California Injury Lawyers Blog

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" »