California Injury Blog
A 7-year-old Riverside girl was hospitalized with serious injuries after a pit bull broke loose from its chain and attacked her.
According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, the dog was tethered in an unfenced front yard in the 11400 block of Queensboro Street in Riverside the night of July 6, 2014 when the chain broke.
The pit bull went after the girl who
was walking by with her mother after swimming at a city pool.
The girl suffered injuries including cuts to her face and was taken to a regional hospital.
The owner of the dog turned over the male pit bull to Animal Services to be euthanized. The dog was reportedly neutered and current with its rabies vaccination, officials said.
The owner was not cited.
Our thoughts and prayers are with this young dog bite victim. We wish her the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Dog Bite Statistics
According to Dogsbite.org, each day, about 1,000 U.S. citizens require emergency care treatment for dog bite injuries.
Between 1982 and 2013, the group estimates that the breeds most responsible for serious injuries and deaths are pit bulls and rottweilers.
During this time, 81 percent of the attacks caused bodily harm and 76 percent of the attacks involved children.
Also, 72 percent of the attacks resulted in fatalities and 81 percent resulted in maiming. These dangerous breeds comprised only 9.2 percent of the total dog population, but caused a disproportionate amount of injuries and fatalities.
Laws and Liability Issues
Under California law, dog owners can be held liable for the injuries and damages their pets cause.
California’s Civil Code Section 3342 states: “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.”
In such cases injured victims can seek compensation for medical expenses, hospitalization, surgeries, pain and suffering and emotional distress.
Injured victims would also be well advised to contact an experienced Riverside dog bite lawyer who has successfully handled dog bite cases and can help them secure fair and full compensation for all their losses.
The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation to injured victims and their families.