Jennifer Reid, of Denville, New Jersey, was pet sitting her neighbor’s German Shepard/Chow Chow mix who weighed approximately 80 pounds. Ms. Reid got up from the living room couch to walk the dog when it jumped on her and bit her face. Due to the dog’s weight, Ms. Reid was knocked backwards and pinned to the ground with the dog on top of her. She was eventually able to kick and punch the dog off her. She suffered serious injury to her face, which required plastic surgery to correct, but unfortunately left a permanent scar on her chin. Additionally, she suffered a lumbar injury caused by the force of the dog knocking her backwards to the ground.
At trial, it was reportedly discovered that the dog had previously attacked someone on two separate occasions, which allegedly put the owner on notice that the dog had a potentially violent temperament. Ultimately, a jury awarded the victim $850,000 in emotional and medical damages.
This unfortunate incident shows that it is important to be alert when interacting with any dog, regardless of the dog’s size or breed, or your familiarity with it. Dogs may attack for many reasons, including misinterpretation of body language, hunger or agitation due to neglect. Dog attacks can cause serious injuries, such as cuts, scars, disfigurement, disability, emotional trauma, and even wrongful death in the most extreme cases. In such an event, the advice of an expert Massachusetts dog bite attorney is particularly helpful.
If you or a loved one has suffered serious injury from a dog bite, you may be entitled to substantial financial compensation for your medical expenses, as well as any pain and suffering. Please contact our Massachusetts expert dog bite lawyers at (617) 787-3700, 24 hours a day 7 days a week, or email us at info@gilhoylaw.com.