Seattle, WA personal injury attorney Erica Buckley talks about a memorable dog bite injury case in which her client was attacked by two pit bulls while on vacation. She explains that I frequently handle cases involving dog bites, commonly referred to as dog cases. One such case stands out, which required me to navigate through the entire trial process. It involved a mother who had traveled from overseas to visit her adult child in Seattle. Unfortunately, during the first or second day of their family gathering, she encountered two unfamiliar pit bulls. These dogs approached her aggressively, causing her to be knocked down and resulting in a broken hip. Subsequently, she had to undergo hip replacement surgery. Her entire planned one-month visit, which was meant to be filled with enjoyable family activities and sightseeing, was completely derailed.

A couple of years later, we proceeded to trial. However, the judge imposed restrictions, prohibiting us from mentioning the term “pit bull” or presenting any pictures of the dogs involved, despite their resemblance to pit bulls, as they indeed were. Despite these limitations, the jury empathized with our client’s position and held the dog owners responsible, even though they claimed that their dogs never physically touched our client. Ultimately, the jury awarded her a substantial and just compensation.

This case highlights the challenges faced in dog bite cases, where the nature of the incident and the responsible parties may not be immediately obvious. It underscores the importance of effectively presenting the evidence and persuading the jury to recognize the accountability of the dog owners.