You may have missed this story in December, but we want to bring it to you so we can highlight what can happen when a dog owner is negligent in their duties. Last month, a pit bull escaped from its home in Seattle and made its way inside the St. Therese Catholic Academy. It then bit a third-grade girl at the school.
“Jumped on one of my friends and started attacking me,” Doris Dickerson said. She was taken to the hospital after the incident. Law enforcement said that two dogs got away from their Seattle home and entered the school grounds. Two other students were also bitten as a result.
While we are grateful there were no major injuries, we know the incident could have been much worse. At Russell & Hill, PLLC, we want to help if you or a loved one have been attacked by a dog. You can count on us to get the compensation you deserve. When you need a Seattle dog bite attorney, call us today.
US Numbers
We know that the last thing you usually think about when you see a dog is that it will attack, but we know that the statistics tell us a different story. There are approximately 4.7 million dog bites each year in the United States. We know, that seems like an incredibly high number. While most of these bites do not require medical attention, nearly 800,000 do. Sometimes, these bites become infected, leading to problems that go beyond the initial bite location.
There are also times when these bites cause severe soft tissue damage that requires surgery. This can be both emergency surgery and follow up plastic surgery to restore appearance and functionality to the location of the bite.
These incidents can become incredibly costly in terms of medical expenses, costs that are hard to cover without insurance. Even worse, children and the elderly are often the victims of severe attacks because they cannot defend themselves or get away from a situation quickly.
Why They Happen
The case above shows us one of the common ways these attacks happen – the dog owner does not properly secure their pet and they get out. Once free, a dog can roam wherever it wants and can end up in a situation where it attacks. Yes, sometimes a dog attacks because it is scared and unsure of what is going on, but this does not absolve the owner of wrong-doing.
- Pet owners must secure their dogs at all times.
- Municipal leash laws should always be followed.
What You Can Do Now
Do not wait to seek legal assistance if you are attacked by a dog due to the negligence of the dog’s owner. Dog bites and attacks happen frequently and can cause high medical bills. At Russell & Hill, PLLC, we will work diligently to secure the compensation you need in the aftermath of an attack. If you need a Seattle dog bite attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 800-529-0842.