Florida Kennel Worker’s Arm Amputated After Pit Bull Attack

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on August 3, 2012

A Panama City woman’s arm had to be amputated by surgeons after a pit bull attacked her while she was working at a veterinary clinic. Coworkers who rescued the woman say that they saw the dog violently shaking the victim’s arm as they walked into the kennel to help her. They had to kick and strike the dog to get it to release the woman and were able to lock it in its cage to protect her. The 43-year-old victim is being held in guarded condition in the intensive care unit of a nearby hospital. The owner of Parkway Animal Hospital where the attack occurred, told investigating officers that the dog had been in her kennel for two weeks prior to the attack and had not acted aggressively before attacking the woman. The animal is being held by Animal Control and is expected to be destroyed.

Pit bull terriers have a very bad reputation for unpredictable behavior and viciousness. From 2006 to 2008, 52 people in the U.S. were attacked and killed by pit bulls, and this breed is responsible for nearly six in ten (59%) fatal dog attacks. These dogs have been bred for fighting and have exceptionally strong jaws and have a tendency to lock onto victims and shake their heads from side to side to maximize tissue damage. This breed is so dangerous that some Florida lawmakers have introduced pit bull terrier legislation in recent years to regulate them as dangerous weapons.

Dog bite victims often suffer excruciatingly painful and disfiguring injuries, such as these:

• Amputations
• Facial lacerations that require multiple surgeries to reduce scarring
• The loss of large chunks of skin and muscle tissue
• Nose and ear loss
• Deep puncture wounds
• Psychological injuries from being attacked that last a lifetime

If you or a close family member have questions about your legal options after a dog attack and would like to speak with an Orlando dog bite lawyer, call James O. Cunningham today at 800-425-2004. You may be entitled to damages to help pay for reconstructive surgeries and counseling and compensate you for pain and suffering. Under Florida law, it doesn’t matter if the dog that bit you has a reputation for biting people or not. The dog’s owner is liable for damages that the animal causes under nearly all circumstances. Call Mr. Cunningham today, and schedule your free consultation with an experienced and aggressive Orlando personal injury attorney with a proven record of success.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.