My question involves an injury that occurred in the state of: California
Back in February my dog got loose from my front door of my house and bit a lady on the leg. Hes a 60 pound pitbull. He didn't immediately charge her and didn't bite her right away. He did it when she started walking away. He bit her and ran back inside. He didn't bite, hold and shake. We took the lady to the ER room to get her wounds cleaned up. She got her bite marks cleaned (no stitches, just bandages) and was prescribed antibiotics.
I covered the cost of all this. Now... While we were waiting in the waiting room we had a conversation. It was an accident and she felt pretty mad about it but she understood it indeed was an accident. I explained to her that my dog had gotten out before (from the side of my house) and bit a mans pants and scratched his leg. I was told the man was antagonizing my dog from the other side of the house and was trying to kick my dog when he got into the street. The city came to my house and deemed the incident an unforinate accident and gave me a warning and told me to lock my gate, which has been locked ever since. I had to tell her because the nurse asked me if something like this has happened with the same dog and didn't want to lie about it. So I discussed the previous matter with all of them. While speaking with this woman she told me, my mother and my girlfriend multiple times she would not sue. I told her I would take care of all her medical cost which I did. I covered the initial cost that night as well as any other cost she would later need (2 more doctor visits, and some supplies from target). I also gave her money for new shoes and pants without her asking for it and she accepted the payment.
She is very active person. Walks, swims, and occasionally exercises. So I felt bad for taking her off her feet for a few days. The doctor told her and myself it would be OK to walk/swim on again in about 3 days time but she should stay off of it for the weekend. I thought that was kind of soon but I'm not a doctor. She informed me she would be up with at her daughters house that weekend visiting family. I went over to her house the following week to check on her. She was dog sitting her daughters dogs and told me she couldn't open the door and to come back another time. So I did. 3 weeks go by and she text me pictures saying she's still not healed. I asked her if she had gone back to the doctors because I was concerned for her health. I was also still following the agreement I had with her that I would take care of her cost and so I was trying to prepare myself financially for any of cost that were to come. I got no response from her.
Another 2 weeks goes by and she sends me a text asking me for my home owners insurance. My home owners insurance doesn't cover dog bites so I drove over to her house to ask her what it is she needs my insurance for. She said her leg wasn't healed yet and showed me (had a small scab and the scar tissue was still healing). She then goes on to tell me she wants a couple thousand dollars for the incident. She didn't explain what for, but she just wants money for it. She said if she didn't get the insurance info she would sue. I was pretty mad because we had an agreement she wouldn't sue and I would cover any and all cost. I just turned around and left. As I was leaving I noticed a dog collar on her porch. She doesn't own any dogs so I assumed it was her daughters dogs. About 3 weeks later I received a letter from a lawyer asking for the insurance information. I sent a written response saying we had an agreement and provided reciepts (copies of course) and I thought this issue was handled between me and her.
Almost 2 months goes by and I now have another letter asking for the information or she well Persue me in court. What I would like to know is, what would be her case and how does she and her lawyer believe they would get a couple thousands dollars out of this incident? I have already paid her bills that I was aware of per our agreement (she never told me about any other ones, I paid for all the other so I don't know why she wouldn't tell me about any other visits). I reimbursed her for her shoes and pants and she accepted it. The only thing I can think of is pain and suffering. According to what I read about pain and suffering is it is usually the medical bills multipled by 4 in most cases. If that's true, her medical bill was only around $100, so $400? I know she is not traumatized and afraid of dogs because I saw one at her house and evidence of one the last time I was there. Her quality of life is about the same as it was before (that I know of) because I've seen her walking around the neighborhood on multiple occasions and members of my family have seen her as well. I'm sure she has been to the gym multiple times because she nevers seems to be home in the mornings (when she told me she goes swimming) and she's retired so I'm sure she isn't going to work. She didn't miss any work that I'm aware of because again she told me she was retired. How do the lawyer and her believe this will be more than a thousand dollars?
Back in February my dog got loose from my front door of my house and bit a lady on the leg. Hes a 60 pound pitbull. He didn't immediately charge her and didn't bite her right away. He did it when she started walking away. He bit her and ran back inside. He didn't bite, hold and shake. We took the lady to the ER room to get her wounds cleaned up. She got her bite marks cleaned (no stitches, just bandages) and was prescribed antibiotics.
I covered the cost of all this. Now... While we were waiting in the waiting room we had a conversation. It was an accident and she felt pretty mad about it but she understood it indeed was an accident. I explained to her that my dog had gotten out before (from the side of my house) and bit a mans pants and scratched his leg. I was told the man was antagonizing my dog from the other side of the house and was trying to kick my dog when he got into the street. The city came to my house and deemed the incident an unforinate accident and gave me a warning and told me to lock my gate, which has been locked ever since. I had to tell her because the nurse asked me if something like this has happened with the same dog and didn't want to lie about it. So I discussed the previous matter with all of them. While speaking with this woman she told me, my mother and my girlfriend multiple times she would not sue. I told her I would take care of all her medical cost which I did. I covered the initial cost that night as well as any other cost she would later need (2 more doctor visits, and some supplies from target). I also gave her money for new shoes and pants without her asking for it and she accepted the payment.
She is very active person. Walks, swims, and occasionally exercises. So I felt bad for taking her off her feet for a few days. The doctor told her and myself it would be OK to walk/swim on again in about 3 days time but she should stay off of it for the weekend. I thought that was kind of soon but I'm not a doctor. She informed me she would be up with at her daughters house that weekend visiting family. I went over to her house the following week to check on her. She was dog sitting her daughters dogs and told me she couldn't open the door and to come back another time. So I did. 3 weeks go by and she text me pictures saying she's still not healed. I asked her if she had gone back to the doctors because I was concerned for her health. I was also still following the agreement I had with her that I would take care of her cost and so I was trying to prepare myself financially for any of cost that were to come. I got no response from her.
Another 2 weeks goes by and she sends me a text asking me for my home owners insurance. My home owners insurance doesn't cover dog bites so I drove over to her house to ask her what it is she needs my insurance for. She said her leg wasn't healed yet and showed me (had a small scab and the scar tissue was still healing). She then goes on to tell me she wants a couple thousand dollars for the incident. She didn't explain what for, but she just wants money for it. She said if she didn't get the insurance info she would sue. I was pretty mad because we had an agreement she wouldn't sue and I would cover any and all cost. I just turned around and left. As I was leaving I noticed a dog collar on her porch. She doesn't own any dogs so I assumed it was her daughters dogs. About 3 weeks later I received a letter from a lawyer asking for the insurance information. I sent a written response saying we had an agreement and provided reciepts (copies of course) and I thought this issue was handled between me and her.
Almost 2 months goes by and I now have another letter asking for the information or she well Persue me in court. What I would like to know is, what would be her case and how does she and her lawyer believe they would get a couple thousands dollars out of this incident? I have already paid her bills that I was aware of per our agreement (she never told me about any other ones, I paid for all the other so I don't know why she wouldn't tell me about any other visits). I reimbursed her for her shoes and pants and she accepted it. The only thing I can think of is pain and suffering. According to what I read about pain and suffering is it is usually the medical bills multipled by 4 in most cases. If that's true, her medical bill was only around $100, so $400? I know she is not traumatized and afraid of dogs because I saw one at her house and evidence of one the last time I was there. Her quality of life is about the same as it was before (that I know of) because I've seen her walking around the neighborhood on multiple occasions and members of my family have seen her as well. I'm sure she has been to the gym multiple times because she nevers seems to be home in the mornings (when she told me she goes swimming) and she's retired so I'm sure she isn't going to work. She didn't miss any work that I'm aware of because again she told me she was retired. How do the lawyer and her believe this will be more than a thousand dollars?
Animal Injuries and Dog Bites: My Dog Bit Someone and I Already Coverd the Cost, but Now Im Getting Persued
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