A toddler suffered fatal injuries in a San Francisco area California dog bite incident. According to a KSEE news report, the fatal dog attack happened on October 23, 2009 in a Delhi home when a 1-year-old child being watched by a babysitter was suddenly attacked by the sitter's pit bull. The 65-pound dog then grabbed the child by the throat and dragged him around the yard.
The babysitter apparently tried to get the dog to let the child go by stabbing it several times with a fork. Finally, she called 911 and the child was soon rushed to a local hospital. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. The babysitter is not facing charges yet pending an investigation.
I offer my deepest sympathies to the family of this child, especially his grieving parents. This family will certainly be in my prayers.
Dog Bite Statistics
According to Dogsbite.org, an advocacy group for dog bite victims, in 2005, out of 28 U.S. fatal dog attacks in 2005, the most fatalities were in California (four incidents), followed by the states of Georgia, Michigan, Texas and Virginia, with three incidents each. Of the 28 fatalities, pit bull type dogs were responsible for 57 percent. It is estimated that pit bulls account for about 2 to 9 percent of the American dog population. Here is another telling statistic: Pit bulls and rottweilers together account for 75 percent of all fatal dog attacks in the United States. The report also finds that 46 percent of the attacks happened to children 11 years and under and 46 percent happened to adults 21 years and older.
California Dog Bite Victims Have Rights
Based on this news report, the babysitter could be held liable for the child's fatal injuries because she was caring for the child at the time and more importantly, because it was her dog that fatally injured the child. California's strict liability statute (California’s Civil Code Section 3342) states: "The owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness."
The parents of this child would be well-advised to consult with an experienced
personal injury attorney in San Francisco, who has successfully pursued negligent dog owners on behalf of injured victims and their families.
We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.
