She was only a few hundred feet from her front porch. She had passed by the dog owner’s property on a daily basis. It was common for the four large German Shepherds in the defendant’s house to bark aggressively and press their faces up to the windows as she passed on her way home. The barking was so fierce that she would occasionally be startled by it- even though she had come to anticipate the sound. She reassured herself that she was safe because the dogs were in the house, locked behind the front door. On this particular day as she walked home from the store with two small bags of groceries, she expected the barking, but not what happened next.
German Shepherd Dogs Attack Woman
She heard the animals barking as she approached the property. Instinctively she looked to see that the door was locked, keeping the animals inside the home. To her horror this time she noticed that the door to the house was open and only a thin, aluminum screen door separated her from the barking German Shepherds. She put her head down and focused on getting home. As she passed the barking suddenly stopped, and the street got momentarily quiet. It was then she heard the sound of the screen door opening. The anxiety and feeling of terror for those few seconds still haunts her. In an instant, the dogs were upon her, attacking her, tearing at her clothes and her skin and her legs, trying to literally rip her apart.
The defendant’s dogs escaped and attacked her that afternoon. The memories of the day are blurred visions of feeling as if she was being eaten alive and desperately fighting to safe herself. Despite the viciousness of the attack and the fact that the dogs repeatedly bit and pounced on her, she fought for her life. Somehow she managed to not fall down to the ground. That fact alone almost undoubtedly saved her. She continuously put her hands and arms up to protect her head and face sacrificing the rest of her body to the animals.
Several neighbors rushed to help beat the dogs off of her.
Mazow | McCullough Obtains Settlement for Dog Attack Victim
The insurance company for the defendant initially denied the claim and refused to provide coverage. Mazow | McCullough, PC filed a lawsuit at the court and fought to obtain the insurance coverage for the client. The insurance company then disputed the damages suffered by the client by arguing that “she had only suffered about $7,000.00 in medical expenses”. Mazow | McCullough, PC continued to fight for the client and obtained a settlement of $250,000.00 for the client.
Due to a confidentiality agreement within the terms of the settlement the actual names of the parties are not mentioned.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a dog bite or dog attack, or if you have any questions, contact the personal injury lawyers at Mazow | McCullough, PC for a free consultation. The right lawyer can make all the difference. You can contact us at 978-744-8000 or [email protected].
