California Court of Appeal

In plaintiffs' wrongful death action against defendants on theory of duty owed by owner or bailee of a motor vehicle, trial court's grant of summary judgment in favor of defendants on the issue of duty is reversed where the trial court erred in finding an absence of special circumstances as here, the tow truck falls within the ambit of the special circumstances rule, and the tow truck was left unattended in a high crime area with the key in the ignition and accessible to thieves. Finally, the sum total of the policy considerations under the Rowland factors leads to the conclusion that defendant owed a duty of care to the plaintiffs.

Appellate Information

• Decided 09/03/2009
• Published 09/03/2009

Judges

• KLEIN, P.J.

Court

• California Court of Appeal

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Moreno, Becerra & Casillas, Arnoldo Casillas and Christian Pereira, Montebello, for Plaintiffs and Appellants Carla F. Becerra Carrera, Daniel I. Dorantes Carrera, Victor I. Becerra, Maria G. Becerra Carrera, Reina A. Becerra Carrera, Ana R. Becerra Carrera, Juan C. Becerra Carrera, Ruperto Dorantes, Victoria Jimenez, Jovani J. Mata Rios and Margarita Ruiz., Law Office of Daniel Michah Dembicer and Daniel Michah Dembicer, Los Angeles, for Plaintiff and Appellant Roberto Reyes., Blanchard Stein & Stein;  Andrew D. Stein & Associates, Andrew D. Stein, Rebecca A. Davis-Stein, Los Angeles, for Plaintiffs and Appellants Jose Trinidad Durango and Amalia Bernabe Loma.


• For Appellees:
  
• Horvitz & Levy, David S. Ettinger, Jason R. Litt, Encino;  Schaffer, Lax, McNaughton & Chen, Kevin J. McNaughton and Yaron F. Dunkel, Los Angeles, for Defendant and Respondent.