Rottweiler Attacks

May 16, 2020 | Dog Bites

Chris Dixon & Greg Motil - STL Personal Injury Lawyers

Rottweilers are naturally aggressive, high-energy dogs that account for more than 6 percent of fatal dog bite attacks in the United States. While not all Rottweilers are dangerous, if acquired by the wrong owner, they can learn attack commands and undergo training to fight.

Other owners who don’t heed the advice of their Rottweiler dog breeder, socializing the puppy and taking control of their pet’s behavior, can end up with an unstable, fearful, aggressive dog that poses an almost certain, sudden, and severe attack risk.

You may think, “Well, I’ll just keep my Rottweiler away from strangers.” However, according to statistics, some of the most dangerous dog attacks occur in the owner’s household. Unfortunately, many of these attacks involve either the dog’s owner or young children under the age of six.

Victims of Rottweiler attacks can suffer extremely serious and debilitating injuries. This is especially true for elderly individuals and children who fall victims to these attacks. When a vicious Rottweiler bites a person, the bite wound can lead to an infection, requiring immediate medical care and attention to correct.

The bite might also be deep, and stitches may be necessary to close up the wound. A bite victim can suffer cuts, bruises, bite marks, lacerations, and puncture wounds as a result of a Rottweiler attack. In addition, the person can get knocked to the ground in the attack, suffering a broken bone, soft tissue injury, or head trauma as a result.

If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a Rottweiler attack in Missouri, and you are searching for information on what to do, our St. Louis dog bite lawyers at The Dixon Injury Firm can assist you. We created the following guide on Rottweiler attacks to offer guidance to victims and their family members during this challenging time. If you have injuries from a dangerous dog bite or attack incident, you may be eligible to pursue monetary recovery and compensation for your injuries.

Our legal team can meet with you to discuss the circumstances of the incident and determine your legal options. We can also move your case forward and pursue the compensation that you need by way of a personal injury settlement, jury verdict, or binding arbitration award. Please give us a call today to find out more about how we can assist you with recovering compensation for all of the injuries you suffered in your dog attack.

Rottweiler Attack Statistics

Hundreds of people are injured in preventable Rottweiler attacks every day. Categorized as “dangerous dogs” alongside breeds such as Pit Bulls, Chow-Chow’s, and Mastiffs, this aggressive dog breed is one of the most likely to be involved in dog bite attacks.

Rottweilers are often trained for fighting, or as guard dogs, due to their naturally aggressive nature. Hostile environments can make Rottweilers aggressive any time something startles, surprises, or rattles them or their owners.

Their territorial trait can be great if someone is trespassing on private property with the intent of burglarizing the estate or harming the occupants. However, situations with young children who live there, or guests, can lead to a sudden, severe, or even fatal dog attack.

In one year, 42 percent of dog bite attacks involved children under the age of six. Young children tend to have an abundance of natural energy and aren’t aware of how jumping, screaming, or running around an animal can put the animal on defense and lead to an attack. Other situations that can cause a Rottweiler dog to attack include petting it without warning, disturbing it while it’s eating, drinking, or sleeping, or throwing toys at the dog when they aren’t expecting it.

It’s essential for children to be calm around Rottweilers, and to never leave a child unattended around dogs, regardless if it has harmed someone in the past or not.

Every dog attack is different, from where it happened to what caused it, but the most commonly reported Rottweiler attack injuries include:

  • Head injuries such as brain injuries, hemorrhaging, and nerve damage – These head injuries can result in short-term symptoms, including forgetfulness or memory losses, but can also lead to more serious complications, including a coma or death.
  • Neck injuries – Some neck injuries are soft-tissue injuries of the sprain or strain variety. However, in more serious cases—such as where a dog knocks an attack victim to the ground—the victim can suffer a bone fracture or other more serious neck injury that leads to complications well into the future.
  • Back injuries – Like neck injuries, some back injuries are soft-tissue sprains and strains. However, where a broken bone is involved, the accident victim might need to undergo surgery or some other medical procedure to resolve the condition. Accident victims whose bodies strike the ground with a significant degree of force in a dog attack can also experience a spinal cord injury, which in turn, might lead to paralysis. A full or partial paralysis injury can leave a dog attack victim confined to a wheelchair and dependent upon others for long-term care.
  • Facial disfigurement – In a dog attack, a victim can suffer severe injuries to the face. This is especially true if the Rottweiler bites or scratches the person on the face or if the person falls to the ground during the attack, striking his or her face directly on the ground.
  • Severe bruises and lacerations – A Rottweiler can bruise and/or lacerate anyone they knock to the ground. Serious cuts often require stitches. In addition, the bite victim might have scars in the affected area(s). A prominent scar can cause shame, embarrassment, or humiliation.
  • Broken and fractured arms, legs, and collar bones – While some fractures and broken bones will heal by themselves (depending upon where they are located), others require surgery to fix. Even after the procedure is complete, the accident victim might still require additional follow-up treatment, such as rehabilitation and/or physical therapy. All of this treatment, in turn, can be extremely costly for the dog attack victim, and expenses tend to pile up very quickly.

If you have suffered one or more of these injuries in an attack by a dangerous Rottweiler, the experienced St. Louis dog bite injury attorneys at Dixon Injury Firm can review your legal options and decide on the best course of action for getting you the compensation that you deserve for your dog attack injuries.

Brief Overview of Dangerous Dog Laws

Section 273.036 of Missouri law sets a strict liability rule regarding dog bites. Unlike other states that allow one bite before enforcement, Missouri holds the owner of an aggressive dog liable for any bite.

Any measures the owner took, like leashing or restraining their pet to prevent an attack, do not eliminate liability. A dog owner in Missouri can also be liable for injuries suffered in a Rottweiler attack if the dog never showed dangerous proclivities or bit anyone previously.

As long as you did not provoke the Rottweiler dog or enter a property unlawfully, and you sustained an actual bite by the Rottweiler dog, the law holds the owner liable. As such, they will also be responsible for paying any current and future medical bills.

This is regardless of any measures the owner took like leashing or restraining their pet and other steps to prevent an attack. As you didn’t provoke the Rottweiler dog, enter a property unlawfully and you sustained an actual bite, the owner is held liable. As such, they will also be responsible for paying any current and future medical bills.

Revised Statute Section 578.024: There are some cases in which the Rottweiler’s owner, in addition to a civil lawsuit, may face criminal charges. This is a possibility if the dog attack results in a mauling that leads to a serious injury or death. In this instance, the state can convict the dangerous breed owner of a Class B misdemeanor.

What constitutes this action is the definition of a Dangerous Dog. In Missouri, it’s any breed, large or small, that has a prior history of biting a person without being provoked and does the same for a second time. Fatal dog attacks can warrant a conviction of the dog’s owner, charging them with a Class D felony.

Insurance Coverage Applicable to Rottweiler Attack Cases in St. Louis

Victims of Rottweiler bites and attacks that occur in St. Louis often face medical and physical therapy bills that mount up over time, depending upon the extent of injuries sustained. Fortunately, many homeowner insurance policies cover dog bites or attacks on the homeowner’s property. Therefore, you will file a claim against that insurance company.

When you file a claim under a Rottweiler owner’s insurance policy, several things need to take place. First of all, the dog bite victim’s attorney will need to file a claim under the insurance policy. The first step to filing a claim is sending an official demand package that will include a settlement demand letter. In the settlement demand letter, the attorney will state forth the reasons why he or she thinks the dog owner is liable and will make a monetary demand for settling the case, based upon the applicable limits of insurance coverage that are available under the policy.

In addition to the settlement demand letter, the dog attack victim’s lawyer will include copies of all pertinent medical records, witness statements, incident reports, police reports, photographs of injuries, and other documentation to support the dog attack victim’s claim. The insurance company will then review all of this documentation and information, and an adjuster will be assigned to handle the case. The adjuster will then typically reach out to the dog attack victim’s lawyer and make an offer to resolve the case by way of a monetary settlement.

Often, the insurance company and the dog bite victim’s lawyer will need to pursue several rounds of negotiations before the matter finally settles in full. This is because the insurance company is going to try and save itself money by offering as little compensation as possible—at least early on in the negotiation process.

Insurance companies, after all, make their money by collecting insurance proceeds from their insured. They lose money when they have to pay out a large dog attack claim. Therefore, they typically make low settlement offers, in the beginning, to see if they can entice the dog attack victim to settle early. This is especially true if the bite victim appears to be anxious to resolve the case.

After settlement negotiations take place, the dog attack victim’s lawyer can resolve the matter favorably with the insurance company. However, when that is not possible, litigation will ensue. The litigation process starts when the dog attack victim’s lawyer files a lawsuit in the Missouri state court system against the dog owner and indirectly against the insurance company. The insurance company will still hold the purse strings what it comes to resolving the case by way of a monetary settlement.

During the litigation stage of the case, the parties will exchange written answers, called interrogatories. The parties may also take one another’s depositions and exchange additional documents to gather more information about the incident and how it occurred. Once discovery has taken place, the insurance company might offer additional money to resolve the case by way of a financial settlement. In cases where the insurance company refuses to adequately compensate the dog attack victim, the matter may need to proceed forward to trial. Alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, like arbitration and mediation, can also be used as vehicles for case resolution.

If you or a person you care about has suffered injuries because of a dangerous Rottweiler attack, you may be entitled to pursue and recover monetary compensation. The knowledgeable St. Louis dog attack attorneys at Dixon Injury Firm can discuss the circumstances of the attack, as well as your legal options. We can then pursue the best possible monetary result in your case.

Potential Criminal Charges for Rottweiler Attacks that Take Place in St. Louis, Missouri

Revised Statute Section 578.024: There are some cases in which the Rottweiler’s owner, in addition to a civil lawsuit, may face criminal charges. This is a possibility if the dog attack results in a mauling that leads to a serious injury or death. In this instance, the state can convict the dangerous breed owner of a Class B misdemeanor.

What constitutes this action is the definition of a Dangerous Dog. In Missouri, it’s any breed, large or small, that has a prior history of biting a person without being provoked and does the same for a second time. Fatal dog attacks can warrant a conviction of the dog’s owner, charging them with a Class D felony.

Missouri Rottweiler Attack Lawsuits

Young children under the age of 6 should never be left alone with a dog, especially Rottweilers. This large breed can weigh between 80 and 135 pounds, most of which is muscle, and can easily overpower young children or adults in an attack.

In May of 2019, a 4-year-old child in Missouri was attacked by his babysitter’s Rottweiler while left unattended in the home. The dog attacked the young boy and left deep gashes and puncture wounds on his legs, which nearly required amputation. The boy’s parents have since filed a lawsuit against the babysitter for jeopardizing the child’s safety and negligence in caring for the animal.

This is just one example of how countless children and adults are injured and sustain serious injuries in Rottweiler attacks in the United States every year.

The effects of these dangerous breed attacks can leave behind severe physical, emotional, and mental damage for the victim and their family.

Potential Damages for Rottweiler Attack Victims in and Around St. Louis

Victims of Rottweiler attacks often have to undergo significant medical treatment, including stitches, surgical procedures, and physical therapy. Medical treatment can be extremely costly, and dog attack victims often find that their medical bills pile up very quickly after the dog attack incident. Fortunately, victims of dog attacks may be eligible to pursue monetary compensation in the form of damages. These damages can come by way of a favorable monetary settlement from the dog owner’s insurance company, a favorable jury verdict at trial, or the decision of a neutral, third-party arbitrator.

Victims of dog attacks have to go through a lot. Not only do they often have to undergo scary and painful medical treatments, but they may experience lifelong trauma.

All of these damages are legally compensable.

First of all, dog attack victims can pursue monetary compensation for all of their related medical expenses, including the costs of medical procedures, treatment, and physical therapy. A dog attack victim may recover these costs even if they had health insurance in place at the time of the incident and even if health insurance paid for some or all of their medical treatment costs.

In addition, if the dog attack victim sustained injuries to such an extent that he or she cannot work, then the accident victim can pursue lost wage compensation. Other out-of-pocket costs are another type of economic damage that the dog attack victim can pursue.

In addition to these economic damages, victims of St. Louis dog attacks can also seek non-economic damages with their lawyer’s assistance. These damages aim to compensate accident victims for their inconvenience, pain, suffering, emotional anguish, and mental distress.

Likewise, dog attack victims can file a claim for loss of the ability to use a body part in the case of a permanent injury. They can also seek compensation for loss of quality of life and other related damages.

If you or someone you care about suffered injuries in a St. Louis Rottweiler attack, the knowledgeable dog bite injury attorneys at Dixon Injury Firm will do everything possible to pursue the compensation that you deserve. We will zealously advocate for your legal interests at the settlement table, just like at the trial table. We make it our priority to make dog attack victims whole to the greatest extent possible.

Talk to a St. Louis Dog Bite Lawyer Now

When a large dog, such as a Rottweiler, physically attacks or bites a person, the affected individual can suffer not just physical wounds and injuries but also serious mental distress and emotional anguish. This is especially true when it comes to children who are traumatized by a dangerous dog attack.

If you are the victim of a dog attack by a Rottweiler in St. Louis, the sooner a report of the incident gets to St. Louis Animal Control, you receive a diagnosis of all injuries, and you consult an STL personal injury lawyer about the incident, the better. While Rottweiler dog attacks are a common occurrence, many dog bite attacks go unreported every year. Be sure to act quickly in your case so that you do not inadvertently waive your right to potential monetary compensation for your injuries.

It is important to keep in mind that Missouri dog attack and bite victims have five years from the date of the attack to file a civil claim or a lawsuit in the state court system. If the claim/lawsuit is even one day late, then the accident victim will not be eligible to pursue monetary compensation and damages for his or her injuries. Therefore, the moral of the story is to get an experienced St. Louis dog bite attorney on board to represent you as soon as possible following your dog attack incident.

Reporting an attack can also help prevent other potential victims from being attacked by the dangerous breed. It’s also compelling proof of the dog owner’s liability for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, property damage, and other damages from the attack.

The St. Louis dog bite lawyers at the Dixon Injury Firm are devoted to making the process of pursuing a dog bite claim as stress-free and straightforward as possible for victims. They can handle every phase of your case, from gathering evidence to filing a compelling claim against the dog’s negligent owner to recover compensation.

Our Dog bite attorneys in St. Louis understand how painful Rottweiler dog attacks can be and are committed to making sure that your well-being is taken care of, first and foremost, when fighting for your claim. Christopher Dixon has supported countless personal injury victims, including those involved in Rottweiler attacks in St. Louis, and has recovered more than $35 million in damages for victims and their surviving family members to offset any financial expenses from their accidents.

Repeatedly recognized as a “Top 100 Trial Lawyer” by the National Trial Lawyers Association, and a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers, Christopher Dixon is the best choice for legal representation of your dog bite claim in Missouri. For a free consultation with the St. Louis dog bite attorneys at the Dixon Injury Firm and to discuss your Rottweiler dog attack case, call (314) 208-2808, or contact the Dixon Injury Firm today.

Call or email the dog bite attorneys at Dixon Injury Firm today for your free injury claim consultation. Our experienced lawyers can make the difference.