Accident at Dump Leaves Man Quadriplegic
A Northern California man who was left quadriplegic after an accident at a dump is suing the county responsible for maintaining the facility, claiming that if the county had properly maintained it, he would not have suffered his horrific injury. Reginald Soto fell off of a 5-foot-ledge at the Lovelace Materials Recovery and Transfer Station north of Manteca, California on July 8, 2009. His suit argues that the San Joaquin County, which maintains the facility, did not follow proper building and safety codes and should have installed a guardrail to prevent such accidents from occurring. Many other accidents have occurred at the facility due to the lack of a guardrail. According to Soto’s attorney, eight people fell from the ledge between 1995 and 1997 alone, and he is investigating other possible accidents at the facility.
Owners of public facilities, whether they are governments or private businesses, have a responsibility to take reasonable action to ensure the safety of people who come on to their property. In many cases, such as Mr. Soto’s, a simple solution, like a guardrail, could have prevented a tragic and life-altering accident. The fact that this simple solution was not put in place after earlier accidents had occurred demonstrates the possibility of negligence or willful disregard for safety on the part of the operators of the facility. If you have been injured in a public facility, you should discuss your case with an attorney. Your attorney can investigate the circumstances of your accident and determine if the operators of the facility should be held responsible for not properly ensuring your safety
