Toddler and Orange County Woman Victims of Pit Bull Attacks

A toddler living in Norco was attacked by the family pit bull yesterday, May 28th.  According to the Press Enterprise story, the young girl was fortunate in that she escaped any major bite wounds.  The 19-month-old girl apparently got out of the house and into the back yard when a babysitter opened a sliding glass door to air out the house.  The dog was reportedly dragging the little girl through the yard when the babysitter looked outside.  The toddler was taken to the hospital with what appears to have been moderate injuries, and the dog was quarantined by Animal Control, which is standard procedure in such instances.

See the Press Enterprise story HERE.

Just about one week before the incident above, on May 20th, a 54-year-old woman was attacked just outside her Garden Grove home by a pit bull mix.  The dog, belonging to a neighborhood resident, attacked the woman's 7-week-old puppy and, when the owner attempted to intervene, she was viciously attacked.  Neighbors made numerous attempts to end the attack, but were only successful after sticks and a garden hose initially failed.  The puppy was treated for very serious wounds at a local animal hospital, and the owner likewise received emergency medical treatment at Garden Grove Hospital for wounds to both hands, as well as one arm and her torso.  The Orange County dog bite victim has since retained the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph to represent her interests in the case.

Compensation for the victims of dog attacks should be an important concern for all Californians.   When an innocent victim is bitten and seriously injured by a vicious dog, the dog’s owner should be held accountable for all of the injuries and damages suffered by the victim and their family.  An Orange County dog bite attorney with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.   Mr. Ralph has more than 20 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type.  He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Have you or a family member been the victim of a pit bull attack?

Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above. This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

News Anchor Bitten By Dog On Live TV

On February 8th,  a news anchor from Colorado was bitten by a rescued dog on live television.  The NBC news anchor, Kyle Dyer, was bitten in the face and later received 70 stitches and had her mouth stitched shut so that she could heal, according to Good Morning America/Yahoo News.  Since the incident, a plastic surgeon grafted skin from Dyer's lower lip to build her a new upper lip.  She has already undergone two procedures and this summer a plastic surgeon will decide whether she needs any more surgery.  The dog, an Argentine Mastiff name Maximus, spent time in quarantine at the Denver animal shelter but has since been returned to his family.


See the news story, video and photographs HERE.


Dog bites like the one captured on live television occur quite often and they often have devastating consequences.  Although Dyer has taken her unfortunate experience in stride, she has already undergone two medical procedures and may have to endure a third.  When all procedures are complete, it is still very likely she will have noticeable, permanent scarring.  What is perhaps most disturbing about the incident is that the owner of the dog was sitting right next to Dyer, with Max on a leash, when the bite occurred.  Had the bite occurred in California, the owner would be strictly liable for the injuries and damages Dyer sustained, perhaps subject to a reduction for Dyer's carelessness, if any.  Since the incident, some have criticized Dyer for the manner with which she rubbed the 85-pound dog under the chin while moving her face closer to kiss the dog.  


Compensation for the victims of serious dog attacks should be an important concern for all Californians.   When someone is bitten and seriously injured, the dog’s owner should be held accountable for all of the injuries and damages suffered.  An Orange County dog bite attorney with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.  Mr. Ralph has more than 20 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type.   He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.


Have you or a family member been the victim of a serious dog bite?


Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above. This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

Former Fire Chief Attacked By Pit Bulls

Early Monday morning a former fire chief with the City of Compton was attacked by two vicious pit bulls while he was out for his walk in Glendora.  The former chief, 67-year-old Milford Fonza, had been out for his usual morninig walk when the dogs attacked.  He tried to defend himself with his walking stick, but it broke during the attack.  A Glendora police officer on routine patrol heard Fonza's screams for help.  Using his patrol car, the officer intentionally ran into one of the dogs, but still had to shoot the other pit bull to stop the attack.  That dog died of its wounds, and the dog that had been run over was taken from the scene for medical treatment.  According to the KTLA news story, it is unclear if the owner of the dogs has been identified.  The police officer, Matt Fenner, and Fonza have since reunited to talk about this life threatening incident, and the officers heroic actions.


See the KTLA news story, photos and video HERE. 


There can be little doubt the owner or owners of theses vicious pit bulls would be civilly liable for the injuries and damages sustained by Fonza during the attack.  From the news report, it appears he suffered a number of bites, puncture wounds and either a broken or dislocated shoulder, injuries from which an elderly victim will not soon recover.  All of this tragic event could have been avoided if the owner(s) of the dogs had just kept them under their control.  Under California law, a dog owner is strictly liable when their animal attacks and bites a victim, regardless of whether the dog has any known propensity to attack.  This is true whether the attack happens on the dog owner's property or in a public place.  The only defenses in situations like the one here generally have to do with whether or not the victim did something to provoke the attack or assumed the risk of injury in some fashion, neither of which appear to have occurred here.


Compensation for the victims of vicious dog attacks should be an important concern for all Californians.  When an innocent victim is attacked and seriously injured or killed, the dog’s owner should be held accountable for all of the injuries and damages suffered. An Orange County dog bite lawyer with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims.  Mr. Ralph has more than 20 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type.   Mr. Ralph can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.


Have you or a family member been a victim of a dog attack?


Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above.  This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.

Pit-Bull Attack in Coachella Leaves Two Young Girls Injured

A dog described as a pit-bull mix bit two young girls last night in Coachella, leaving one with serious wounds.  According to a story in the Press Enterprise, the dog later attacked police officers who responded to the scene, one of whom fatally shot the dog.  The dog attack happened at about 9:45 p.m. near a shopping center along 48th Avenue east of Jackson Street.  The two girls, ages 9 and 12, were apparently walking along the south sidewalk of 48th Avenue when the attack occurred.  The 12-year-old girl, reportedly from Coachella, suffered a serious leg wound, and her younger companion suffered minor injuries.  It was when the police officers attempted to contain the dog, while awaiting the arrival of animal control, that the dog attacked them and had to be shot. 

See the Press Enterprise story HERE.


Dog bites like this occur all too frequently and often involve small children.  It is not surprising this attack involved a pit-bull mix as the breed has a reputation for being vicious and statistics support that fact as well.  Of the fatal bites reported across the country, occurring over a number of years, pit-bulls were more than three times as likely as the next most dangerous breed to cause a fatal attack.  Consequently, many homeowner's insurance carriers will not provide coverage for a pit-bull in the event of an attack. The dog owner, under that scenario, would then be exposed to individual liability for the injuries and damages caused.  In the news story above, it is unknown whether an owner has been identified and whether the dog had been allowed to roam or whether it had somehow escaped a leash or enclosure.  In either case, absent very unusual circumstances not apparent here, the dog owner would be strictly liable for the injuries sustained by these two young girls.  


Compensation for the victims of vicious dog attacks should be an important concern for all Californians. When a victim is attacked and seriously injured or killed, the dog’s owner should be held accountable for all of the injuries and damages sustained. An Orange County dog bite attorney with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims. Mr. Ralph has more than 20 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type.  Mr. Ralph can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.


Have you or a family member been a victim of a dog attack?

Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above. This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.