barragan was disabled, Barragan had not proven that her disability was the cause of her failure to file a timely claim. As to the first ground, the trial court indicated that it would have found that Barragan established…