In a bizarre and violent string of events, a 20-year old male received a host of injuries, culminating in him being hit by a car. According to the Deseret News, on November 15, 2008, the man got into a fight at a 7-eleven, located at 114 West 1700 South in Salt Lake City, Utah.
He then left the store and was punched in the face, hit over the head with a bottle and then stabbed in the gut. Things went down hill from here as he apparently next stepped into the street and got himself hit by a car. Salt Lake City Police spokesman Dennis McGowan stated: “As a result of the assaults, he stepped off of the curb and was hit by a car and knocked into another vehicle.” The victim is reported to be hospitalized in serious condition.
So what recourse does this unlucky guy have? Well, he very well could have a claim for assault against his assailant. If it is shown that the victim himself started the conflict, his claim will be more difficult. But even if he did, there is no self-defense justification for the stabbing he received. In fact, it sounded like the hostilities had stopped before he left the convenience store. If his assailant wasn’t trying to defend himself, there was no basis for the bottle-over-the head and stabbing injuries.
It gets a little complicated at the point when this gentleman is hit by a car. It may be possible that he can make a claim against the assailant’s car insurance company for injuries he sustained. If the guy had no insurance, he may be able to make a claim against his own insurance company. At any rate, the victim would be well advised to consult with a personal injury lawyer to sort out what available remedies he might have. I wish him a speedy recovery.
Ron Kramer is a Utah personal injury attorney-lawyer practicing in Salt Lake County, Utah.
Published by: Ron Kramer
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