Background and Issues
In one of the largest reported dog bite cases in New York history, an 11-year-old boy was attacked by Rottweilers while playing with friends at a Queens, New York park. The dogs escaped from a nearby yard enclosed by a chain link fence and bit the boy repeatedly, leaving severe injuries on much of his body. Three men, including an off-duty police officer, fought for ten minutes to rescue the boy from the attacking dogs. After nine days of hospitalization and treatment including stitches, tetanus shots, rabies shots, and psychological counseling, the boy remained traumatized, with extensive scarring and bodily harm.
The case raised a variety of issues around negligence, including whether the owners knew the dogs were dangerous, whether they took sufficient actions to keep the public safe, and whether their actions led directly to the boy’s injuries.
Approach
The boy and his family were represented by Daniel P. Buttafuoco of Buttafuoco & Associates. Buttafuoco and his team gathered evidence from the scene and witness statements from the three men who rescued the boy, demonstrating the high degree of violence these animals were capable of.
They also called witnesses who lived near the defendant, who testified to the violent nature of the dogs. The case turned on issues of negligence, with the plaintiff’s legal team successfully arguing that the defendant knew these animals were incredibly dangerous, but did not take proper measures to protect the public from harm. Buttafuoco argued that because the defendant did not properly secure the animals, they were directly responsible for the boy’s injuries.
The case was successfully settled prior to jury selection.
Result
Buttafuoco and Associates were able to secure a $600,000 structured settlement for the boy and his family, ultimately worth $1.3 million. This is one of the largest reported dog bite cases in New York history.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of an animal attack, have them call us at 1-800-Now-Hurt for help so they can get the compensation they deserve!
