Pit Bull Attack in Indio Leaves Two Boys Injured

Two boys, ages 5 and 11, were injured in a Riverside dog attack after a pit bull broke loose from a temporary restraint and bit them. According to a report in The Press-Enterprise, the dog attack occurred the night of August 9, 2014 when the boys were waiting for a friend outside his home on Avenue 43 near Burr Street in Indio. Officials say the 4-year-old pit bull was on a leash held by the friend’s mother. She tied the dog to something to restrain it, but the pit bull broke loose and attacked the boys.

The 5-year-old suffered a bite wound to the back of his head, while the 11-year-old sustained small puncture wounds in the hand and stomach. The dog’s owner surrendered the pit bull to Riverside County Animal Services for humane euthanasia. Officials say the dog in April had bitten the owner’s son in the head. Animal Services had placed the dog on a potentially dangerous dog restraining order after that incident, according to the authorities.

Attacks Involving Pit Bulls

According to the victims advocacy group DogsBite.org, 32 people were killed in dog attacks in the United States in 2013. Pit bulls contributed to 78 percent of these deaths in spite of making up about 6 percent of the total U.S. dog population. Together, pit bulls and rottweilers accounted for 81 percent of the total recorded dog bite-related deaths in 2013. Pit bills and rottweilers also accounted for 74 percent of all fatal dog attacks during the nine-year period from 2005 to 2013.

Dog Bite Liability Issues

Our legal group has represented a number of children who were severely injured in dog attacks. If your child has been injured in a dog bite incident, please remember that he or she has rights. 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.”

Injured victims are entitled to seek compensation for damages such as medical expenses, hospitalization costs, cosmetic surgery expenses, permanent injury, disfigurement, pain and suffering and emotional distress. Injured victims would also be well advised to contact an experienced Riverside personal injury lawyer who will fight for their rights and ensure that the negligent parties are held accountable.