Court Awards $7 Million to Mother Whose Child is Mauled by Dogs

A Texas jury awarded a mother of a 10 year old boy $7 million dollars after the boy was mauled and killed by an American bull mix and a pit bull. The young victim was commonly acknowledged to be a good kid and had just made the baseball All-Star team. The dogs belonged to the family of a friend of the boy and mauled him when he went to visit his friend. At the lengthy and complex trial involving 46 witnesses over a five day period, the jury learned that the dogs had been involved in at least three prior biting incidents including one of the boy who was fatally attacked. The family friends had instructed the victim not to tell his parents about the prior biting incident. During the heart wrenching trial, a doctor testified that the young victim fought for his life during the violent mauling for up to fifteen minutes before finally succumbing to his injuries.

This tragedy is not an isolated event, as it has been estimated that over 1,000 people per day are treated for dog bites in emergency rooms across the U.S. Many of those treated are children, over half of whom suffer facial injuries. According to insurance industry estimates, homeowner's policies pay out over $300 million per year for injuries related to dog bites and maulings. At Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, we have been representing those that suffer injuries as a result of a dog attack in Atlanta and throughout Georgia for over 39 years.

A dog owner may be liable for dog bite injuries in Georgia in one of two situations: (1) the owner has knowledge of the dog's violent tendencies or (2) the dog is not properly fenced or kept on a leash as required by a local ordinance. Knowledge of a dog's violent tendencies is what is sometimes referred to as the "one bite rule." However, this is a bit of a misnomer in Georgia as courts in this state have found an owner liable merely because a dog has acted as though it might attack others in the past, even if it has never bitten anyone. Most Georgia communities have ordinances, such as leash laws, that require a dog to be on a leash or fenced on the owner's property. A dog owner who fails to comply with these laws may be liable if their dog bites or mauls someone.

We know that victims of dog bites and dog attacks can suffer serious injuries and major medical expenses, including cosmetic surgery for facial injuries. It is not uncommon for there to be permanent scarring. If you or someone you love has been injured by a dog owner's failure to control their dog, Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, can help you seek compensation for your injuries. Call Montlick & Associates today to see how our Georgia dog bite attorneys can help. We are available to assist clients throughout all of Georgia, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Dalton, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. Call us today for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333), or visit us on the web at www.montlick.com. No matter where you are, we are just a phone call away and we will even come to you. Montlick & Associates: Caring, Dedication, Experience, Results!