Late last month a woman was hospitalized after a vicious dog attack in New York. The victim, 33-year-old Maria Shaffer was attacked by a pit bull at roughly 1 AM on the morning of November 30th. Neighbors were awoken by Maria’s husband screaming for help as he tried to pry the animal off her. The large dog was so big and powerful that it pinned Maria to the ground and bit her repeatedly.
A witness called the police and three officers arrived on scene within minutes but the dog could not be pulled away. The officers were forced to open fire and killed the dog. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital and listed in critical condition with wounds to her body that one of the responding officers described as “horrific.”
When interviewed, several neighbors voiced shock and fear, stating that there are many children in the neighborhood, who often play outside unsupervised-any of which could have easily fallen victim to such a brutal attack. An investigation into what caused the attack is ongoing and police haven’t ruled out filing criminal charges against the owner.
Dog attacks in New York City are rare but everyone understands that if you put an aggressive animal in close proximity with strangers-whether men, women or children-there is a potential for an unprovoked attack.
The brutality of a dog bite can’t be understated. In addition to puncture wounds, when dogs attack they grab and pull victims violently and as a result, victims often suffer from extreme bruising, torn skin, scarring and sometimes life threatening injuries.
The owner of a dog is responsible for the animal’s unprovoked attack. If you or a family member has been injured in a dog attack in New York City, the owner could be found financially liable for your injuries. Because getting the compensation you deserve can be difficult, you need an experienced New York City dog bite attorney on your side. Contact the experienced professionals at the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel to schedule your free consultation. Call 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 today.