Two random attacks in downtown Los Angeles have put Sherman Oaks downtown commuters on edge. Two of these attacks include a man being pushed in front of an oncoming truck and a teenager being pushed onto the Metro Red Line tracks. There is no clear explanation and no motive given for these random attacks, which is why people who frequent the streets and subways of downtown Los Angeles are keeping their guards up. Fortunately, both victims survived, but California wrongful death lawyers know that this is not always how these random, intentional, or accidental acts turn out.
Two Frightening Incidents
- The first incident occurred on the streets in downtown Los Angeles. The attack was caught on surveillance video showing a man sitting on a bench by the sidewalk. As another man (the victim) walked by, the man jumped off the bench and pushed the unsuspecting man walking by into the path of a large truck.The truck driver was able to brake and ended up catching the victim under his front tire. The truck driver and bystanders were able to free the man from under the truck. He was admitted to the hospital with a collapsed lung and broken bones, but his injuries were not life-threatening.
- The second incident occurred days later on a Metro platform in downtown Los Angeles. A man suddenly pushed a 14-year-old from the platform down onto the tracks. The man fell onto the tracks at the same time but was able to get to pull himself up onto the platform without help. An approaching train was reportedly less than one minute away when bystanders helped pull the boy off of the tracks to safety and he was not injured. The man fled the scene and bizarrely started a fight with a nearby construction worker. The construction worker and his coworkers were able to stop the fight and hold the man down until police arrived. Later the man suffered a heart attack and died after police took him into custody.
These incidents are not confined to Los Angeles as similar incidents have occurred in other California cities and across the country including several recent stories in New York. Some of the outcomes were not as fortunate as the recent Los Angeles events as some of the victims died.
Wrongful death
While these random acts of violence leading to death may result in a wrongful death claim made by the victims’ close family members, wrongful death claims typically occur under other circumstances. Wrongful death claims usually arise when someone’s negligent, reckless, or intentional conduct leads to another person’s death such as a car accident, DUI accident, medical malpractice, assault, and dog attacks.
If your loved one died as a result of someone else’s wrongful conduct, contact a California wrongful death attorney at Licata & Yeremenko, A Professional Law Corporation to discuss your claim and recovery options. When you lose a loved one due to someone else’s wrongful conduct, you deserve to be compensated for your losses and the defendant should be held accountable.