Woman Hospitalized after Oakland Dog Attack

A woman was hospitalized with injuries after a dog attack in which she was mauled by a neighbor’s pit bull. According to a news report in The East Bay Times, the attack occurred the morning of September 19, 2016 in the 4800 block of Lowry Road in East Oakland Hills, not far from the Chabot Golf Course. Officials said the dog got out of its owner’s house through an open door and attacked the neighbor.

Roberta Beoris said the woman appeared to have been doing yard work when the dog pounced on her. Beoris’s son ran to help the neighbor who was apparently on her knees with the dog’s jaw locked around her arm. Despite his efforts, the dog did not let go of the woman’s arm. Beoris said several neighbors have complained about this aggressive, unneutered dog noting that the animal has charged at other animals and people in the past.

Dog Bite Statistics

According to DogsBite.org, each day, about 1,000 U.S. citizens require emergency care treatment for dog bite injury. Approximately 4.5 million dog bites occur each year in the United States. Nearly one out of five bites becomes infected. Dog bites and other dog-related injuries accounted for more than one-third of all homeowners insurance liability claim dollars paid out in 2015, costing more than $570 million.

In 2012, more than 27,000 people underwent reconstructive surgery as a result of being bitten by dogs. A 2010 study showed that the average cost of a dog bite-related hospital stay was $18,200, about 50 percent higher than the average injury-related hospital stay.

Fault and Liability

California has a strict liability statute when it comes to dog attacks. Under the law, dog owners are financially responsible for the injuries, damages and losses caused by their pets. In the Oakland case, it appears that the dog escaped from its owner’s home and attacked the neighbor who was on her property doing yard work.

In such cases injured victims can seek compensation from the attacking dog’s owner for damages including medical expenses, lost income, hospitalization, rehabilitation, scarring and disfigurement, pain and suffering and emotional distress. Injured victims would also be well advised to contact an experienced California dog bite lawyer who will remain on their side, fight for their rights and ensure that they are fairly and fully compensated for their losses.