Father Sues Rodeo for Son’s Death

JOLIET, Ill. (CN) - A rodeo left a teenage bull rider with a severe head injury in a barn for 45 minutes before calling an ambulance, after pressuring him to ride an aggressive bull no one else would ride, the late rider's father claims in court.

Lorenzo Gonzalez sued La Herradura de Joliet on behalf of his late son Jose Gonzalez on Sept. 23 in Will County Court.

Jose, 18, rode bulls as an independent contractor at rodeos.

His dad claims that on Oct. 16, 2013, "The bull assigned by defendant Herradura to decedent Gonzalez was so aggressive, another rider had refused to ride it."

The complaint continues: "Decedent at first refused to ride the bull, but felt pressured to do so by members of the defendant venue.

"As decedent Gonzalez began to ride the bull, he was thrown off by the bull and hit his head, sustaining a craniocerebral injury.

"After the bull had removed decedent Gonzalez from his body, the bull continued bucking aggressively.

"No medical personnel were present to treat decedent Gonzalez's head injury.

"Employees of the defendant Herradura then dragged decedent Gonzalez to a pole barn area in the Herradura facility.

"Employees of the defendant Herradura did not call any medical treaters or an ambulance for at least 45 minutes.

"During the wait time of at least 45 minutes, while decedent Gonzalez was deprived of medical attention, he suffered from brain anoxia (otherwise known as the absence of oxygen in brain tissues).

"This deprivation of oxygen to his brain tissues resulted in increasingly permanent damage and then brain death. He died a few days later."

Gonzalez's father seeks damages for negligent failure to provide emergency medical services.

He is represented by Chen Kasher in Chicago.

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