Boy Killed by Falling Tree Branch at Calabasas Park | CA Law
- Tom Feher, Esq.
An 8-year-old boy died after a large branch broke from a tree and struck him during a summer day camp at King Gillette Ranch Park in Calabasas, California, in July 2025, according to KTLA. His parents are now set to receive more than $14 million from the public agency that manages the park and two other parties, and several other people hurt when the branch fell are set to share an additional recovery. The branch was reported to be roughly 25 to 30 feet long and to weigh about 100 pounds.
A day before the branch fell, an employee of a tree care company had flagged concerns about decay near the trunk and recommended thinning the canopy to reduce the risk, according to the reporting. Stories like this are a hard reminder that the most devastating injuries are often the most preventable.
Attorney's Take: Tom Feher
We handle cases where a public space that was supposed to be safe turned deadly, and they follow a pattern. Someone with responsibility for the property had information about a hazard, and the hazard was not fixed or fenced off in time. When the property belongs to a government agency, California law has a specific framework for these claims. Government Code section 835 allows an injured person or a grieving family to hold a public entity responsible when a dangerous condition of public property caused the harm and the entity had notice of that condition and a reasonable chance to act. A documented warning about a decaying tree is exactly the kind of notice these cases turn on.
The hardest and most important detail for families to understand is the clock. Claims against a public entity are not governed by the ordinary two-year deadline. Under the Government Claims Act, a written claim usually has to be presented to the agency within six months of the injury under Government Code section 911.2. Miss that window and an otherwise strong case can be lost before it starts. We have seen families come to us months after a tragedy, still in shock, unaware that a deadline was already running. That is why we tell people not to wait.
These cases also frequently involve more than one responsible party. A public agency may own and manage the land, but a private camp operator, a maintenance contractor, or a tree care company can each carry its own duty and its own insurance. Identifying every party and every layer of coverage is one of the first things an experienced California injury lawyer does, because the family should not have to absorb the cost of someone else’s failure to act on a known danger.
What California Law Says
California law gives families real tools after a fatal incident on public or private property, but the rules and deadlines are strict:
- Six-month government claim deadline. A claim against a public entity generally must be presented in writing within six months under Government Code section 911.2, and a lawsuit can follow only after the agency responds or the time to respond passes.
- Dangerous condition of public property. Government Code section 835 permits recovery when a dangerous condition of public property caused the injury and the entity created it or had notice and time to protect against it.
- Two-year deadline for other defendants. Claims against private parties such as a camp or contractor generally fall under the two-year deadline in Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1.
- Who may sue for wrongful death. Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60 identifies the family members who may bring a wrongful death claim, and section 377.61 sets out the damages they may recover.
- Pure comparative negligence. Under Code of Civil Procedure section 1431.2 and settled California law, fault can be shared among several parties, and a claim is reduced by a party’s share of fault rather than barred.
You can learn more about how we handle these matters on our California personal injury, premises liability, and wrongful death pages.
If This Happened to You or a Loved One
- Get medical attention right away and keep every record. The medical file becomes the backbone of the case.
- Preserve evidence while it still exists, including photos of the scene and the hazard, before anything is removed or repaired.
- Write down the names of any staff, witnesses, and responding agencies, and get any incident or report numbers.
- Note the six-month government claim deadline if a public park, school, or agency may be involved, and do not let it pass.
- Do not give a recorded statement to an insurer or sign any release before you have spoken with your own attorney.
- Contact a California attorney experienced in wrongful death and premises cases within days, not weeks, so evidence and deadlines are protected.
You pay nothing unless we win. Call Feher Law at (310) 340-1112 for a free, confidential consultation.
Talk to a California Personal Injury Attorney
Feher Law has recovered over $100 million for clients across Southern California. Call (310) 340-1112 or schedule a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Claims against a California government entity are governed by the Government Claims Act. You generally must present a written claim to the agency within six months of the injury under Government Code section 911.2, and only after that can a lawsuit follow. This deadline is much shorter than the two-year window for ordinary injury claims under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, so it is wise to talk to a lawyer quickly.
Yes, in the right circumstances. Government Code section 835 allows a claim when a dangerous condition of public property caused the harm and the public entity knew or should have known about it in time to fix it or warn of it. Parks, trails, and public grounds can all fall under this rule.
Under Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60, a surviving spouse, domestic partner, children, and certain other dependents may bring a wrongful death claim. The claim is meant to compensate the family for their loss, including support and companionship, and is separate from any survival claim on behalf of the person who died.
You may have more than one avenue of recovery. A camp or private contractor can be responsible for negligent supervision or maintenance, while a public landowner can be responsible for a dangerous condition of the property. Sorting out which parties and which deadlines apply early can protect a child's claim before evidence disappears.
Code of Civil Procedure section 377.61 lets a family recover for financial support the loved one would have provided, funeral and burial costs, and the loss of the person's love, companionship, and guidance. There is no general cap on these damages in an ordinary negligence case.
Feher Law handles wrongful death and serious injury cases on a contingency fee, so there is no upfront cost and the fee comes out of the recovery only if we win. You pay nothing unless we win.
Last reviewed by Thomas Feher, Esq., July 2026
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This article is for general information and is not legal advice for any specific matter.
