South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Nicholas Quincy Abram Garvey, an 8-year-old boy, is at Broward General Medical Center recovering from his Deerfield Beach dog bite injuries he sustained when he was attacked by a pit bull-like canine this weekend. His mother says that he has approximately 30 inches of stitches on his body, including on his side, leg, ankle, and eyebrow.

Garvey was bitten multiple times. The Broward County dog attack took at around 6:40pm. While he and two friends were riding his bikes down a block. That is when the dog ran out of a yard and knocked him down.

Garvey’s two friends ran for help. Their grandmother, Sharon Haynes, ran out to rescue him. She used a chair to beat the dog away while she pulled Garvey into her home.

Florida Dog Bite Law
If you or someone you loved was injured in a Broward County dog bite incident, you should contact a Deerfield Beach personal injury law firm to find out about your legal options. Under Florida’s dog bite statute, there is strict liability imposed upon the owner of a dog that bites someone. It doesn’t matter whether or not the animal has a history of viciousness. That said if the person that was bitten contributed causing the South Florida dog attack, the owner’s liability can be lowered according to the percentage that the victim is determined to have played.

It is also important to note, however, that if a dog owner posted a “Bad Dog” warning on his/her property prior to the animal attacking on the grounds and the victim isn’t under age 6, then the owner likely will not be found liable. Under certain circumstances, the landlord of the property where the Florida dog attack happened can also be held liable even if he/she doesn’t own the dog but knew it was vicious and did not do enough to protect others.

Obviously, there are exceptions to every rule and each Florida dog bite case will have its unique situations and specific conditions. This is another reason why you should speak with an experienced Deerfield Beach injury law firm immediately.

Woman recalls fending off pit bull from Deerfield Beach boy, Sun-Sentinel, October 24, 2011

More Blog Posts:
Fatal Florida Dog Attack Leads to Wrongful Death Lawsuit, South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, October 15, 2010

St. Lucie County Personal Injury Lawsuit: Teacher Accused of Florida Sex Abuse, South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, October 4, 2011

$4.5M Palm Beach Birthing Malpractice Case Awarded to Family of Bryan Santana, South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, September 13, 2011

The family of Robert J. Klatch has filed a Florida wrongful death lawsuit against the owners of the pit bull that attacked him on February 11, 2009. Klatch, an 83-year-old Port St. Lucie man, died more than two months after the injury accident.

According to the St. Lucie County wrongful death complaint, Klatch was riding in a golf cart in the Cascades when a pit bull named Buddy, owned by Jane and Harvey Cutler, attacked his shih tzu, who was running next to to him. Buddy reportedly was not leashed and was “running loose” at the time.

Buddy then attacked Klatch, who had been thrown from the cart and was trying to save his dog. He died on April 21, 2009 from injuries he sustained during the Florida dog attack and fall accident.

Klatch’s family is suing the Cutlers, Castle Management, and Cascade at St. Lucie West Residents’ Association, and their respective insurers. The plaintiffs contend that the leash laws and dog weight limits in the subdivision’s covenants should have been upheld.

Dog Bite Injuries
Injuries from a dog attack can be very serious. Nerve damage, disfigurement, maul injuries, internal injuries, facial injuries, broken bones, and permanent scarring are some of the injuries that can result. In Florida, it doesn’t matter whether or not the dog has injured someone in the past or there was other evidence to indicate that the dog could prove dangerous to others. A dog owner can be held liable for injuries inflicted by his/her dog.

In the US, about 16 people are killed each year because they were bitten or mauled by a dog. Another 800,000 people a year require medical attention for their dog bite injuries.

Wrongful death suit filed over Port St. Lucie dog attack, TC Palm, October 11, 2010

Dog Bite: Fact Sheet, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Related Web Resource:
Florida Dog Bite and Dangerous Dog Laws, Animal Legal & Historical Center