Riverside Dog Attack on Sixth Street Sends Woman to Hospital

An unidentified woman sustained facial wounds and a gaping wound to her arm after being attacked by two pit bulls in Riverside this morning.  According to the Press Enterprise, the victim is between 45 and 50 years of age, and she was attacked while walking her dog just before 11:00 a.m. in the 6600 block of Sixth Street.   Reportedly, the woman's small dog was first attacked by the two pit bulls before being picked up and rescued by the woman.  The pit bulls then turned their aggression toward the woman.  A neighbor had to kick one of the dogs to stop its attack, and the other dog had to be pried from the woman's face.  The victim was rushed to the hospital where she apparently remains.  The two pit bulls were euthanized, and the owner is facing charges for having an unlicensed adult dog and for allowing both dogs to stray off of his property.

Dog Bite Liability Law in California

Under California law, the owner of a dog who bites someone is strictly (automatically) liable for the injuries and damages suffered by the victim (California Civil Code Section 3342).  Regardless of whether the dog or dogs have a known propensity for attacking, the owner is liable.  Pit bulls and pit bull mixes are generally known for being aggressive and having a particularly strong bite.  Consequently, a number of homeowners' insurance policies will not provide coverage if the dog is either a pit bull or a pit bull mix.  In simple terms, these insurance carriers do not want the responsibility of paying for what are often very serious, and sometimes life-threatening, bites.

The Injuries and Aftermath

It is not uncommon for the victim of a dog attack to suffer both physical and emotional injuries. Dog bites occur all too frequently here in the United States, and approximately 4.7 million people per year are attacked, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Unfortunately, because facial bites can often be very deep and jagged, the wounds do not frequently heal well and some cannot even be reduced meaningfully by way of plastic surgery.  Aside from that, victims of horrendous attacks like the one above commonly suffer from a number of emotional injuries, similar if not identical to "post-traumatic stress disorder."  

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a dog attack, call an experienced dog bite attorney who can help assess the potential for recovering compensation for any injuries and damages suffered.  

SOURCE:  RIVERSIDE: Rescuer describes pit bulls’ attack on woman, The Press Enterprise, PE Bloggers, August 12, 2013, by Brian Rokos

Fatal Pedestrian Accident in Riverside Involves Suspected DUI Driver

A pedestrian was killed early this morning in Riverside when the driver of a pickup truck lost control and drove onto a sidewalk.   According to the report by KABC News, the 43-year-old victim was being struck by a suspected drunken at about 2:30 a.m. in Riverside.  The accident happened at about 2:30 a.m. near the intersection of Crest Avenue and Babb Avenue.  According to witnesses, the driver, 19-year-old Mena Joel Guzman, was driving north on Crest when he could not negotiate a curve and drove onto the sidewalk.  The pedestrian, who has yet to be identified, was pronounced dead at the scene.  Guzman was subsequently arrested for vehicular manslaughter and felony DUI and booked into jail.  The Riverside Police Department's Major Accident Investigation Team is still investigating the cause of the crash and anyone with information is asked to call Detective Ken Madsen at (951) 826-8723.

Scene of the Accident

The scene of the accident is in a residential area and the intersection is somewhat angulated beyond the normal 90 degrees.  While the roadway configuration may have played some role in this accident, it will take a full blown accident reconstruction to make that final determination.  When a roadway is inherently unsafe and the driver impaired (due to alcohol, drugs, fatigue, etc.), it is easy to see how that would be a recipe for disaster.  While there is a stop sign at the intersection, there does not appear to be any curve warning sign for northbound Crest vehicles.  There does not appear to be many street lights in the area of the accident, and lighting will have to be evaluated to see if it was a contributing cause of this tragic accident.  One thing is clear from the description of the accident above, the pedestrian likely shares no part of the blame for what happened.

DUI Accidents in Riverside

According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, the City of Riverside is among the safer cities when compared to others of similar size.  Where Riverside does not fair well is in terms of city ranking for accidents involving people under 21 who had been drinking.  Riverside ranks 5th out of 13 in that category, meaning only four similar-sized cities are worse.  It should be remembered that California has a zero tolerance program for drivers under the age of 21 who have been drinking.  If an underage driver demonstrates a blood alcohol level of even .01 or greater they may lose their license and/or be convicted of driving under the influence.

If you or a family member has been the victim of a DUI driver, a personal injury attorney with experience at handling such cases may be of assistance in obtaining the monetary compensation allowed under the law.  

SOURCE:  Riverside suspected DUI crash: Pedestrian dead, driver arrested, KABC News, July 13, 2013, by Inland Empire news.

Two Fatalities at 14th and Sedgwick in Riverside

Very early Monday morning a hit-and-run driver ran a red light in Riverside, striking a car and killing both of its occupants.  According to the Press Enterprise, the accident happened at about 12:30 a.m. when a truck heading west on 14th Street ran the stoplight at Sedgwick Avenue.  The truck crashed into a Saturn, killing the front seat passenger instantly.  The driver of the car was taken to Riverside Community Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.  The driver of the truck ran from the scene, and he is described as Hispanic, 5-foot-8 and about 200 pounds with a shaved head, mustache and tattoos up and down his arms and neck.  Anyone with information should contact the Riverside Police Department at (951) 826-5700.

What To Do If You're In a Hit-and-Run Accident

If you fall victim to a hit-and-run driver, the sooner you contact the police the better the chances they will be able to identify the driver.  While you may not be able to take accident scene photographs immediately following a collision, you should accomplish this as soon as you are able.  Sometimes pictures of debris left behind, and the actual debris itself, will go a long way to identifying the type and color of the vehicle involved.  That information can often be used to track down the accident vehicle and its driver.  It is rare the hit-and-run driver's vehicle will be abandoned at the scene, as it was in the case above.  Needless to say, it is likely a matter of time before the driver involved in the Riverside crash is found and arrested.

Wrongful Death Claims

The tragic accident above has left two people dead and their families heartbroken.  No amount of compensation can ever undo the harm, but civil justice is just one way we can bring closure for the survivors.  The right to compensation has been recognized in the law for quite some time.  One of its main purposes is to deter people from careless accidents that cause a death.  Prior to creation of the wrong death statute in California, the claim for the injury to the victim simply disappeared when the victim died.  Recognizing the unfairness of this scenario, the State legislature enacted the wrongful death law to make sure that careless people would be held accountable and surviving family members would be compensated.

If a family member has been killed in a hit-and-run accident, you should contact a wrongful death attorney to find out more about your rights.

SOURCE:    RIVERSIDE: Two killed in hit-and-run crash, Press Enterprise, April 29, 2013, by John Asbury

Woman Struck and Killed In Riverside While Pushing Wheelchair

The Press Enterprise has reported an accident in Riverside in which a woman pushing her wheelchair-bound son was struck and killed.  The accident happened yesterday just before 5:30 p.m. on Magnolia Avenue near its intersection with McCray Street.  A pickup truck, operated by 76-year-old man from Corona, struck the woman but just missed impacting her disabled, adult son.  Both were taken to a local hospital where the woman was later pronounced dead.  The woman was pushing her son westbound across Magnolia at the time of the accident.  There is no marked crosswalk at this intersection.

Anyone with information or who witnessed the accident should call Detective Rick Prince at 951-826-8722.

Intersection Accidents Involving Pedestrians

As you might expect, intersection accidents involving pedestrians are not uncommon.  It is often assumed that someone crossing the street outside of a marked crosswalk is solely responsible for any accident that occurs.  That is not, however, the law in California.  In automobile-versus-pedestrian accident cases, the appellate courts have held that the driver of a car must, in order to avoid liability, keep a proper lookout for persons on highway.  Even though the driver may be traveling at lawful rate of speed, he still remains bound to anticipate that he may meet persons at any point on the roadway.

Factors To Be Considered in Determining Liability

In the case above, regardless of whether the driver was obeying the speed laws, he may still be found negligent in relation to the accident.  For example, if the woman and her son were visible for more than 100 feet (which is about the distance headlights will illuminate the roadway ahead) a driver traveling at the posted speed limit (35 mph in this case) would have at least two seconds to avoid the accident.  If it can be shown the visibility was even greater or his speed slower then the wrongful death claim against the driver would be strengthened.  It should be kept in mind that pedestrian visibility is one the leading pedestrian safety problems at intersections.  Pedestrians often assume they can be seen for a greater distance than they are actually visible.

An experienced Orange County Car Accident Lawyer with experience handling this type of case can be of assistance in evaluating wrongful death and pedestrian accidents like the one above.   A free consultation is available to injured parties and the families of accident victims.

SOURCE:  RIVERSIDE: Mother Pushing Wheelchair is Hit, Killed, David Keck, Press Enterprise, December 6, 2012