Young Father Attacked by ‘Friendly’ Dog

On October 13, 2016, a 20-year-old father was attacked by a dog while collecting donations for the charity organization D.A.R.E. The victim reportedly received confirmation from the dog’s owner that the dog was “very friendly” prior to reaching down to pet it.

After a few sniffs, the dog latched onto the young father’s face and caused injuries that would require him to undergo extensive plastic surgery. Immediately after the bite, the dog’s owner fled the scene and has not since been located. The family of the victim is reaching out to the community in an attempt to find out who owns the dog and make sure that it doesn’t harm anyone else.

While the victim of this attack suffered severe injuries to his face, the primary concern is that the dog may attack a more vulnerable victim in the future.

Available Recourse

Unfortunately, the police are not investigating the attack as a criminal matter, even though the dog’s owner fled the scene. Instead, the police are suggesting that only civil remedies are available for the young man and his family. If they are able to be located, the dogs owner may be held civilly liable for the victim’s past and future medical bills for emergency and plastic surgery, pain and suffering and any lost income as a result of the bite.

Long Term Effects of the Dog Bite

It is being reported that the victim will suffer permanent scarring to his face and will require plastic surgery for the lacerations on his lip. The incident also takes away vital funds to be spent on his new family. While no one can predict the long-term effects on his psyche, it is common for dog bite victims to develop a dog phobia. Even though not every dog bite will be as severe as the one at hand, all dog bites are dangerous and have the possibility of impacting the victim’s life forever.

Assistance for Victims of Dog Bites

Considering the irreparable damage that dog bites can cause, it is important for victims to immediately reach out to an attorney. Attorneys experienced in dog bite cases will be able to follow the appropriate procedure to make sure that victims receive the financial support that they deserve.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a dog bite in California, the experienced attorneys at the Bedford Law Group in Los Angeles are ready to help. Please call (310) 507-7900 to schedule a consultation and create a strategic plan to recover the money that you are entitled.