Two pit bulls attacked a Riverside woman on Monday.
The dog attack occurred at about 10:50 a.m. The victim, whose name has not yet been released, was walking a small dog on a sidewalk in the 4000 block of 6th St. in downtown Riverside.
According to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, the two pit bulls, both males, leaped a fence or crawled underneath a fence and attacked the woman. A relative of the owner of the dogs came out of the property and pulled the dogs off of the woman.
The victim, who was between 40 and 50 years old, suffered bite marks on the right side of her face and a large laceration on her right arm. She was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. The victim's dog survived the attack.
A witness reported seeing the dogs lock onto the woman's face.
The pit bulls were impounded by Animal Services. The dogs' owner later authorized euthanasia. The pit bulls did not have a license, as required by California law.
Under California law, the owner of a dog is strictly liable for injuries resulting from their dog. If the dog owner has homeowner's or renter's insurance, the insurance company will pay for the damage done by the dog, unless the insurance policy has an exclusion for pit bulls. Some insurance carriers exclude pit bulls because of their propensity for aggressive behavior.
Riverside County is working on a proposed ordinance which would require that all pit bulls and pit bull miexes to be sterilized.
Pit bulls are known for their "hold and shake" bite style. Pit bulls have enormous jaw stength. They lock onto their victims and violently shake them, refusing to let go.
At McGee, Lerer & Associates, a personal injury law firm, we have handled many cases involving dog bites, including pit bull attacks. We know that the wounds resulting from a pit bull attack can be severe and lifelong reminders of the attack.
Often, the victim of a dog bite will require plastic surgery. Sometimes the victim will require counseling to get over the emotional trauma caused by the attack. Our lawyers can arrange for both plastic surgery and counseling on a "lien" basis, which means that the doctor agrees to wait to be paid until the case settles.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a pit bull attack, an attorney at McGee, Lerer & Associates is available for a free consultation 24/7. We have five office locations to serve our clients: Long Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica and Los Angeles.
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For a free copy of a dog bite report, contact our office.