Many people who have never been the victim of a serious dog bite do not understand how significant the injuries can be. This is a challenging situation, both physically and emotionally. The Center for Disease Control says that there are more than 4.5 million dog bites across the country each year. Not every one of those is significant or life threatening, but each one is scary.
A recent case in San Bernardino has shown how serious these accidents can be and how quick responses can make all the difference. If you have been injured in any type of accident and believe that someone else is negligent then contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
The basics of the case
A woman in San Bernardino is now recovering after being attacked by a German Shepherd. She is now frustrated with how long it took the authorities to respond when she called 9-1-1. She says she was outside exercise near her home when a woman was biking near her with the German Shephard. The dog was not on a leash and ended up charging at the victim.
The victim suffered both muscle and tissue damage. There were several witnesses, including a retired firefighter and an EMT. They rushed to help. The firefighter said that in his entire career he had never seen a worse animal bite. The firefighter and EMT waited with the victim until help arrived, but it took almost half an hour for an ambulance to get there. Once she was taken to the hospital, the doctors were able to reattach her tissue and muscle. She waited longer for animal control or other city authorities to take a statement about the accident but no one ever showed up.
Why did it take so long?
San Bernardino disbanded their fire department and turned over all emergency services to the county. This was an attempt to save money after the city declared bankruptcy. It is not entirely clear if this was the cause of the slow response time. The San Bernardino Police Department blamed the slow response time on miscommunication. No matter what the reason was, it is important to get to the bottom of it as the slow response time could have resulted in the woman’s death.
Have you suffered a similar injury?
Have you been injured by a dog? Have you suffered an injury, called for emergency help, and been left waiting for 30 minutes or more? If you have been injured and someone else is to blame then you may be able to hold them legally accountable. To find out more about your options, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
We will begin by offering our legal opinion on which option will work best for you. If we decide to work together then your case will be taken on a contingency basis. This means that you do not pay us a penny until we win your case for you.
