A Los Angeles County Metro bus operator who said a brutal jolt on Wilshire Boulevard wrecked her back and cost her job has quietly resolved her disability-discrimination lawsuit, according to court papers filed May 1, 2026. The operator, Kristen Dailey, alleged she was fired in October 2023 after extended medical leave for injuries she says she suffered when her coach hit a metal plate on May 6, 2022. The court filings do not disclose any of the settlement terms.
Judge Told Case Is 'Unconditionally' Resolved
Dailey’s attorney notified Judge Virginia Keeny that the case had been resolved “unconditionally,” without spelling out any payment or other terms, as reported by MyNewsLA. In earlier filings, Metro’s lawyers denied discrimination and framed the dispute as a straightforward attendance problem, arguing that a bus operator must be available to serve riders. The agency did not put any settlement details into the public record when the notice was filed.
Dailey’s Account of the Wilshire Route Incident
In the complaint first made public in August 2024, Dailey, who was hired as a Metro bus operator in 2019, says she was running a regular Wilshire Boulevard route on May 6, 2022 when her bus rolled over a metal plate and jolted her so hard she lifted about seven inches off her seat. Two days later, a workers’ compensation doctor diagnosed a bulging disc and took her off duty. She alleges that leave was extended, that she wore a back brace for months after returning in May 2023, and that she later developed pain in her right foot. Dailey filed suit in August 2024 and says Metro terminated her on Oct. 20, 2023, details first reported by KNX News/City News Service.
What the Law Expects From Employers
Under California law, when an employer knows an employee has a disability and the worker asks for help, the employer must engage in a timely, good-faith “interactive process” to explore reasonable accommodations. That can include additional medical leave in some situations, according to guidance from the California Civil Rights Department. The state’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, or FEHA, allows employees to sue if an employer allegedly fails to discuss or implement reasonable accommodations. Courts look at whether the employer actually explored options or moved straight to termination without sufficient inquiry. Employers can argue that an accommodation would pose an undue hardship in limited circumstances, but skipping the interactive process itself can draw legal fire.
Why So Little Is Public
Private workplace disputes like Dailey’s often wrap up with confidential deals, and the May 1 court notice in this case simply records an unconditional resolution with no dollar figures or policy changes attached. Metro’s court papers pushed back hard on her story, describing her as frequently unavailable and citing attendance concerns, language noted in filings referenced by MyNewsLA. Transit advocates say these tight-lipped endings can leave riders and workers guessing about how agencies handle on-the-job injuries and return-to-work decisions.
Dailey’s complaint sought at least $300,000 in damages, according to the initial coverage by KNX News/City News Service. The May 1 notice to Judge Keeny reported that the case had been resolved unconditionally, and with the matter now marked closed on the docket there is no public record of any further action. Metro did not issue a new statement after the notice was filed, and the settlement’s terms remain under wraps.
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