A dangerous dog attacked a 9-year old boy

A dangerous dog attacked a 9-year old boy as he played with friends at the neighborhood park in Sammamish. The child was bitten on his upper left arm causing deep, tearing wounds. Despite initially accepting fault for the dog bite, the dog owners hired an attorney to challenge King County Animal Control’s dangerous dog declaration and to defend the personal injury claims of the boy. Our investigation revealed that at the request of King County Animal Control and the dog owners’ attorney, the dog underwent a behavioral assessment that determined the dog should not be unattended with visitors in its home, people in the community, and especially children.

At mediation, the case settled for the dog owners’ State Farm homeowners insurance policy limits plus a significant personal cash contribution.

Total Settlement: $226,000, including cash contribution from dog owners