Rosen Saba, LLP and The Law Offices of David Glubok, a Los Angeles-based trial firm, have filed a lawsuit against Rocken “P” Outfitters, Inc., doing business as Rocken P. Stables, on behalf of a 31 year old woman who suffered serious brain injuries on August 21, 2016 when she was thrown from an out-of-control galloping horse into the wall of a cement tunnel during a guided trail ride in Griffith Park. The woman remains in a coma and requires 24 hour care. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants were grossly negligent by failing to use any care whatsoever when they provided inadequate horseback riding supervision, horseback riding instruction and did not attempt to control the woman’s horse when it repeatedly displayed out-of-control behavior before the accident.
“Our client suffered devastating, life-changing brain injuries because of the defendants total disregard of accepted guidelines and standards for stable operators and trail guides,” said co-counsel attorney David Glubok.
“The defendants had a duty of care to protect their riders, but failed on all counts,” said Rosen Saba Partner Ryan Saba. “This isn’t the first rider that has been seriously injured, and there are many others that have suffered significant injuries and at least one other person who has died due to their failure to improve conditions of the trail, to improve the training provided to riders and guides, and to eliminate horses which have been involved in previous incidents.”
Background
On August 21, 2016, the plaintiff toured Griffith Park by horseback with a friend while they were visiting Los Angeles. The plaintiff indicated to defendants that she was a “beginner” on her sign-in sheet. Prior to the guided ride, she was instructed only on how to stop the horse, by pulling the reins, and how to turn the horse to the left or right by pulling on the reins. No other instruction was given, nor was the plaintiff required to wear a safety helmet, despite the fact that the guided ride took riders through at least two narrow concrete tunnels.
While on the guided ride, the horse the plaintiff was riding sprinted far ahead of the rest of the group; the guides did not offer assistance to slow or control the horse, and did not attempt to catch up with her. Shortly thereafter, the plaintiff was thrown off the horse and struck her head in a concrete tunnel, causing severe injuries.
Furthermore, the plaintiff was never told that in the five years leading up to her accident at least one person had died, with multiple others suffering injuries, including broken bones, muscle damage, cuts, and scrapes after falling from horses rented from Rocken “P” Outfitters.
The plaintiff is seeking general damages, special damages, compensation for lost earnings, loss of earning capacity, and all consequential damages, for gross negligence resulting in grave injuries.