A boy in Vista, California, was seriously injured in a dog bite incident after two Rottweilers attacked him the morning of October 30, 2009 on his way to school. According to a 10news report, the sixth grader was walking to school when he came face to face with the dogs. A mom who was driving with her daughter at the time saw the boy screaming and running from the dogs. She got out of her car and tried to help the boy along with another woman. She said she tried to get help from other passers by but no one stopped to help. Eventually, a man stopped and helped to get the dogs off the boy. The child sustained 40 dog bites and is said to be recovering well.
I deeply sympathize with this boy and his family. No child should go through what this boy went through. His mother tells reporters that the boy will be fine physically, but is emotionally traumatized. As personal injury attorneys who represent dog bite victims, that is something we see happen quite a bit. Victims recover physically long before they recover emotionally and psychologically. Many need therapy to get over their fear of dogs. Most suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. I hope and pray that this boy has a complete physical and emotional recovery.
Dog Bite Statistics Involving Rottweilers
According to Dogsbite.org, a Web site for dog attack victims, of the 88 fatal dog attacks in the United States in a three-year period between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2008, 59 percent or 52 incidents involved pit bulls, followed by Rottweilers (14 percent). This dog bite fatality finding is generally consistent with an earlier report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, which states that pit bulls and Rottweilers together account for 60 percent nationwide, of all fatal dog attacks.
Based on this report, authorities have decided to put down the dogs because of the severity of this attack. However, if I were a member of the boy's family, I would want to know who owned these Rottweilers. How did they get out of their home? Why were they loose in the neighborhood? Did these dogs have a prior history of viciousness ?
Negligent Dog Owners Must be Held Liable
These are some very important questions that must be answered. If the dog owner's negligence was responsible for this brutal attack, he or she must be held criminally and civilly liable. In my opinion, this boy is lucky to be alive, thanks to the two women who stopped to help and the man who freed the child from the dogs.
The family of this boy would be well-advised to consult with a reputed San Diego personal injury lawyer, who has a successful track record of financially pursuing negligent dog owners on behalf of injured dog bite victims. Under California’s Civil Code Section 334: "The owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness."
The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.
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