New York police are going door-to-door searching for two pit bulls that viciously attacked a teenage boy and three women within just 30 minutes on February 13. The brutal dog bite accidents have added fuel to an already heated debate about the reputation of pit bulls as vicious “attack” dogs, and whether the animals should …
New York police are going door-to-door searching for two pit bulls that viciously attacked a teenage boy and three women within just 30 minutes on February 13. The brutal dog bite accidents have added fuel to an already heated debate about the reputation of pit bulls as vicious “attack” dogs, and whether the animals should be banned in some cities or states. If you have suffered injuries in a dog bite accident in Oklahoma, or if you lost a loved one in a vicious dog attack, contact our knowledgeable attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center to discuss your possible compensation options. You may have grounds to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit against the dog owner, in order to pursue financial compensation for your losses.
Liability for Dog Bite Injuries
“One literally went for my leg and [the] other was trying to jump on top of me, but I was hitting them, and I was punching them,” said 24-year-old Janelle Manning, one of the victims injured in the dog attacks in New York. “They both weren’t letting go, once they got a hold of my leg.” The leg injuries Manning sustained in the dog attack are serious enough to make it difficult for the young woman to even walk up and down stairs. “These dogs were, like, trained to kill; trained to hurt and viciously attack people,” she said. The stigma associated with pit bulls has led to legal action in some states, where pit bulls are considered “inherently dangerous,” and all pit bull owners in these states are liable for any injuries their dogs cause.
Research Involving Attacks From Pit Bulls
According to a five-year review of dog-bite injuries from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 2009, nearly 51% of all dog attacks involved pit bulls, while almost 9% were from Rottweilers and 6% were from mixes of those breeds. This means that an alarming two-thirds of the hospital’s dog bite injuries involved just two breeds – pit bulls and Rottweilers. Other studies have confirmed these statistics, and a 2011 study from the Annals of Surgery found that “attacks by pit bulls are associated with higher morbidity rates, higher hospital charges and a higher risk of death than are attacks by other breeds of dogs.” The study also notes that “strict regulation of pit bulls may substantially reduce the U.S. mortality rates related to dog bites.”
Contact Our Experienced Attorneys Today
Although pit bulls consistently rank at the top of the list for attacks, there are a number of other dog breeds that may be considered dangerous and likely to cause injury, including Rottweilers, German shepherds, huskies, wolf hybrids, malamutes, doberman pinschers, chow-chows, Saint Bernards and Great Danes. If you or a loved one has been injured in a dog bite accident in Oklahoma City, or elsewhere in Oklahoma, consult your reputable lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center for legal help. With our skilled attorneys on your side, you can hold the dog owner liable for your injuries and medical bills, and protect yourself and your family from further harm.