Injuries leave active 65-year-old bedridden after dog attack

All states across the United States, including Tennessee, have very specific laws stipulating requirements for dog owners. When owners do not pay attention to these laws and allow their dogs to run free, the results may be costly — for owners, victims and animals. A dog owner may find that he or she has to pay for injuries inflicted by their dog, while the dog may have to pay with its life.

In this case a 65-year-old man has not been able to walk for a month after being attacked by a dog while out riding his bicycle. According to the victim, four dogs started chasing him as he was riding along. Before he knew it, the Great Dane mix grabbed him by the leg, severely injuring his calf muscles. He was thrown from his bicycle and had to call 911 for help.

The man, who reportedly maintains a healthy lifestyle, is now restricted to hobbling along on two crutches due to the injuries to his lower leg. The victim feels that he cannot blame the dogs, but he is calling on dog owners to keep to the law. During the whole episode, no owner was to be seen. Unfortunately, this was not a single occurrence – some of the victim’s neighbors have faced similar situations, while his wife has also had a run in with dogs while riding her bike.

Dog ownership places very specific responsibilities on a person, and this incident is a good example of the sad consequences of irresponsibility in this regard. Tennessee law allows for a victim of a dog attack, who has suffered serious injuries, to file a personal injury claim against the dog owner. If the evidence proves that a dog owner acted negligently and did not ensure that his or her dog was properly restrained, a court may award financial damages to a victim.

Source: whsv.com, “Man recovering from dog bite asks neighbors to follow animal laws“, Isabel Rosales, June 9, 2016