City will pay $1M to woman hit by tree

The City Council unanimously approved Wednesday a $1 million payment to settle a lawsuit with a Kahala woman who sued the city for injuries she sustained when a coconut tree struck her in 2012 at a Waikiki park.

The city’s corporation counsel recommended paying $1 million to settle the case with plaintiff Ana Krogh-Doyle, a former competitive surfer who had been featured in Women’s Surf Style Magazine before being struck by a tree at Kuhio Beach Park on Jan. 22, 2012.

The Council voted Wednesday afternoon in favor of the settlement.

The then-44-year-old received fractures to her spine, ribs and face and sustained a head injury. The tree fell and hit the roof of a restroom, which caused the top 20-foot portion of the tree to snap and roll off the roof, crushing Krogh-Doyle, her attorney Wayne Kekina said at a December 2012 news conference.

Surgeons inserted metal rods in her back to stabilize her spine, Kekina said. Because of her injuries, she could not return to work as an American Airlines passenger service representative, which involves lifting heavy luggage.

The city contracted with Smalt &Co. to maintain 20 coconut trees at Kuhio Beach Park, Kekina said at the news conference. At that time, he said the city used 21 certified arborists and four certified tree risk assessors to monitor, evaluate and maintain its trees.

Krogh-Doyle and Kekina did not return calls Wednesday.

Krogh-Doyle’s lawsuit alleged the tree was malnourished and showed signs of declining health for several years, “which should have been known to any qualified tree professional.”

The city continues to use Smalt &Co. as a contractor, a city spokesman said Wednesday.

The city hires certified arborists to perform inspections and inform the city if there’s a potential issue with a tree, said Parks and Recreation Director Michele Nekota in an email.