On Jan. 5, 2011, plaintiff Kamran Vala was walking on a sidewalk in West Hollywood when he was approached by Los Angeles County Deputies. A field show-up, in which Vala was brought before an alleged witness as a suspect in a prior assault with a deadly weapon on a bus that day, resulted in the witness identifying Vala as the alleged assailant. Vala was subsequently arrested, and he claimed his wrists were injured during the time he was handcuffed. Vala sued the Deputies Alkalamy, Trujillo, Jesus Perez and Michael Fairbanks; and their employers, the county of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Vala alleged that the deputies’ actions constituted false arrest and excessive force and that the county and sheriff’s department were vicariously liable for the deputies’ actions. Several of the defendants were let out of the case on various summary judgments, and a jury trial was waived. Thus, the matter proceeded to a bench trial against Fairbanks only. Fairbanks claimed that Vala was a malingerer, in that Vala was stopped and arrested based on the eyewitness identification and that there was reasonable force used during his apprehension., Vala claimed both wrists were severely injured during the improper handcuffing. He alleged that as a result, he suffered carpal tunnel syndrome, requiring a carpal tunnel release procedure. Vala’s wife, Patty Mena, initially sought loss-of-consortium damages, but her claim settled prior to trial.