St. Louis Injury Lawyer Blog

On July 29th, 2009 it was reported that Krista K. Hall, a 56 year old woman, was trying to return her neighbor's dogs back to his yard and was severely mauled. She lost an arm as a result of this attack. The two witnesses, Hall's granddaughters, saw the dogs attack and quickly called 911. Hall's daughter stated that if the two girls had not called 911 so quickly, she believes that her mother would have died from blood loss because one of the arteries in Krista's arm was severed.

Hall's doctor Aleeca Ford said, "There were over 50 bites or puncture wounds that had to be repaired with a couple hundred stitches." This was not the first time that these two dogs, a Boston terrier and a boxer, had attacked someone. Less than a year earlier the dogs attacked 11 year old Anna Marie Rose De Stefano while she was playing in her yard. De Stefano's father explained that if people had been doing their jobs right that the dogs would have been put to sleep after the first attack on his daughter, and Hall would not have had to go through what she did. Krista Hall is now in stable condition and will hopefully recover swiftly from her injuries.

Below are statistics put out by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

1) Each year, 800,000 Americans seek medical attention for dog bites
2) 386,000 people require treatment in an emergency department because of dog bites
3) About 16 people die each year because of dog attacks.

The Illinois Animal Control Act provides that, "If a dog or other animal, without provocation, attacks, attempts to attack, or injures any person who is peaceably conducting himself or herself in any place where he or she may lawfully be, the owner of such dog or other animal is liable in civil damages to such person for the full amount of the injury proximately caused thereby."

A dog bite victim can get money for all of the following things:

• Medical treatment
• Future medical treatment for scar reduction
• Psychological counseling
• Loss of earnings from work or the victim's business
• Torn clothing and broken glasses
• Pain and suffering
• Future disability

Dog owners should always use a leash when walking a dog. Even is the dog had not displayed a propensity to bite, dogs and animals in general go through changes, such as hormonal changes, which cause them to bite or attack.

Continue reading "Brutal Dog Mauling Leaves Woman Disabled" »

A Wood River, Illinois woman has resolved her claim against the owner of a dog. The woman, a minor, was attacked by a dog and sustained permanent injuries to her legs and hand. She brought a claim pursuant to the Illinois Animal Control Act, which provides a remedy against an owner or harborer of the animal.

Unless provocation is involved, Illinois law holds animal owners strictly liable (ie. liable regardless of the owner's actions). Owners of animals should understand the risks of harboring an animal. Even animals without a history of violence can change due to hormones, age or other factors. It is advisable to keep your animal on a leash at all times to minimize the risks associated with pet ownership.

If you are injured or attacked by a dog or other animal, contact the local animal control or police immediately. It is best to fill out an incident report to document the incident. Also, it is important to attempt to obtain any ownership information from the animal's tags.

Continue reading "Wood River Illinois Minor Resolves Dog Bite Incident" »