A 1-year-old child sustained injuries in a dog bite incident after being attacked by the family's pit bull. According to a news report in the North County Times, the incident occurred the night of June 29, 2010 at 590 Berryhill Drive in San Marcos. The injured child was transported to a hospital in Escondido. The extent of the child's injuries is not known.

My heart goes out to this injured child and his or her family. I wish this injured child the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep this child and the family in your thoughts and prayers.

Statistics Involving Pit Bulls

During the five-year period between January 1, 2005 and March 8, 2010, 158 fatal dog attacks took place in the United States, according to data released by Dogsbite.org. Pit bulls were responsible for 56 percent of these attacks. This amounts to a pit bull killing an American every 21.5 days. Rottweilers accounted for 15 percent of dog bite fatalities. Together, pit bulls and Rottweilers accounted for 70 percent of all dog attacks. The numbers also show that there were 32 dog bite-related deaths in 2009 – 14 caused by pit bulls and four by Rottweilers. These breeds of dogs also cause catastrophic injuries among children and adults.

Dog Bite Liability Issues

In this particular case, it appears that it was the family's own dog that bit the child. Still, there are several questions here. How long has the family had the pit bull? Was the child left alone or supervised at the time of the dog attack? Who was with the child at the time? Did the dog have a prior history of acting in a dangerous or vicious manner? Had the dog attacked other animals or people prior to this incident?

In California, if your dog attacks someone else, then you could be held liable under the state's "strict liability statute." California’s Civil Code Section 3342 states: "The owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness." There are very few exceptions to this law.

Victims injured in dog attacks due to dog owner negligence would be well-advised to contact an experienced San Diego personal injury lawyer who will advise them about their legal rights and options. Victims can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, cosmetic surgery and other related damages.

Do you know of any dangerous or vicious dogs in your neighborhood? Do you feel threatened by them?

None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.