Parents of Woman Killed by Massive Tree File Wrongful Death Claims

The parents of -- the Irvine woman who was killed last year when a eucalyptus tree smashed her car -- filed wrongful death claims this month, court documents show.

A claim filed by Hyun Myung Suk, Miller's mother, is requesting more than 10,000 from the city of Newport Beach for damages incurred following her 29-year-old daughter's death. In the claim, the damages include "the loss of care, comfort, society, solace, support, and companionship." Suk is also asking to recover money she spent for Miller's funeral and burial ceremonies. A separate claim for an unknown amount was filed by Sunyl Chung, Miller's father, against the cities of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa and alleges both cities were negligent in failing to "maintain the tree, failed to conduct reasonable inspections, failed to remove a dangerous and diseased tree and failed to warn the public."

Miller was killed on Sept. 15 when a 10-ton eucalyptus fell onto her car near the intersection of Irvine Avenue and Westcliff/17th Street, on the border of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. In her claim, Suk alleges Newport Beach is responsible for Miller's death "as the tree presented a hidden trap to motorists." Her claim also alleges the tree was overgrown and leaning toward the the traffic lane on Irvine Avenue that Miller was traveling in at the time of the accident.

In his claim, Chung alleges city employees were negligent when they responded to the accident and failed to stabilize the fallen eucalyptus tree "...this resulted in further sudden movement of the tree which also caused or contributed to the death of Ms. Miller."

Immediately after the tragic accident, the city from the Irvine Avenue median between Westcliff/17th Street and Dover Drive. In her claim, Suk alleges the trees were removed from the area shortly after the incident "in an effort to conceal and/or destroy evidence that is relevant and integral to this claim."

Since the accident last year, along Fourth Avenue in Corona del Mar and located in the 2200 block of Holiday Road got the ax.