The Case

• Case Name: Hussain v. LAUSD
• Court and Case Number: Los Angeles Superior Court / BC669368
• Date of Verdict or Judgment: Tuesday, December 16, 2025
• Date Action was Filed: Monday, July 24, 2017
• Type of Case: Employment, Whistleblower, Wrongful Termination
• Judge or Arbitrator(s): Hon. Ruth Ann Kwan
• Plaintiffs:
  Saif Hussain, 70
• Defendants:
  Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)
• Type of Result: Jury Verdict

The Result

• Gross Verdict or Award: $1,000,000
• Net Verdict or Award: $1,000,000
• Award as to each Defendant:1,000,000
• Non-Economic Damages:$1,000,000
• Trial or Arbitration Time: 17 days
• Jury Deliberation Time: 2 days

The Attorneys

• Attorney for the Plaintiff:

  Shegerian & Associates by Anthony Nguyen, Will Reed, Mark Lim and Aaron Shahmaram, Los Angeles.

• Attorney for the Defendant:

  Vanderford & Ruiz LLP by Todd A. Picker, Rodolfo F. Ruiz and Erin Uyeshima, Pasadena.

The Experts

• Plaintiff’s Medical Expert(s):

  Anthony Reading, Ph.D., psychology.

• Defendant's Medical Expert(s):James High, M.D., psychiatry.
• Plaintiff's Technical Expert(s):

  Stephanie Rizzardi, Ph.D., economics.

• Defendant's Technical Expert(s):

  David Weiner, economics.

Facts and Background

• Facts and Background:Shortly after joining LAUSD, plaintiff, a structural engineer, discovered what he described as a systemic culture in which significant structural and safety issues were concealed rather than properly addressed. He reported multiple violations, including that portable classroom bungalows at a middle school were unsafe for occupancy. According to the evidence, rather than investigate or remediate the hazards, LAUSD supervisors pressured Hussain to downplay his findings, warning him not to make a big deal and expressing concern about potential backlash if parents or the media became aware.
• Just one month after reporting the unsafe conditions, plaintiff was terminated. 
• Plaintiff's Contentions:Plaintiff left a successful private-sector career to work for LAUSD, and was terminated after raising concerns about unsafe conditions affecting vulnerable student populations. Plaintiff made retaliation and whistleblower claims against defendant school district.
• Defendant's Contentions:That LASUD terminated plaintiff due to performance reasons during his probationary period.