Two cyclists were attacked on Wednesday morning by a pack of six dogs in Delhi, a small town in Merced County.  One of the two victims, a 49-year-old man, was severely injured and had to be taken to the hospital where he received dozens of stitches.  The first victim was bitten on the ankle about 20 minutes earlier in the day.  The dogs included a Labrador retriever and five Pit Bulls or Pit Bull mixes.  The dogs were rounded up by Merced County Animal Control and their owners have been identified.  They apparently came from three different households.

See the KTLA news story HERE.

Under California's dog bite statute, the owners of the dogs involved in these two attacks will be held liable for the injuries and damages their dogs have caused.  The Merced County District Attorney's office may also file criminal charges against the owners depending on the precise circumstances and a determination of whether the dogs involved in the attacks had a history of aggressive behavior.  Once again, and not surprisingly, the dogs involved in a human attack were of the Pit Bull breed or at least a mix.  While all dog breeds are capable of aggressive behavior, Pit Bulls appear to have the greater tendency and certainly inflict some of the most serious injuries.  One of the mounting problems facing victims of such dog attacks is the fact that a number of dog owners have no insurance and no assets with which to compensate the victims.  Some homeowner's insurance policies even exclude aggressive breeds such as Pit Bulls and Rottweilers.

Compensation for the victims of dog bites should be an important concern for all Californians.  When an innocent victim is bitten and seriously injured by an aggressive dog or dogs, the dog's owner(s) should be held accountable for all of the injuries and damages suffered by the victim and their family.  An Orange County dog bite lawyer with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims. Mr. Ralph has more than 21 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type.  He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a family member been the victim of a dog attack?

Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above. This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

Saturday evening at about 6:00 p.m. a woman and her dog walking down a street in Long Beach were attacked by two pit bulls, causing injuries to both.  According to KTLA news, the unidentified woman required emergency surgery, and two Good Samaritans who tried to help were also bitten and required medical treatment.  Once police arrived at the scene on East Barclay Street they were quickly able to locate one of the dogs, and the animal had to be shot dead after attempts to bring it under control with a Taser were unsuccessful.   The second dog was later found and is now in the custody of Animal Control.  

See the KTLA news story and photograph HERE.

Once again, two aggressive dogs were apparently allowed to wander free and attack an innocent victim and her dog.  While many dog breeds are known for their aggression, pit bulls also have the distinction of latching on to their victims with powerful jaws and not letting go.  As a result, their bites tend to be worse than other dogs of equal size and weight.  While it is unknown precisely what injuries the victim in the story above sustained, it is probably fair to conclude she will suffer significant scarring and may need plastic surgery in the future because of the attack.   After bites from a large breed of dog, it is not uncommon for the victim to require plastic surgery to revise scars, particularly where the bites are to the face, hands or arms.  As with any dog bite occurring in California, the owner of the pit bulls in the story above is strictly liable for the injuries and damages these victims sustained.  Once a dog bites a victim (as opposed to scratching or knocking them down), the owner is automatically liable for the damages.  Where the injuries do not result from a bite, it must be shown the owner was negligent in the handling or control of their dog.  

Compensation for the victims of dog bites should be an important concern for all Californians.   When an innocent victim is bitten and seriously injured, the dog’s owner should be held accountable for all of the injuries and damages suffered by the victim and their family.  An Orange County dog bite lawyer with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.   Mr. Ralph has more than 20 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type.  He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a family member been the victim of a serious dog bite?

Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above. This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

On Easter Sunday, a little girl in the Inland Empire was attacked by a rottweiler-mastiff mix.  The 3-year-old girl, Hayleh Harger, received such serious bites she had to be transported by air to Loma Linda University Medical Center.  According to KTLA news, the wounds on Hayleh's head and face required 100 stitches and staples to close.  Hayleh's mother, Debra, found her daughter in the dog's mouth and is the one who rescued the 3-year-old from further harm.  The dog had apparently been brought over to the Hargers' house by a neighbor who was watching the dog for a friend.  The owner of the dog is being sought by authorities and, the animal may have to be euthanized, according to officials.

See the KTLA news story and photograph HERE.

All too often dogs attack small victims, particularly children.  When the bite or bites are to the face or head, the result can be especially devastating.  Aside from the pain of the injuries when they occur, there is sometimes the long-lasting injury to the child's emotions.  A dog attack like the one above can leave a young child physically and emotionally scarred for years.  Plastic surgery may help to erase the physical scars, but the emotional injuries may be even harder to remedy.  For these reasons, and others, dog owners are strictly (automatically) liable when their animal bites someone, regardless of whether the dog had ever bitten anyone else in the past.  While there are defenses available to the dog owner, such as assumption of the risk, the majority of the time the owner is found wholly liable for the injuries and damages to the victim.

Compensation for the victims of serious dog attacks should be an important concern for all Californians.  When a child is bitten and seriously injured, the dog’s owner should be held accountable for all of the injuries and damages suffered by the victim and their family. An Orange County dog bite lawyer with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.  Mr. Ralph has more than 20 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type.  He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a family member been the victim of a dog attack?

Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above. This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

Early Monday morning a former fire chief with the City of Compton was attacked by two vicious pit bulls while he was out for his walk in Glendora.  The former chief, 67-year-old Milford Fonza, had been out for his usual morninig walk when the dogs attacked.  He tried to defend himself with his walking stick, but it broke during the attack.  A Glendora police officer on routine patrol heard Fonza's screams for help.  Using his patrol car, the officer intentionally ran into one of the dogs, but still had to shoot the other pit bull to stop the attack.  That dog died of its wounds, and the dog that had been run over was taken from the scene for medical treatment.  According to the KTLA news story, it is unclear if the owner of the dogs has been identified.  The police officer, Matt Fenner, and Fonza have since reunited to talk about this life threatening incident, and the officers heroic actions.

See the KTLA news story, photos and video HERE.  

There can be little doubt the owner or owners of theses vicious pit bulls would be civilly liable for the injuries and damages sustained by Fonza during the attack.  From the news report, it appears he suffered a number of bites, puncture wounds and either a broken or dislocated shoulder, injuries from which an elderly victim will not soon recover.  All of this tragic event could have been avoided if the owner(s) of the dogs had just kept them under their control.  Under California law, a dog owner is strictly liable when their animal attacks and bites a victim, regardless of whether the dog has any known propensity to attack.  This is true whether the attack happens on the dog owner's property or in a public place.  The only defenses in situations like the one here generally have to do with whether or not the victim did something to provoke the attack or assumed the risk of injury in some fashion, neither of which appear to have occurred here.

Compensation for the victims of vicious dog attacks should be an important concern for all Californians.  When an innocent victim is attacked and seriously injured or killed, the dog’s owner should be held accountable for all of the injuries and damages suffered. An Orange County dog bite lawyer with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.  Mr. Ralph has more than 20 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type.   Mr. Ralph can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a family member been a victim of a dog attack?

Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above.  This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 800,000 Americans seek medical attention for dog bites each year.  About half of the victims are children.  Of those injured, 386,000 require treatment in an emergency department and sadly about 16 die from their injuries.

http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Dog-Bites/dogbite-factsheet.html

Amazingly, there are people out there in the world who train their dogs to attack and use their animals as weapons.  Just last week, Dale Franklin Wensinger, was sentenced in an Orange County courtroom to 19 years and four months in prison for assault and using his dogs to make criminal threats.  While his civil liability for the injuries he caused is clear, most cases do not involve intentional harm or even negligently caused injuries.

Dog bites occur everyday in California and often the consequences are lifelong.  The emotional and physical scars can remain long after the attack and are a constant reminder to the victim of the horrific incident.  Because of this, in California, dog bite legislation protects the injured party and provides for compensation even where the dog owner was not negligent.  This legal principle is known as strict liability, and it applies regardless of whether the pet owner knew or should have known of their dog's propensity to bite.  The statute was not designed merely to prevent dogs from doing harm while they rove, but to prevent dogs from becoming a hazard to the community.  In short, so long as the victim was not solely responsible for provoking the attack, the dog owner will be liable for the injuries and damages sustained.

On occasion, it will not be just the owner of the dog who has the civil responsibility under California law.  The keeper of a dog with known vicious propensities may be held liable if an animal under their control bites and injures an innocent victim.  For example, if someone agrees to keep their family member's pitbull (with a history of attacks) on their property for some reason, the property owner (as well as the dog owner) may be held liable. Dog bite victims are entitled to reimbursement for medical expenses, lost wages and compensation for their pain and suffering.  An experienced trial lawyer can best evaluate the legal remedies and damage awards available.  If you or a loved one was injured by a dog attack, you may wish to consider contacting Mr. Ralph's office for a free consultation.

Does the strict liability law in California make sense?  Do you think it adequately protects victims?