California Man Settles Brain Injury Claim with Police, Landlord for $1.1 Million

A man who claimed he fell and suffered brain damage while helping Fremont police during a robbery investigation has settled his lawsuit against the city and his landlord for nearly $1.1 million.

In the deal, 30-year-old Omid Mehdavi will receive $700,000 from the City of Fremont and another $375,000 from the landlord of the shopping center where he fell.

Mehdavi claimed he fell 15-feet through a skylight on the roof of the shopping center where he ran a pet store in Nov. 2008 after a police officer asked him to check on a ventilator shaft. The officer was investigating the theft of 17 puppies from the store and apparently wanted to know whether the thief had entered through the shaft.

The city denies any wrongdoing, claiming Mehdavi volunteered to go on the roof.