During the dark of night, 14 horses escaped from the ranch on which they were kept and entered the 91 Freeway. A woman struck one that had died in the lane in which she was traveling; then another car crashed into her while attempting to avoid the animals. The auto accident left her severely injured. Recently, we were able to reach a successful settlement for her after proving the ranch owners’ liability in the matter, explains a California injury lawyer.
In order to prove that the ranch owners were liable for the accident, we had to demonstrate that they had done something wrong, such as neglecting to maintain and inspect the fence on their property or leaving the gate open. They claimed that the fence had been inspected on the day of the accident and vandalized during the night, allowing for the horses to escape. We alleged that the ranch was strictly liable and, therefore, needed to prove that the horses have a dangerous propensity, meaning not that they bite or kick, but that they have a tendency to do something that makes them dangerous, such as escaping and wandering onto the road and, as in this case, the freeway. We subpoenaed the County of Riverside Department of Animal Services records and learned that the horses had escaped on one prior occasion, giving us a very good argument of liability that ultimately settled the case for $157,500.
Fortunately, the woman was able to recover from her injuries and hopefully the successful settlement of her case will enable her to move on from this traumatic experience.
If you have questions about your rights and options after an auto accident, or would like to discuss a specific case with a California injury lawyer, feel free to call 866-981-5596.