Dog Bites and Animal Attacks
Lackawanna County PA
Child Bitten by Horse
Our Client, a 9 year old boy, was enrolled in an overnight camp in Lackawanna County, PA. One of the activities that the campers enjoyed was horseback riding. For sometime, one of the horses utilized by the campers was difficult to handle and made attempts to bite or nip.
During the week our Client attended the camp, he participated in horseback riding lessons. On one day, he was assigned the difficult horse. As he was on the horses back, the horse turned and bit the child’s thigh, breaking the skin. Our Client was taken to Geisinger Medical Center for emergency treatment.
Although our Client returned to the camp and stayed for the week, he was unable to participate in the planned activities. His parents hired the law firm of Naftulin and Shick, P.C. to represent their son in obtaining compensation for his injuries and their medical expenses.
A law suit was filed in Lackawanna County. After depositions were taken, it was apparent that the camp officials and counselors were aware of the horse’s biting propensities. A settlement was negotiated with the insurance company insuring the camp.
Lehigh County PA
Dog Bite - Pit Bull
Our Client's neighbor was the owner of a male American Pit Bull known. It was a large dog who wass kept outside in an Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania backyard. American Pit Bulls need to be socialized, trained, handled and exercised. They are a large, strong breed that can be very vicious and unpredictable if not properly handled.
Our Allentown Client was cleaning the flower beds in her front yard. Her neighbor was walking the pit bull. When her neighbor brought the pit bull to our Client's property, our Client asked if she could pet the dog. Our Client held her hand out so that the dog could smell it. Without warning, the pit bull viciously attacked her. She received dog bites to her face. The dog bite tore her nose, cheek and mouth.
The Allentown Police responded to the scene and EMS was summoned. Our Client was ambulanced to St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where an Allentown plastic surgeon repaired the damage to her face. Over the next year, our Client underwent a number of surgical procedures by the Allentown doctor. She was left with permanent scarring from the animal attack.
The insurance company for the owner of the pit bull agreed to mediation after a lawsuit was filed in the Lehigh County Court. The case was successfully mediated and our Client was substantially compensated for her permanent facial injuries caused by the animal attack.
Carbon County PA
Dog Attack
On a winter day, our clients, a husband and wife were removing snow and ice from their driveway in Lehighton, Pennsylvania. Their nine year old daughter asked if she could play with her friend. The parents gave her permission to go to the neighbor's property to play. As they shoveled their driveway, they heard their daughter's screams. They saw the neighbors' 65 pound Akita jumping on their daughter's body. They immediately ran to their daughter's aid. They saw that their daughter had dog bites all over her body. The child was crying and terrified.
As the parents carried their daughter back to their house, the Akita came running into their yard, barking and running out of control. Their other young children were outside in their yard. Fearing for his family, the husband chased the Akita to keep it away from his children. While the father tried to keep the Akita away from his children, it lunged for his throat. The father put his arm up to block it. He sustained large open dog bite wounds on his arm.
The daughter sustained multiple puncture wounds, bites and scratches on her right arm, right shoulder, right leg and back. In addition to the physical injuries she suffered, the child was understandably terrified of dogs. She suffers from asthma attacks when she sees a dog running loose.
The father suffered several large deep dog bite wounds to his left arm. He sustained two noticeable and sizeable scars on his arm from the animal attack.
Our firm represented the family in obtaining compensation for their injuries. As an alternative to a trial in Carbon County, the parties agreed to a binding hi/lo arbitration. The case was tried before a mutually agreeable arbitrator. An award was received to compensate our clients for their pain and suffering in addition to their medical expenses.
Bucks County, PA
Dog Attack
Our Client, a young woman living in Hellertown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, sustained an unprovoked dog bite injury to her face and right arm. At the time of the attack, our Client was pregnant with a very high risk pregnancy.
The dog, a blue heeler or Australian Cattle dog, had broken out of his yard and came to our Client's Hellertown home. Australian Cattle dogs are known to be very high energy and demanding. Our Client called the dog's owner, who asked that she bring the dog home. She brought the dog back to its owner and came into the house. While talking to the owner, the dog attacked her, jumping up on her and biting her face and arm.
Our Client sustained an unprovoked dog bite injury to her face and right arm. The facial injury was extensive. Her lip was lacerated in numerous places and required suturing. There were also numerous abrasions and contusions on her face and arm.
She received initial treatment of her wounds at Easton Hospital in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. She was referred to a plastic surgeon in Allentown, Pennsylvania who debrided and repaired the wounds and who continued to follow her through the healing process.
Prior to the filing of a lawsuit, Attorney Linda Shick negotiated a settlement with the insurance company for the owner of the vicious dog that attacked our client. The settlement provided a substantial amount of money to compensate our Client and her husband for their injuries.
