$198 Million Verdict for Family of Two Brothers Killed in Westlake Village Crosswalk

On the evening of September 29, 2020, Mark Iskander, 11, and Jacob Iskander, 8, were crossing Triunfo Canyon Road in Westlake Village at a marked crosswalk when they were struck by a Mercedes SUV driven by Rebecca Grossman. Evidence at trial showed Grossman was traveling at roughly 80 mph in a posted 45-mph zone. Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson was also named a defendant; the lawsuit alleged the two had consumed cocktails and were engaged in a speed contest along that same road before reaching the crosswalk.

Grossman had already been convicted in criminal proceedings before the civil case went to trial. In the civil action, plaintiffs Nancy and Karim Iskander, along with their surviving son Zachary, sought to hold both Grossman and Erickson accountable for the deaths of their sons. Dr. Peter Grossman, Rebecca's husband and owner of the vehicle, was also named.

Nick Movagar of M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers served as co-counsel for the Iskander family alongside Brian Panish. The team presented evidence that Grossman's conduct rose to the level of malice, a finding required under California law to open the door to punitive damages. On June 3, 2026, the jury awarded the family $176 million in compensatory damages after finding all three defendants negligent.

A separate punitive phase followed. The jury deliberated less than two days before returning on June 10, 2026 with an additional $22.17 million in punitive damages: $21 million assessed against Grossman and approximately $1.17 million against Erickson. Combined with the compensatory award, the total verdict reached $198.17 million.

No post-trial reduction or remittitur has been reported in available coverage as of the publication of this story.