Premises Accidents

Published on: July 27, 2020

Person Injured by Running Dog Allowed to Recover for Personal Injuries

Dog-Attack-Injury-Attorneys-Los-Angeles-300x200

Californians who suffer injuries in dog attacks that are not caused by bites may be able to recover damages by proving that the dogs’ owners were negligent. In Wolf v. Weber, Cal. Ct. App. Case No. A157937, the court considered whether the primary assumption of the risk doctrine bars negligence claims against dog owners when an injury occurs in an off-leash dog-walking trail.[1]

Factual background

Diane Wolf and her husband were walking their dog on a trail in Tilden Regional Park on Oct. 6, 2016, in an area in which dogs are allowed to be off their leashes but only when the dogs are under their owners’ control. Alexander Weber was also walking along the trail with his dog, a Boxer-Argentinian Mastiff mix, and a friend, Martin Cenek. Neither of the dogs was wearing leashes. Both groups were near the end of the trail, and Weber and his friend were approximately 70 feet ahead of Wolf and her husband. Weber’s dog started to lag behind his owner and then turned and headed towards Wolf, her husband, and her dog. Wolf yelled that she was afraid, and Weber tried to get his dog to return by yelling at him to sit. However, his dog did not obey. Weber called him several times, and his dog started to return to him. Wolf was scared and turned around and started to run when she felt something hit her in the back of the knee. She fell and broke two bones in her leg and dislocated her ankle.

Published on: December 10, 2018

CA Supreme Court Rules UC Not Immune From Personal Injury Claim for Attack on Campus

by Steven M. Sweat

In California, institutions of higher education have a duty of care to protect their students from reasonably foreseeable dangers, including foreseeable acts of violence committed by other students. In The Regents of the University of California vs. Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Cal. Ct. App. Case No. B259424, the court defined the standard of care that applies, when triable issues of material fact might exist, and when governmental immunity may apply.

Factual and procedural background

For the fall 2008 semester, Damon Thompson enrolled in classes at the University of California-Los Angeles. Thompson began having problems almost immediately and suffered from paranoia and auditory hallucinations. Thompson complained multiple times to the residence director of his dormitory and to his professors about his beliefs that other students were verbally harassing and threatening him.

Published on: April 1, 2014

Swimming Pool Drowning Accidents in California

by Steven M. Sweat

California Pool Accident Attorney, Los Angeles Swimming Pool Accident Lawyer

California Swimming Pool Accidents

Swimming pool drowning accidents in California are some of the most tragic yet preventable catastrophes that can befall a family, especially one with young children. This post is meant to shed light on the extent of the dangers and provide some guidelines on how such tragedies can be prevented.

Statistics on California Swimming Pool Injuries and Fatalities