You could have braked suddenly to avoid a "dog" and then took them to the cleaners for causing the accident..doubt that you would get away with that though.

PS. when you said hurtling towards you, I first thought you meant, head on.
Edit. On second thoughts thats not a very good idea unless you drive a Sherman tank.
A young lad drove into the back of my stationary Volvo V70 at 30 mph, whilst looking the other way, his fathers Renault 7 was instantly converted to a Renault 5, and I never felt a thing.