A seven year-old Marietta girl was released from Egleston Children’s hospital in Atlanta after being treated for over a week for injuries she suffered after being attacked by a vicious pit bull dog. In a common scenario involving dog attacks in Georgia, the young girl was walking alone when the dog snuck up on and attacked the child. The young victim suffered a severe leg injury and was fortunate to not have suffered other injuries that are common in these types of attacks such as bites and wounds to the face, lips, arms, cheeks and head.
As was the case here, most dog bites occur in children, with the highest number seen in boys between the ages of five and nine years old. The head and neck are the most common site of bites in children up to age 10 years, most likely because a child’s head is close to the level of a large dog’s mouth. The arms and legs, particularly the right hand, are the most frequent site of injury for older children and adults. In addition to wounds on the face lips, arms, cheeks and head, a dog bite can lead to a range of other injuries, including scratches, deep open cuts, nerve injuries, crush injuries, and tearing away of a body part. Even though all of the injuries are significant, most often the victim suffers from emotional scarring that is, many times, unbearable. If anyone has been attacked by a larger pit bull, you know how frightening the actual attack is. Vicious dogs usually do not run to attack you while barking. They usually sneak up silently and viciously attack without notice or provocation. This causes fear and confusion while the victim is being attacked. It also leads, in many cases, to post-traumatic stress disorder and other emotional damages stemming from the attack. Finally, many dog bite victims have a life-long fear of dogs after the attack and must undergo many years of psychological counseling in order to deal with this terrible condition.
The owner of the pit bull involved in the attack discussed above was cited under the Cobb County Ordinances for maintaining a vicious animal and not properly controlling the animal. Under the current laws, the owner is legally responsible for all injuries caused by the attack if she is found guilty of the animal control charges. While many Georgia injury lawyers are still under the impression that this type of attack is subject to the “one bite” rule (i.e., the dog owner is not liable unless she knew based on a prior attack that the dog is vicious or had a propensity to attack), this is not the current state of the law in most parts of Georgia.
Attorney Robert J. Fleming has been handling wrongful death cases, automobile accident cases, personal injury cases, dental malpractice and dog bite attack lawsuits for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 20 years in and around Atlanta, Georgia and its surrounding areas, including Alpharetta, Austell, Avondale Estates, Chamblee, College Park, Conyers, Duluth, Decatur, Doraville, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Jonesboro, Lawrenceville, Norcross, Peachtree City, Riverdale, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Stone Mountain, and Smyrna. If you have been seriously injured and would like quality legal representation, contact Robert J. Fleming directly on (404) 525-5150 or contact us online.
.