Moreles

INTRODUCTION

Jose Luis Moreles’s father was killed in a traffic collision by a vehicle owned by Adalberto Alejandro Loo and driven by his son, Aram Loo Herrera. Moreles, along with other family members (collectively, Plaintiffs), sued Loo

and Herrera as a result of the accident.1 As to Loo, Plaintiffs asserted claims for permissive use and negligent entrustment. In a bifurcated bench trial, the trial court determined that Loo was not liable for negligent entrustment and that any remaining liability under the permissive use cause of action was statutorily limited to $15,000,

pursuant to Vehicle Code section 17151.2 Likely referencing a prior offer to settle the case for that same amount, Loo’s counsel stated the parties had “agreed . . . to a figure to settle the permissive use cause of action.” On October 18, 2019, the court entered a written judgment finding in favor of Loo on the negligent entrustment cause of action and noting the parties “have agreed [to] a monetary figure to settle the [permissive use] cause of action,” and would “prepare the appropriate documentation.” The parties submitted a stipulation in November 2019 indicating Loo had agreed to pay the $15,000, “in…