Washington Injury Attorney Blog

The Clackamas County Sheriff shot and killed a 90-year-old pit bull that attacked and severely injured a 7-year-old girl, Jayda Kempas in Happy Valley, Oregon. Kempas was to undergo surgery for her dog bites reports KOMOTV.COM in Seattle.

In a horrific attack, the pit bull attacked the little girl and bit her severely on the leg in several places. Kempas' father, National Guard Staff Sgt. Steven Hehr, wrestled the dog and pulled it off only to be bitten himself. He also suffered a dislocated shoulder while wrestling the dog.

While Hehr held the dog, a bystander repeatedly clubbed the dog with an aluminum baseball bat. When the bystander became too exhausted and the dog was still vicious, the dog's owner took the bat and started beating the dog but it could not be subdued.

Deputy Greg Martin arrived to the scene of the struggle and shot the dog dead. He was quoted as saying that the little girl would have died had her father not intervened.

Dog bite injuries can be very serious, even fatal. Nearly 2% of the U.S. population suffers a dog bite injury every year. In 2006, there were 26 dog bite fatalities. Injuries can leave a victim with serious and often permanent injuries including nerve damage and scarring.

If you or a loved one has suffered a dog bite, you should contact The Farber Law Group. We have more than 30 years experience in representing the victims of dog bites and their families.

Contact The Farber Law Group today for a free and confidential case evaluation.

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Posted In: Dog Bite Injuries , General Negligence , Serious Personal Injuries

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Travis D. Cunningham, the owner of two pit bulls that viciously mauled and injured Hung Le, 71, of Sea-Tac in September entered a "not guilty" plea in King County Court.

King Country Prosecutors say that Cunningham 36, was negligent in not securing the two dogs who had repeatedly escaped and were a danger to people. He is also being charged with two counts of illegal gun possession.

Le suffered disfiguring injuries, her ears were ripped off and she had bite wounds up and down her legs after the attack which occurred after she walked her grandchild to the school bus. Doctors spent more than 13 hours repairing her wounds according to a report by Seattle's Kiro TV.com. See our regarding the attack. She still suffers pain and emotional trauma three months after the attack.

It is ironic that the same day that Cunningham entered his "not guilty" plea and Le's son appeared in Monroe to speak to the City Council about adding restrictions to certain breeds of dogs, dog owners jammed Monroe City Hall in defense of the pit bull breed. Le's son Makus, wanted to speak about what happened to his mother yet the protesters against breed-specific laws did not allow him to speak.

Makus said, "It's human dismemberment is what these dogs tried to do. It's not a little puncture wound. They rip and tear. They tear ears off."

This information was brought to you by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. If you or a loved one has been a victim of a serious dog bite or mauling, you should contact a personal injury attorney with experience in dog bite cases. With the help of The Farber Law Group, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries including medical costs and for pain and suffering.

Contact The Farber Law Group today for a free and confidential case evaluation.

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Posted In: Dog Bite Injuries , General Negligence , Serious Personal Injuries , Slip, Trip and Fall

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The Seattle Times reports that felony charges of possessing a dangerous dog have been filed against Travis Cunningham, 36, the owner of two pit bulls that seriously injured a 72-year-old SeaTac woman, Huong Le, in September.

Cunningham is also charged with "first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a stolen firearm." All three charges could result in a 13 year prison sentence.

Le was attacked in her own driveway after she walked her grandchildren to the school bus. She suffered serious injuries including a broken arm, broken jaw, severed ears and bites up and down her leg. She said she was relieved by the charges. She had feared for her life in the savage attack.

The chief of staff for the King Country Prosecutor's Office said, "He [Cunningham] is being charged with knowing this dog is dangerous and failing to take appropriate actions to keep this dog from harming someone."

In her report for The Times, reporter Christine Clarridge wrote that, "While pit bulls make up only 4 percent of licensed dogs, they make up 22 percent of reported bites. "

This information was brought to you by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured because of a dog bite, you should contact a knowledgeable personal injury attorney. The Farber Law Group has more than 30 years experience throughout Western Washington in representing dog bite victims and their families. With our help, you may be able to recover damages including for pain and suffering.

Contact The Farber Law Group today for a free case evaluation.

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Posted In: Dog Bite Injuries , Serious Personal Injuries

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King 5.com reports that a re-year-old Shelton, Washington resident is in the hospital with dog bite injuries after being attacked by a pit bull.

The dog bite incident occurred at the intersection of East Cota Street and South Front Street in Shelton. When police arrived, a pit bull had attacked one person and was attempting to attack others. After using a taser without effect, a police officer shot and killed the dog.

Police are currently investigating the incident and the dog owner may be charged.

Dog bite injuries can be very serious including disfigurement, permanent nerve damage, severe pain and psychological damage. Most dog bite victims must undergo multiple surgeries.

In 2006, there were 26 fatal dog bites in the United States and nearly 2% of the population is bitten by a dog annually.

If you or a loved one has suffered a serious dog bite injury, you should contact a personal injury attorney who has experience representing dog bite victims. At The Farber Law Group, a Bellevue, Washington based personal injury firm, we have more than 30 years experience in representing dog bite victims. With our help, you may recover compensation for your medical costs, rehabilitation costs and for pain and suffering.

Contact The Farber Law Group today for a free case evaluation.

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Posted In: Dog Bite Injuries , Serious Personal Injuries , Wrongful Death

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The Seattle Times had an excellent article by reporter Christine Clarridge today about the devastation that dog bites can cause their victims. This is especially poignant after the severe mauling of Huong Le of Sea-Tac in September. Le, who is an extremely petite, 71-year-old woman, was viciously mauled by two out-of-control pit bull dogs. Now, five weeks later, Le is in constant pain, she may never regain the use of one arm and the bite marks on her legs are still extremely painful. Surgeons had to reattach her ears after they were torn off.

Clarridge's article also profiles Ona Deane-Gordly who is still suffering severe pain more than a year after she was attacked by a dog that bit her more than 70 times. In that attack, her skin and muscles were pulled off her bones, and her scalp peeled from her skull. She has permanent nerve damage.

This article shines the spotlight on the devastation an attack from a dog can cause. With 1,000 dog bites a year in Seattle and King County, this is a big problem. Some call for the banning of particular breeds of dogs like pit bulls. Others caution against this calling it a knee-jerk reaction and pointing out that most dog bites are from family pets.

Dog bite injuries include:

• Disfigurement, often of the face
  
• Permanent nerve damage
  
• Psychological damage including post-traumatic stress syndrome
  
• Severe pain
  
• Multiple surgeries -- most victims have to have from between 2-5 surgeries according to Henri Gaboriau, a Sammamish plastic surgeon

Some dog bite statistics:

• Nearly 2% of the U.S. population suffers a dog bite injury annually
• U.S. Postal carriers suffered 3,423 dog attacks in 2003 alone
• Dog bites surpasses playground accidents in the number of injuries to children
• Male dogs bite more frequently than female dogs
• Dogs that are not spayed or neutered are more than three times more likely to bite
• Dog bite injuries account for more than $300 million in medical cost
• There were 26 dog bite fatalities in the United States in 2006

Dog bite statistics from DogExpert.com

If you or a loved one has suffered a serious dog bite injury, you should contact a personal injury attorney who has experience representing dog bite victims. At The Farber Law Group, a Bellevue, Washington based personal injury firm, we have more than 30 years experience in representing dog bite victims. With our help, you may recover compensation for your medical costs, rehabilitation costs and for pain and suffering.

Contact The Farber Law Group today for a free case evaluation.

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Posted In: Dog Bite Injuries , Serious Personal Injuries , Wrongful Death

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The Seattle Post Intelligencer reports that a 6 year old Moses Lake boy, Alex Medina, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and is in serious condition after being attacked by a neighbor's pit bull last Friday.

Medina suffered serious injuries to his face, scalp and ears. According to the report, Medina was in his own backyard when the dog entered and attacked him. His mother and some relatives pulled the dog off of the boy.

Medina was first taken to Samaritan Hospital in Ephrata before he was moved to Harborview.

This attack came a week after Huong Le, 71 of SeaTac suffered severe injuries after a vicious attack by two pit bulls running loose in her neighborhood. In that horrific incident, police killed the two dogs and confiscated two others owned by the same man.

Le suffered serious injuries with dog bite wounds all over her body, her ears were torn off and had to be re-attached and she suffered a broken wrist or arm.

In August, we reported on a Federal Way girl attacked and bitten by a pit bull when she was dropping off a business card on its owner's front porch.

The owners of the dogs in these incidents should face criminal charges. People with serious dog bite injuries also deserve to be compensated for all of their current and future medical costs, cost of rehabilitation and for pain and suffering.

If you or a loved one has been mauled by a vicious dog, you need a personal injury attorney who will protect your rights and who specializes in serious dog bite injuries. The Farber Law Group has more than 30 years experience representing people for serious injuries due to the negligence of others and for wrongful death.

Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

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Posted In: Dog Bite Injuries , General Negligence , Serious Personal Injuries

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The Seattle Times reports that two pit bull dogs attacked a 71-year-old Sea-Tac woman in her own driveway after she walked her grandchildren to the school bus. The attack occurred at around 8:18 am this morning and King County Sherriff's responded to the call at South 105th Street and 30th Avenue south. When police officers arrived, one dog was continuing the attack on the woman. The police officer shot both dogs dead.

The woman was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and was in serious, but stable, condition with bite injuries from her legs to her head. The woman was described as a tiny woman who stands under 5' in height and weighs under 90 pounds. Police said there was no way an adult -- much less a tiny woman -- could have fought off two adult male pit bulls.

According to the Animal control, the dogs had no history of prior complaints. However, this was not the first time the dogs had escaped from their owner's house. In May, they were found wandering on International Boulevard and placed in a Kent Shelter where they were picked up three days later by their owners.

The owner of these two dogs also owns two other pit bulls and police confiscated them today.

Only three weeks ago, we wrote about a pit bull who mauled a 7-year-old girl in Federal Way after she dropped off a business card on the owner's property.

Failing to secure a pet that then injures a person may be a case of "general negligence." In civil law, an injured person can be compensated for their injuries, and for pain and suffering, if a person had negligent behavior which resulted in an injury. Failing to secure a pet may be seen as general negligence.

This information was brought to you by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. At The Farber Law Group, we have more than 30 years experience representing people with serious personal injuries including dog bites. With our help, you may recover compensation for bodily injuries and for pain and suffering.

Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

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Posted In: Dog Bite Injuries , General Negligence , Serious Personal Injuries

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Seattle's KOMONews.com reports that a little girl in Federal Way, Washington was attacked and bitten by a dog as she walked up to the dog owners' front door. The girls was attacked, pinned to the ground and was bitten several times. The 7-year-old girl was helping her father by dropping off business cards on resident's doors.

The dog, a pit bull terrier-chow mix, is owned by Chris Brown. Brown contends that the girl is at fault not his dog, "I would never send my daughter on someone's property. I would have walked up there myself. You never know what's going to happen." Brown says that the dog was raised to be a security dog.

Brown's house has no fence or gate, only a sign that reads "Warning: Security Dog". He does have an "invisible" or electronic fence installed.

The King Country Animal Control has quarantined the dog for 10 days. Federal Way law prohibits dangerous dogs within the city limits.

The girl's parents have hired a lawyer.

This appears to be a case of "general negligence." In civil law, an injured person may be compensated for their injuries if a reasonable person had negligent behavior which resulted in the injury. Failing to secure a pet that mauls a child may be seen as a case of general negligence. In this case, the judge may find that an electronic fence was not a reasonable precaution. A reasonable person might assume that anyone should be able to have access to a front door including a mail carrier, meter reader or parcel delivery service.

If you or a loved one has been injured by the negligence of another person, you should contact an attorney that specializes in personal injuries. At The Farber Law Group, we have more than 30 years experience representing people with severe personal injuries including dog bites. With our help, you may recover compensation for both your bodily and emotional injuries.

Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

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Posted In: Dog Bite Injuries , General Negligence , Serious Personal Injuries

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