Dog Attacks Child in Murrieta, CA

Dog attacks are uncommon, but do happen. Dogs can be on leashes with collars and still break free to attack people. In one such case in Murrieta, CA, in a Lowe’s Home Improvement store, a purebred Akita escaped from his owner and bit a child in the face, leaving him with 50 stitches.

The story itself is cut and dry: child approaches a large dog, a large dog attacks; but the implications and questions which arise from stories like this in court and in the media are much farther reaching than the attack alone.

The foremost question being asked here is: who is to blame? Is the owner who did have his dog around the leash, who allowed his violent dog to get too close to a child to blame? Are the parents, who should have kept a 3-year old away from a large Akita, negligent? Or is the store somehow responsible for this damage, because they let the dog owner and his dog into the store, while the official Lowe’s position is to not allow non-service animals in store?

Those around the nation have commented:

Sarah Farmay commented, “why did they not stop the three year old? No one knows how a dog will react to the high pitched voices of children who could be viewed as threatening to the dog.”

David Marquez agreed, saying: “But why was the dog in the store in the first place?”

As for now, the family is suing both the dog owner and the Lowe’s local chain for an excess of $25,000 worth of damages for medical costs and the possible disfiguration that occurred to the child’s face. This means that they are suing in unlimited civil court, as $25,000 probably will not cover all of these costs.

As it appears, Lowe’s will probably have to pay the brunt of the cost, as it is very unlikely that the owner has the resources to fully compensate the child and his family.

If you are ever injured in a dog bite accident in North Carolina, be sure to contact the Auger & Auger Law Firm as soon as possible to insure that you armed as well as you can be to combat large companies and insurers.