California Girl Gets Her Smile Back after Brutal Dog Attack
California Girl Gets Her Smile Back after Brutal Dog Attack
Two-year-old Mariah Solomon now has her smile back, six months after a family dog brutally attacked her, tearing away parts of her face. According to an ABC news report, the Coachella girl was airlifted to Loma Linda University Children’s hospital after a dog attack that left her severely disfigured. Doctors at Loma Linda performed an intense, delicate surgery to put her face back together, a procedure doctors say is unprecedented considering the girl’s age.
Heroic Doctors Help Girl Recover
Doctors worked to reattach Mariah’s delicate facial arteries. Their goal was to restore blood flow to her face. The successful surgery took about five hours. In the pediatric intensive care unit, nurses administered leeches to help with the blood flow. Three weeks later Mariah was sent home for recovery. Now, the girl is like any other 2-year-old, her mother says, “laughing, screaming and playing” with other kids.
The attorneys the personal injury law firm of Bisnar Chase routinely represent dog bite victims of all ages. We view these two doctors who performed Mariah’s complex surgery as heroes. They used every orthodox and unorthodox method and thought outside the box to make this little girl’s recovery possible.
The Trauma of a Dog Attack
This girl’s story represents the trauma a number of dog bite victims go through. Children in particular suffer from significant injuries that could permanently scar or disfigure them. According to Dogbites.org, in 2015, 41 percent of the dog bite fatality victims were children 9 years old or younger. Dog attacks not only cause physical trauma, but also significant emotional and psychological issues for victims and their families.
When such dog attacks occur, the owners of the dog can be held liable for the injuries and damages their pets cause, under California’s strict liability statute for dog bites. Injured victims can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, cause of cosmetic surgeries, pain and suffering and emotional distress.
Injured victims in such cases would be well advised to contact an experienced California dog bite lawyer who will fight for their rights and help them obtain compensation that will pay for their medical expenses and rehabilitative treatments.
