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Dog Attack Claims Los Angeles Man's Life
August 21, 2007

There have been numerous cases of dogs that attack strangers unprovoked, children in particular. This one has a slightly different twist. Early this August, a caretaker working at the Brentwood, Los Angeles home of Hollywood actor Ving Rhames, was mauled to death by the actor's 4 dogs - 3 bull mastiffs and an English bulldog. What makes this particular case unique - and terrifying - was that the man, who has since been identified as Jacob Adams, served as a caretaker of the dogs, and had been in charge of looking after and feeding them over the past two years. According to the Los Angeles police, there also seemed to be no previous instances of aggression that pointed to any inclination to attack. Dogs generally tend to display some form of aggressive behavior before they launch a severe personal injury causing attack.

When police arrived at the star's Los Angeles property, they found Adams badly mauled, covered in bites, and the dogs running around loose in the compound. The two bull mastiffs it is believed weighed more than 200 pounds each, and there were several other such dogs in the compound.

While investigations have been inconclusive regarding the exact cause of death, pending a toxicology report to be released later, the leading theory seems to be that Adams suffered a heart attack while being attacked by the dogs. The dog bites and lacerations all over his body weren't severe enough to be considered life threatening by themselves, investigators say.

There are more than 68 million dogs currently being raised as pets in the United States. An overwhelming majority of them will cause absolutely no harm, but the few that do send more than 900 persons to emergency rooms across the country every day. In 2005, there were at least 4 reported fatalities from dog attacks in California, the highest number in the country.

California law specifies that a dog owner does not need to be aware that his or her dog is dangerous to be held liable for an attack. If you've suffered through a dog attack or know some one who has, contact the personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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What You Should Know About Dog Attacks
August 01, 2007

With over 4.7 million dog bites and attacks being reported in the US every year, and California leading the way with the highest number of dog attack related injuries, it's time to put "man's best friend" in a new perspective. That can seem hard to do in a canine crazy country like ours. Dog enthusiasts insist that there's no such thing as a "dangerous dog," and while it's difficult to draw the line between a beloved pet and a vicious animal the hard fact of the matter is that dog bites are one of the most common causes for emergency room visits by children, second only to sports related injuries.

In fact as recently as June 6 this year, Nan Hacker and her poodle were attacked by two Pit Bulls outside her Tustin, California home. While the poodle was mauled to death, Nan suffered severe injuries to her hands.

When you look at dog bite statistics in California and across the US, there are familiar patterns that emerge:

• In 60% of the cases, the victim is a child
• Dogs very rarely attack in the presence of their owner
• Before a fatal dog attack occurs, the animal usually displays aggressive behavior towards others
• Medium to large size animals are usually involved in dog attack cases
• Pit bulls and Rottweilers represent the largest number of fatality and injury causing breeds
• The dog in question is usually an adult male that hasn't been neutered

Dealing with Dog Attacks

More than 15 states nationwide have passed strict legislation with penalties for dog owners whose pets cause death or injury to others. In the state of California, we have "Cody's Law" which makes it a felony to own a dog that severely injures or kills someone.

If you've been the victim of a dog bite injury, the most important thing to do is act immediately, and call an experienced dog bite personal injury attorney. If California statutes of limitations expire, it makes getting justice nearly impossible. It makes sense to contact a qualified attorney at the earliest possible time so your rights are not lost.

The dedicated personal injury lawyers at The Reeves Law Group will bring extensive experience to your case and a proven track record handling dog attack injury lawsuits.

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