California Injury Lawyers Blog

Dr. Phil and his wife Robin are the defendants of a Los Angeles dog bite lawsuit filed by their former friend Janet Harris. In her Los Angeles personal injury complaint, Harris claims that the couple's dog Maggie attacked her without provocation or warning.

As a result, Harris says that she sustained abrasions, cuts, and deep puncture wounds. She had to hire extended home nursing care during the seven days she was on antibiotics, steroids, and IV therapy.

Dr. Phil adopted Maggie, a Korean Jindo, in 2009. Harris says that the McGraws knew that the dog could be unpredictable and had a history of biting persons and other pets. She says that the Dr. Phil and his wife failed to get medical help for her even though she experienced "severe physical pain and mental anguish." Harris wants Los Angeles personal injury compensation for her medical expenses, income loss, general damages, and pain and suffering.

Per California's dog bite statute, a dog owner can be held liable for damages if the dog bites a person who is lawfully allowed to be on the property where the incident happened. The pet owner's prior knowledge of whether or not the dog is vicious is irrelevant. Also, there is a leash law requiring that a dog owner keep the pet on a leash unless it is confined to the home or within a fenced property. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the incident, if the Los Angeles dog attack occurred on property that is not owned by the dog owner, the premise owner may also be held liable.

Unfortunately, dog bite accidents happen. While owners must do what they can to prevent such incidents from happening, there are also steps you can take to protect yourself, such as, approaching a dog that doesn't know you, putting your face too close to the animal, leaving an unattended child with the dog, bothering it when it is eating or taking care of its puppies, or startling, teasing, or bullying the dog.

Premises Liability LA: Celebs Not Immune to Dog Bite Laws, Lawyers and Settlements, February 4, 2011

The Lawsuit (PDF)

Related Web Resources:
California Dangerous Dog Provisions, Animal Legal and Historical Center

Dog Bites, Nolo

A 6-month-old baby girl who suffered serious injuries when a Great Dane snatched her with his mouth and ran off is at a Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center recovering. As of yesterday, the LA Times reported that she was on a ventilator but stable. Her Monrovia dog bite injuries include a broken rib, numerous puncture wounds to her back, a perforated liver, a broken clavicle, and a collapsed lung.

The Los Angeles County dog mauling happened on Monday while the baby's mother was at a neighbor's doorway. A Great Dane weighing 180-pounds, rushed out of the home, bumped into the woman, used his mouth to grab the infant from her, and ran off some 200 feet before releasing the child onto the street. The dog will be quarantined for several days and may be declared dangerous.

Our Anaheim dog attack lawyers know how tough it can be to have your child suffer serious injuries as a result of being bitten by someone's pet. In addition to pain and suffering and possibly the need to undergo surgery or other medical treatments, dog bites can lead to disfigurement, scarring, and lasting emotional trauma. It is important that you explore your legal options.

According to a new study from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, in the last 15 years, the number of people in the US who require hospitalization for their dog bite injuries has nearly doubled. There were 5,100 dog bite victims in 1993 and 9,500 in 2008, a year when approximately 866 people a day went to an ER. Approximately 26 people were admitted. Also:

• Kids under age 5 and seniors in the 65 and over age group were most likely to be hospitalized for their dog bite injuries.
• Nearly 50% of patients hospitalized required medical care for tissue and skin infections.
• Over 50% required medical procedures such as wound debridement or skin grafts.
• Care cost on average is $18,200 per dog bite victim.

Great Dane grabs baby from mother's arms, runs into street, Los Angeles Times, December 15, 2010

6-month-old mauled by Great Dane in Monrovia, ABC 7, December 14, 2010

Risks: Hospital Admissions for Dog Bites Are on the Rise, NY TImes, December 10, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Read the report, AHRQ (PDF)

Dog Bites, Nolo

Continue reading "6-Month-Old Baby Involved in Serious Los Angeles County Dog Bite Incident with Great Dane" »

A woman who was injured in a Lake Forest dog attack this morning had undergo emergency plastic surgery after she was bitten in the jaw by a neighbor's pit bull. Police say that the Orange County, California dog attack happened at around 10:25 in the morning as the woman was walking across a street. The 3-year-old pit bull, whose name is Sydney, jumped at her, bit her jaw, and tore some skin off her face.

Dog Bite Injuries
According to statistics, every 40 seconds in this country, someone is receiving medical treatment for a dog bite injury. While some injuries are minor, other injuries are more serious and may require reconstructive surgery. Permanent physical scars and disfigurement can result. A dog bite victim may even have to undergo psychological counseling to recover from the trauma. In some instances, a dog attack can prove fatal.

Our Anaheim dog bite injury lawyers are well aware of the lasting scars that can affect someone who has been mauled by a dog. Fortunately, California has strict laws that hold pet owners responsible for injuries caused by their dogs. Depending on the circumstances surrounding a case, a dog bite victim may be able to recovery compensation parties whose negligence led to the attack.

Pit bulls are considered a dangerous dog breed. Other dogs that fall under the dangerous dog breed category include Huskies, Rotweillers, German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, and Chows. That said, not all dogs belonging to these breeds are dangerous. There are also many dogs that do not fall under the dangerous dog category that have inflicted serious dog bite injuries on humans. There are also dogs that have suddenly attacked someone despite never having previously shown signs of hostility.

Neighbor's pit bull bites woman in face, The OC Register, November 30, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Dog Bites, Nolo

Hospitalizations for Dog Bite Injuries, CDC

Dog Bite Prevention, American Veterinary Medical Association

Continue reading "Woman Injured in Lake Forest Dog Attack by Pit Pull Undergoes Emergency Surgery " »

A six-year-old girl sustained bite marks to her face, arm, leg and shoulder after she was attacked by the neighbor's dog. The Lake Forest dog attack took place on the morning of May 19 as the girl and her 3-year-old sister were headed to a neighbor's house.

The girl's mother, Jennifer Cooper, was on her porch with her 14-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter when she heard her other two daughters screaming. A neighbor tried spraying the dog with Windex and the 14-year-old kept punching the dog until it let go of the girl.

Cooper then took her children and ran toward the house. The dog chased after them and tried to bite the 1-year-old's pant leg. Cooper tried to scare the dog off by stomping and yelling but the animal wouldn't go away. She went back to the house, got a 9-millimeter Glock semiautomatic pistol , and shot the dog in the neck.

Ironically, the Orange County, California dog attack happened during national Dog Bite Prevention Week, which is geared toward reminding pet owners to take greater responsibility for their dogs so that they don't attack others. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Humane Society of the United States, and the American Veterinary Medical Association, small children and the elderly are the groups at most risk of being bitten by dogs. With kids' shorter size, they have a high chance of sustaining disfiguring facial injuries during a dog attack, while elderly people, who tend to have weaker immune systems, may be at risk of infection, permanent disability, and serious health issues.

Depending on the circumstances surrounding the incident, a dog bite victim may be able to hold the owner liable for Orange County, California personal injury. The American Kennel Club offers a number of ways that dog owners can prevent dog bites from happening:

• When outside, make sure your dog is leashed or in a secured enclosure
• Take your dog to behavioral school
• Make sure to socialize your dog
• Teach your dog to obey commands
• Don't teach your dog to become an aggressive pet
• Don't leave children that your dog doesn't know alone with the pet
• Vaccinate your dog for rabies (just in case)

Mom Shoots Neighbor's Dog After it Attacks Daughter, KTLA, May 19, 2010

Orange County woman shoots, wounds dog after it attacks her 6-year-old daughter, Los Angeles Times, May 30, 2010

Tips to Prevent Dog Bites, American Kennel Club

Related Web Resources:
Dog Bite Awareness, USPS

Dog Bite Prevention, CDC

Continue reading "6-Year-Old Injured in Lake Forest Dog Attack " »

Marcelino Moreno Jr. has filed a Placentia dog bite injury claim against the city. He is asking for $1 million. The 40-year-old Placentia resident contends that while hiding from cops, because there was an outstanding warrant in his name, Anaheim police dogs attacked him even though he wasn't resisting arrest and the officers were looking for someone else.

Moreno claims that he is the victim of excessive use of police force and his civil rights were violated, which is why he has filed a similar Orange County, California personal injury claim against the city of Anaheim. He says he submitted his Placentia injury claim because he wants to make sure the statute of limitations for filing one doesn't expire while he determines whether local cops should be held liable for the Anaheim police brutality incident.

Moreno says he was hospitalized for several days because of his dog bite injuries.

Dog Bite Injuries
While most dogs make great pets, there are those that cause serious injuries when biting, attacking, or mauling someone. In 2009, 30 people died from dog bite injuries. 368,000 dog attack victims end up in the ER every year because of their injuries.

California has a strict liability law when it comes to dog bites. A dog owner can be held liable for a dog attack even if he/she did not act negligently and the animal had never bitten anyone before. In certain cases, premise owners, including landlords, commercial property owners, and residential property owners, can also be held liable for a dog mauling that took place on their property even if they don't own the animal that was involved.

It is important that you speak with a Placentia dog bite attorney that knows how to handle California animal attack cases. For example, a liable party may argue that you were trespassing, engaged in conduct that provoked the dog attack, or that your injuries were not caused by the dog.

Man wants $1 million from Placentia for dog bite, OC Register, March 29, 2010

Related Web Resources:

Animal & Dog Law, Justia

Dog Bite Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

A 62-year-old woman who was mauled by three bull mastiffs while walking in a neighborhood last year has filed an Orange County, California dog mauling lawsuit against Orange County Animal Care Services and the city of Laguna Hill. Dr. Elaine Christian, an ophthalmologist, claims the county and the city had received other complaints about the three dogs prior to the December 18 California dog attack but they failed to act to protect her.

Per her Laguna Hills dog bite lawsuit, three dogs attacked Christian while she was walking in her mother's neighborhood. One neighbor tried to get the dogs off her and even threw himself over her neck and head to save her life. Another neighbor started hitting the dogs' heads with a shovel to get them to stop attacking Christian.

The dogs eventually stopped their attack and walked back to the home of their owner, Leslie Rodriguez. Police used pepper spray and a Taser to apprehend the dogs. They were later euthanized.

As a result of the Orange County, California dog mauling, Christian says she sustained serious emotional and physical injuries and, for a while, was unable to work.

Dog attacks can result in serious injuries for victims, who may be entitled to Orange County, California personal injury recovery.

Earlier this month, a 70-year-old woman suffered a heart attack after two dogs attacked her in her neighborhood. Mary Garcia sustained injuries on her leg, face, and arm when a boxer mix and a bull mastiff-pit bull bit her.

Garcia was reportedly locking her car when the dogs ran toward her and attacked. They had escaped through a fence. Neighbors tried to fight of the dogs to rescue Garcia, who they say was smaller than the dogs when the animals stood on their hind legs. Garcia's great-grandson, 2, reportedly saw the attack and said the animals "ate grandma."

Woman mauled by 3 bull mastiffs sues county, city, OC Register, October 16, 2009

Adams woman, 70, attacked by 2 dogs, Denver Post, October 4, 2009

Related Web Resources:
California Dangerous Dog Provisions, Animal Legal and Historical Center

Orange County Animal Care Services

City of Laguna Hills

Continue reading "2-Year-Old Orange, County California Boy Sustains Facial Injuries During Newport Beach Dog Attack" »