Sacramento Injury Lawyer Blog

Seven year old Alexis Goggins is soft spoken and shy. One might not expect the young girl with a learning disability to be very courageous, much less a hero, but that is exactly what she is.

In Detroit, Michigan, a far cry from Sacramento, Alexis and her mother, Seliethia Parker, were taken hostage by Parker's ex-boyfriend in their home town. Calvin Tillie, the ex-boyfriend, jumped into a car containing Alexis, Parker and a friend and forced the friend to drive at gun point. The friend pulled into a gas station and, leaving the car under the premise of needing gas, called 911. Inside the car, the drama unfolded. The Associated Press reports:

...Parker pleaded with the gunman not to shoot. As he was about to open fire, Alexis cried, "Don't hurt my mother!" and jumped into her mother's arms from the back seat.

As Alexis shielded her mother, she was shot multiple times. Despite her heroic efforts, her mother was shot twice, but survived.

Now, after two months in the hospital, six surgeries, and the loss of her right eye, Alexis is recovering. She goes to physical therapy twice a week and speaks little of the shooting. Not suprisingly, Parker refers to Alexis as "her little angel". A suitable title, in my opinion.

For the full story, please click here.

In this world we are confronted with so many terrible things, but, every now and then, we glimpse the mercy of God through the actions of one of His children. Whether its someone taking the bullets intended for another, or simply listening to someone who is hurting, people become heroes everyday. In my opinion, these acts are examples of Christ's light shining in the darkness. These acts, this light, make life livable for us adults, living in the "real world". They show us that the "real world" maybe is as good as we thought it was as small children, dreaming of being grown ups.

If you or a loved one has been injured and need legal help, please do not hesitate to call me, Moseley Collins, of The Law Office of Moseley Collins, at (916) 444-4444.

Injuries associated with amusement park rides always leave me a bit uneasy, and I find I am reminded of them any time our State Fair comes to our Sacramento home or when my family pleads with me to go to Disneyland. Recently, a lawsuit has been brought against a Six Flags Theme Park located in Kentucky. In this amusement park case, a 13-year old girl, Kaitlyn, was severely injured while on the Six Flag’s Superman ride. According to the case, one of the cables on the ride broke off, hitting Kaitlyn and severing off both of her feet.

The young girl felt the cable whip against her body and instantly smelt a foul, burning odor. She was taken to the hospital and doctors were able to reattach one, but sadly not both, of her feet. Kaitlyn and her family are suing the amusement park for “failing to maintain the equipment and to ensure rider’s safety”. So far, the amusement park has denied any liability in Kaitlyn’s accident. However, the ride has been shut down and dismantled since the date of her injury.

Amusement park injuries are more common than we would like to believe. In 2005, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission put out a report that listed 15,000 injuries that occurred in the United States as a result of an amusement park ride. Amusement parks have the responsibility in maintaining a safe environment for its patrons and workers. If they fail in this regard, they may be found negligent and thus, liable, for any injuries that occur.

If you have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, please give me a call at the Law Offices of Moseley Collins. I am here to help.

Web Resources:

Filing Tells of Horror at Amusement Park, FindLaw