Woman attacked by friend’s dog, wins premises liability lawsuit

Although many people in Oneida may believe they could never file a lawsuit against a friend, when a friend’s negligence causes serious injuries, they may change their minds. Of course no one wants to ruin a friendship, but when someone is facing numerous medical bills, missed work and a seriously upturned life, an individual may need to make a difficult choice. When injured in a friend’s home, consulting a premises liability lawyer first could help to determine whether a lawsuit is even possible.

Sadly, when it does come to a lawsuit, some friendships will be destroyed, much like one out-of-state woman’s following a dog attack. Nearly two years ago, she was visiting friends when their dog ran into the room and bit her leg. The dog caused serious damage and would not let go of the woman’s thigh for several minutes.

Since the attack, the woman has undergone numerous surgeries, including some to remove muscle that had been infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. She can no longer work as a nursing assistant, as she cannot perform the heavy lifting required of her position. So, on top of the numerous medical bills, she is having difficulty earning the money to pay them.

Fortunately, the woman has won her premises liability lawsuit in court. Her former friends chose not to defend and she was awarded $250,000. The problem is, however, that they have also left the state and she may not be able to collect the damages. Though there are multiple ways to collect damages, the first thing that is necessary is a court-ordered award. Now it is up to her attorney to try and find some way to collect from her former friends.

Source: Standard-Examiner, “Ogden woman wins $250K for dog bite damages,” Andreas Rivera, April 6, 2014