Dog bite: To sue or not to sue.

[Three Hole Puncher]

My wife was out jogging yesterday... some stupid yellow lab ran out in the road and bit her arm.

She came home and told me... I went back to the neighborhood, talked to some of people in the neighborhood who had witnessed the bite, and they directed me to the house where the dumb mutt lived. They also told me that they had talked to the owner of the dog, and they had told her what happened.

I had a baseball bat in my hand... because momma didn't raise no fools, and I'm not going looking for a vicious dog with my dick in my hand... so I walked up and rang the doorbell. I heard a dog barking inside, so I turned around and walked back to my car and waited. The owner broad comes out, and as soon as she closed the door behind her, I threw the bat back in the car, and walked over to talk to her.

She started off trying to deny the entire thing, "I had no idea"... which pissed me off... I told her that I had just talked to her neighbors, and I knew that they had told her what went down, so just cut the shit. I asked for her name, and proof that her stupid mutt had all of it's shots.

"It's the family dog. It's a very sweet dog. It wouldn't hurt anyone. Can an apology be enough?" :icon_roll

There were kids running around on the street, and I told her that the responsible thing to do would probably be for her to inform her neighbors that her dog was a biter, so they could protect their children...

"Oh, Daisy would never bite a child." :icon_roll X 2

So... I get home and my wife calls the Animal Control guy and reports the bite. The Animal Control guy(A Sheriff) investigates, and then he comes over to my house. Get this...

"Her husband just got home, and he says you threatened his wife with a baseball bat, and he says he wants to press charges."

So... do I sue this motherfucker? Normally, I hate the whole lawyers/litigation thing, but I'm well within my rights to sue, and this guy is being an utter tool and his wife is a clueless jackass who tried to bullshit me.

Should I get a lawyer and habeas the living shit out of their corpses?

Edited to add...

Oh... my wife is a surgeon, and the infection control rules of her hospital are such that she can't do surgery for three weeks due to the puncture wounds on her arm... risk of infection. The lost revenue(for her and the hospital corp. combined) will probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of $40 grand.

[TheTruth]

If the dog regularly runs around loose off a leash then I say sue. It it's a case where the dog snuck out and got loose I'd say let it go.

[Sprite]

Most people sue for bullshit reasons, but in this incident I think you have a legit case. There's no reason for a dog to randomly bite someone jogging down the street unless there's something behaviorally wrong with it, and moreover, the owners have a responsibility to keep the dog from running out into the street. Also, I'm sure the fact that you put the bat back in the car once you knew there was no threat of the dog also attacking you, that part of it will be fine. As long as you weren't physically confrentational and didn't verbally threaten the lady, you were well within your rights to inquire about the dog.

"can an apology be enough?"....no, fuck you ya cunt. hope you have good home owners insurance.


If the dog regularly runs around loose off a leash then I say sue. It it's a case where the dog snuck out and got loose I'd say let it go.

Doesn't matter - it's the owner's responsibility to make sure a dog cannot simply "sneak out", especially since she was jogging in the street, not through the front yard of the house. Dunno if you have kids, but I bet if it was your little kid walking down the street who got bit you wouldn't care how the dog got out.

[ih8Uboo-boo]

8DmEEUF0uKY

If they press charges I would sue without thinking twice. Depending on their version, you might take a hit on the bat thing which I would imagine is no more than a misdemeanor.

Oh and get the names of the people that witnessed the bite to CYA

[Three Hole Puncher]

If the dog regularly runs around loose off a leash then I say sue. It it's a case where the dog snuck out and got loose I'd say let it go.

Well... the broad said they had an invisible fence, "...but it broke." So I'm guessing the dog's restraint wasn't a big issue with these folks.

[agentjmw]

My little girl got bit. First things first. Call your county health department. Fill out a report on a vicious dog/ attack. Fill out a police report. If its like our health department, they can tell you if the dog has bitten anyone before (potential for punitive damages) . Also our health department quarantined that conglomerated, mulatto, mongrel class of dog. What truth said, if its a fluke, fuck it. If its a dog that needs two be put down , call Rabinowitz, Rabinowitz, and Rabinowitz and sue the shit out of them. Thats what home owners policy is for.

[TheTruth]

Well... the broad said they had an invisible fence, "...but it broke." So I'm guessing the dog's restraint wasn't a big issue with these folks.

Fuck her then sue, if she knew the invisible fence was broken and she still let it run loose she is an irresponsible cunt

[gleet]

She knew the fence was broke? What is she, negligent?

[Three Hole Puncher]

8DmEEUF0uKY

If they press charges I would sue without thinking twice. Depending on their version, you might take a hit on the bat thing which I would imagine is no more than a misdemeanor.

Oh and get the names of the people that witnessed the bite to CYA The Sheriff told me that he talked to the neighbors(all of their names are in the report) who saw the whole thing... the bite, and my visit to the house, and none of them said they ever even saw me holding a bat. I explained to him that I had a bat for defense against the dog, and I put it in my car as soon as the woman stepped out of her house. The Sheriff pretty much laughed off the thought of pressing charges against me, so I'm not EVEN worried about that. Just the fact that they guy tried to pull that shit is what's pissing me off.

His stupid dog bites my wife, and he's going to press charges against me?

[ChrisC_EIT]

I had a baseball bat in my hand... because momma didn't raise no fools, and I'm not going looking for a vicious dog with my dick in my hand... so I walked up and rang the doorbell. I heard a dog barking inside, so I turned around and walked back to my car and waited. The owner broad comes out, and as soon as she closed the door behind her, I threw the bat back in the car, and walked over to talk to her.

First off, in terms of this woman's husband getting involved and looking to press charges regarding you threatening his wife - if the story you tell above is true, then the husband has nothing. In fact, his involvement is silly - since he wasn't there to witness either the dog bite or your conversation with his wife. If the local police don't see it that way, then go a little higher up their chain of command. I don't understand how they're looking at anything "his way" since he wasn't any kind of witness to anything that occurred.

Your best bet is to go over one more time and talk to them civilly regarding the entire matter. I would leave the baseball bat at home this time. If you are not satisfied with the results, sue the shit out of them.

Again, "if your story above is truth" then I don't see how you don't win, both in terms of immediate payment for hospital bills (injury) and in terms of lost wages.

His stupid dog bites my wife, and he's going to press charges against me?

My advice is to get over it already. So what if he's an idiot. The wheels of justice may roll a little slower in real life than they do on tv, but it sounds overall like it's progressing in your favor.

[TheTruth]

The Sheriff told me that he talked to the neighbors(all of their names are in the report) who saw the whole thing... the bite, and my visit to the house, and none of them said they ever even saw me holding a bat. I explained to him that I had a bat for defense against the dog, and I put it in my car as soon as the woman stepped out of her house. The Sheriff pretty much laughed off the thought of pressing charges against me, so I'm not EVEN worried about that. Just the fact that they guy tried to pull that shit is what's pissing me off.

His stupid dog bites my wife, and he's going to press charges against me?

When my dog got attacked by a neighbors dog, untill he got rid of it when I would walk her I brought a bat with me

[Three Hole Puncher]

My little girl got bit. First things first. Call your county health department. Fill out a report on a vicious dog/ attack. Fill out a police report. If its like our health department, they can tell you if the dog has bitten anyone before (potential for punitive damages) . Also our health department quarantined that conglomerated, mulatto, mongrel class of dog. What truth said, if its a fluke, fuck it. If its a dog that needs two be put down , call Rabinowitz, Rabinowitz, and Rabinowitz and sue the shit out of them. Thats what home owners policy is for.

Yep... done and done. Daisy got quarantined for 10 days... at a cost of $15/day to the owners.

I was thinking of calling the law offices of Dewey, Cheatem & Howe.

[ih8Uboo-boo]

Just the fact that they guy tried to pull that shit is what's pissing me off.


then fuck'em...

SUE THE PANTS OFF THEM...

[agentjmw]

Threatened to get you charged? Fuck em. Sue the shit out of them. I would also let the hospital know, they can also file a claim. Hire a lawyer .

[Haeder]

I was thinking of calling the law offices of Dewey, Cheatem & Howe.

I was on your side until you used that line.......

Call their house, talk to the guy, get him to tell you what sort of crock of shit story his wife told, call her a cunt then flush the toilet and hang up.

[d0uche_n0zzle]

The number one pay out for home owners insurance is due to dog bites/attacks. Your wife is a highly paid professional, of course you should sue, IMO.

However, speak with a personal injury lawyer in your area and see what he has to say.

[FMDoug]

If the damages are really 40k, I say take this to a lawyer.

Depending on the facts, etc, there is probably a negligence claim available to you. But it's not worth the effort of court costs, lawyer costs, discovery costs, unless you will make that and more back in damages.

[Sinn Fein]

I'd sue just to require them to get a conventional fence. Invisible fences are bullshit.

[sniper]

"Her husband just got home, and he says you threatened his wife with a baseball bat, and he says he wants to press charges."

This is the reason I'd sue, I'd sue on general principal because of that claim alone, and be sure to let them know if she/they hadn't lied and acted civilly in the first place it would have been done with then.

[Edible Napalm]

I'd sue just to require them to get a conventional fence. Invisible fences are bullshit.

x2.

[bucket-of-aids]

The lost revenue(for her and the hospital corp. combined) will probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of $40 grand.Of course. I would sue for whatever income she lost because of the bite. If you can prove that it was said owner's dog that bit her and she lost income because of the bite, that seems pretty cut and dry. Doesn't it?

If it's around $7500 or less you could do it in small claims court without a lawyer.

[Nortonsmeatytit]

File suit, idiots like this need to be tought a fucking lesson.

If she has some type of insurance that covers dog bites the insurance company will settle, it will never go to court, unless you include loss of wages that would drive the settlement offer upwards, otherwise expect the insurance company to offer you around a $15k settlement initially

[d0uche_n0zzle]

Always reject the first offer and *only* settle for the policy limits...;)

[notmikeh]

after reading everything I say sue for every penny you can get out of these doushe bags. if they were civil about the whole thing I might have thought about saying "oh well" but they continue to fuck with you, so fuck them.

after you sue and win keep jogging by their house and wave. also have your wife carry a taser so this petty shit don't happen again.

[wes mantooth]

This is the reason I'd sue, I'd sue on general principal because of that claim alone, and be sure to let them know if she/they hadn't lied and acted civilly in the first place it would have been done with then.


Yep, it's time to be a prick. Your wife is the wronged party and this asshole wants to press charges against you? Fuck him. I'd pay double what I collect from him if I had to. Just fuck his day up.

[Hudson]

I'd also make sure that the dog was up on all it's shots..rabies, Distemper, etc..also I would sue them.

[JimsInfectedEye]

I'd also make sure that the dog was up on all it's shots..rabies, Distemper, etc..also I would sue them.

I was gonna say the same thing. First things first, make sure the dog is up on all his shots.

If she was genuinely apologetic, and the dog was up to date with all his stuff including license and such...if she offered to pay for the wife's doc visit or give you a handjob or something, I can see letting it go. Face it, dogs can get out accidently and want to give a playful nip.

But since she was such a hole, I'd take her to small claims at least. From what I understand, homeowners insurance will pay you off, but then they will demand the owner to get rid of the dog.

Edit: You married a surgeon? Lucky motherfucker.

[DoucheMeister]

At least file a suit, even if you drop it later.

Tell her it's a cunt tax.

[Myhairygrundle]

First...I am an insurance adjuster and deal with this kind of thing, but usually with severe injury, disfigurement, etc. The insurance company will want you to prove your damages.



If there are no big medical bills, injury, etc, you are not likely going to cash in on this one. PM me if you have any questions or need some help.

[DonTheTrucker]

tl;dr

BUT....

The bottom line for me when people ask if they should sue is this: did you suffer any actual monetary losses? If so, go for it. If not, get on with your life.

[Ballbuster1]

I had this happen to me when I was a kid. I was delivering papers
and the dog bolted out the front door when the woman came to
the door. The bite left me in the hospital with 10 stainless steel
sutures in my leg because the wound was too wide for regular
stiches.

It was all handled thru insurance companies and they reimbursed
us in cash that I got to keep so we never sued. That was 30 years
ago though. If I read the story correctly, they should have had
better control of the dog and cared a bit more. I'd vote for filing.

[Three Hole Puncher]

First...I am an insurance adjuster and deal with this kind of thing, but usually with severe injury, disfigurement, etc. The insurance company will want you to prove your damages.

1. Did your wife have to go to the doctor?

If there are no medical bills, injury, etc, you are not likely going to cash in on this one. PM me if you have any questions or need some help.

Of course... what kind of idiot would get bit by a dog and NOT go to a doctor?

Her medical bills and meds WILL be paid for... that's a given. The dog owner's insurance company has already been notified.

A further lawsuit would concern damages... lost wages, pain and suffering, etc...

It's a crap shoot in here in Indiana... you might get something, you might not.

Back in New York... where the signs read: Forget Dog, Beware of Lawyer!... it's just about a guaranteed payday. My Father-In-Law got TEN GRAND for a dog bite! And he's retired! So it wasn't even a matter of lost wages. New York judges just LOVE to hand out big cash awards... like they're fucking Ed McMahon.

Actually... I'm kinda leaning towards not even bothering. The lost wages thing would be pretty hard to prove... being that my wife can still see patients in her office. Also... I haaaaate lawyers. Just the thought of having to deal with them again makes me physically ill.

I'm not looking for a payday... I just hate to see douches go unpunished for their douchiness. I'll probably just let it drop. Perseverance has never been my bag, and the whole lawsuit thing smacks of effort... and that's not the way I roll anymore.

Thanks for your offer of assistance. If by chance I work up some motivation in this matter, I may just take you up on it.

[Three Hole Puncher]

I had this happen to me when I was a kid. I was delivering papers
and the dog bolted out the front door when the woman came to
the door. The bite left me in the hospital with 10 stainless steel
sutures in my leg because the wound was too wide for regular
stiches.

It was all handled thru insurance companies and they reimbursed
us in cash that I got to keep so we never sued. That was 30 years
ago though. If I read the story correctly, they should have had
better control of the dog and cared a bit more. I'd vote for filing.

Did you say to the dog's owner...

"I was just thinking we could take care of it right here, in Brainerd."

[MAV]

My wife was out jogging yesterday... some stupid yellow lab ran out in the road and bit her arm.

She came home and told me... I went back to the neighborhood, talked to some of people in the neighborhood who had witnessed the bite, and they directed me to the house where the dumb mutt lived. They also told me that they had talked to the owner of the dog, and they had told her what happened.

I had a baseball bat in my hand... because momma didn't raise no fools, and I'm not going looking for a vicious dog with my dick in my hand... so I walked up and rang the doorbell. I heard a dog barking inside, so I turned around and walked back to my car and waited. The owner broad comes out, and as soon as she closed the door behind her, I threw the bat back in the car, and walked over to talk to her.

She started off trying to deny the entire thing, "I had no idea"... which pissed me off... I told her that I had just talked to her neighbors, and I knew that they had told her what went down, so just cut the shit. I asked for her name, and proof that her stupid mutt had all of it's shots.

"It's the family dog. It's a very sweet dog. It wouldn't hurt anyone. Can an apology be enough?" :icon_roll

There were kids running around on the street, and I told her that the responsible thing to do would probably be for her to inform her neighbors that her dog was a biter, so they could protect their children...

"Oh, Daisy would never bite a child." :icon_roll X 2

So... I get home and my wife calls the Animal Control guy and reports the bite. The Animal Control guy(A Sheriff) investigates, and then he comes over to my house. Get this...

"Her husband just got home, and he says you threatened his wife with a baseball bat, and he says he wants to press charges."

So... do I sue this motherfucker? Normally, I hate the whole lawyers/litigation thing, but I'm well within my rights to sue, and this guy is being an utter tool and his wife is a clueless jackass who tried to bullshit me.

Should I get a lawyer and habeas the living shit out of their corpses?

Edited to add...

Oh... my wife is a surgeon, and the infection control rules of her hospital are such that she can't do surgery for three weeks due to the puncture wounds on her arm... risk of infection. The lost revenue(for her and the hospital corp. combined) will probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of $40 grand.

honestly, you fucked up when you pulled out the bat. yes i understand that you had it to protect yourself. however, you should have had it in the car hidden, but within easy reach.

but at the same time, i dont know how bad the wounds were, and not knowing that i would say just have them pay all your bills incurred with said dog bite and let it be.

yes shit happens and so do accidents. but, if they cant cover the medical bills then yes, you most certainly have no choice but to sue.

this is merely my take on the situation. everyone is so sue happy over bullshit, if they can cover the bills let it be.

http://acceptancewithjoy.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/twocents.gif

[gleet]

Perhaps you could post pictures of your wife? You know, so we could see the extent of the injuries.

[d0uche_n0zzle]

Perhaps you could post pictures of your wife? You know, so we could see the extent of the injuries.

Full frontal and some Hustler vagina spreads would be proper. :action-sm

[gleet]

You ever go to the doctor with a broke leg? He strips you nude and checks everywhere to make sure he doesn't miss any other injuries. I would expect no less from Wackbag.

[HummerTuesdays]

I vote "sue" even after reading that your wife can still work. Can she document all the surgeries she has to pass off to someone else because she's not allowed? I hate frivolous lawsuits, but lost wages is something that absolutely should be recovered.

[kidconnor]

This guy is probably on some OTHER message board typing

"So I get home from work and the wife tells me that our Yellow lab(daisy) bit some lady. Now, he's never done this before, never even a bark at strangers unless they come close to the house (she's very protective). My wife wasn't even aware of it until the neighbors told her. So I go talk to the neighbors and they tell me some guy, who later turns out to be the lady's husband, came to my door with a bat. By the time my wife answered the door the bat was gone. Now my wife is 5-2, this guy was 6-0, (she didn't know about the bat till later) She starts off very apologetic and he starts asking for my wifes name and "PROOF" of my dogs shots telling her to "CUT THE SHIT". I give my wife credit because she didn't back down to him, and tells him he has never done this before. Then he starts going on about kids and my dog is a biter. Well he must have realized he wasn't getting shit because he leaves. My wife talks to the neighbors and was quite shaken when she found out about the bat. She was almost in tears as she was telling me this. I was livid. Then I get a knock at the door and really lost it. SOme animal sherrif guy is knocking on my door telling me my dog has to be put on some public list as a biter or something. So I tell him that the lady who got bit didn't even come to my door. If she was that hurt I am sure she would have. or at least call for an ambulance. Then I tell him that the husband, who never even saw what happened, came to my door with a bat. Now I don't know if he was looking to hit my dog, or me, or my wife, but that I wanted to press charges too. I'll be damned if I'm gonna let some dude try to shake me down for money. For all I know this lady might have been bitten by her own dog and saw mine outside and decided she needed a payday. Why else would she leave? Just wish he would have been outside with the bat when I came home. I am so mad, I don't know wether to go out and look for this guy or just sit back and wait for some legal papers to come.. WHat would you do (I smell a poll...MODS?)"::action-sm


Seriously though, I don't believe in suing for every little thing either so I would be in the same boat you are. A simple claim with their insurance should take care of the medical stuff, BUT if lost wages would be a sizeable amount, then you might want to consider it. Good luck

[stillbornstew]

owned quite a few dogs, and took raising them very seriously, somehow i doubt those tools did. any dog that runs the risk of attacking a passerby for invading what it believes is it's "territory" should be properly fenced in. they failed to do that, your wife is injured and cannot work, it's definitely not something you should just let go. they should cover your medical expanses, and insure that the dog NOT get out again.

how you go about that is up to you.


good luck to you sir (no typical WB sarcasm).

[CrazyMrPoopSex]

your wife makes 13,000 a week and you have 3200 posts on wackbag. you should be shot

[THE FEZ MAN]

come to my house with a base ball bat, leave with a hole in your head

[Three Hole Puncher]

your wife makes 13,000 a week and you have 3200 posts on wackbag. you should be shot

QFT.

[Jef Leppard]

you should consider yourself lucky she didnt sick the dog on you for comin to the door with a baseball bat, which im sure she would get away with.

thats what i would do.

[Myhairygrundle]

If your wife has any short term disability insurance through her job (AFLAC, or whatever) that should cover her for any lost wages. If she legitimately cannot perform her job duties due to a dog bite...

[Snotbag]

I'm confused...your wife is a surgeon but does she get paid by the hour? I'm not understanding how she could lose wages but if there is no permanent damage, I'd let it go. The husband probably saw you with the bat and said those things in case you did sue.

[TheTruth]

I'm confused...your wife is a surgeon but does she get paid by the hour? I'm not understanding how she could lose wages but if there is no permanent damage, I'd let it go. The husband probably saw you with the bat and said those things in case you did sue.

Fuck letting it go. Even if there isn't permanent physical damage I'm sure there is physiological damage. Ever since my dog was attacked last summer when I have to walk her at night I'm very paranoid and even walking her during the day if other dogs are loose I get panicky and nervous.

Like I said earlier if the dog got loose on accident that is one thing, but the woman let the dog run loose knowing that the electric fence didn't work.

[Chino Kapone]

I think you were justified. I would avoid suing if at all possible but get your bills paid for.

I think forcing them to build a fence for their dog would be the best thing overal... a good fence can cost a few thousand really quick

[WetBox]

sue the bitch and her pussy of a husband.

[Three Hole Puncher]

This is why I love Wackbag... the advice ranges from "Kiss and make up, and apologize to them for the baseball bat."... to... "Ass:rap: the dog, then gut stomp the owner's and sue their corpses."

:clap:

My wife can't do any surgery for the next two weeks, but she's got plenty of office work... so it's really not a loss of income situation. We probably coulda scammed like it was, but meh... I'm already losing interest. Her medical expenses will be covered, and we'll probably just let it drop there.

Apathy is the best policy.

That's my motto.

[Edible Napalm]

I say take this to Judge Judy, she loves this kind of shit.

[Three Hole Puncher]

I say take this to Judge Judy, she loves this kind of shit.
Oh... that'd be sweet.

I'd be like: "The lady tried to play it off like it wasn't even her dog that b..."

Judge Judy would cut me off and scream at me: "It's my turn to talk! I talk, you listen! I'm the boss, apple sauce!"

Judge Judy rules!

Hey... she rules... get it? See what I did there? I made a funny.

[sobi]

I would say to go through the proper channels to have it on record and set yourself up to be in a position to take action if needed. That being said, do it all civilly. Don't be a lawsuit happy shithead. Maybe I'm biased, but bottom line is that a dog doesn't have to be vicious to bite someone. They are just like people. I am the easiest going guy there is, but sometimes, a person will just rub me the wrong way for no reason. Dogs are just like that. There's no rule that says they must be incredibly sweet animals to everyone and not just be rubbed the wrong way by a person. My dog flips out when he sees people... prancing around, crying, ears go back... he just wants to interact with people. There are certain times though that his hair goes up and barks as if he wants to rip their throat out.

Like I said. File what needs to be done to prepare for a lawsuit, but don't file. Try civility and diplomacy. Try to get them to pay on their own for any larger expenses incurred. If they decide to be complete cunts, then sue for as much as possible.

[Biking Mexican]

Sue their ass. I get chased by dogs on a regular basis on my bike rides. I have no sympathy for stupid dog owners. I carry mace. Stops lil Scruffy every time.

[ron2000]

A lawsuit is justified. My daughter was bitten in the face by a babysitter's dog when she was three and the scars are still there. Our attorney says it should be worth a lot of money when our case is completed. Pet owners are usually liable for injuries caused by their pets.