A pregnant woman suffered serious injuries in a California dog bite accident, the San Bernardino Sun reports. The woman's pit bull bit and broke her arm. Emergency personnel responded to a 911 call at the woman's home in the 7300 block of Braceo Street in Hesperia the afternoon of October 29, 2009. The woman was apparently nine months pregnant and was airlifted to an area hospital. San Bernardino Sheriff's officials said that the fetus was not harmed. Officials have taken custody of the pit bull and are looking into what caused this dog attack.

It's indeed a relief that this woman's fetus was unharmed in what appears to have been a brutal dog attack. I hope and pray that she recovers from the dog bite injuries.

Dog Bite Statistics

According to Dogsbite.org, a Web site for dog attack victims nationwide, of the 88 fatal dog attacks in the United States in a three-year period between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2008, 59 percent or 52 incidents involved pit bulls followed by rottweilers (14 percent), American bulldog and Husky (5 percent each). This dog bite fatality finding just about agrees with an earlier report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, which states that pit bulls and rottweilers together account for 60 percent of fatal dog attacks. There is often a misconception that dogs attack children more than adults. This is not true. Adults are as vulnerable to dog attacks as children, if not more.

California Dog Bite Law

In this particular case, it appears that the woman's own dog bit and injured her. However, in dog bite cases where your dog bites another person, you could be held liable for the injuries caused. California has what is known as a "strict liability statute" when it comes to dog bite cases. According to California’s Civil Code Section 3342: "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."

Negligent dog owners, who do not restrain their dogs properly leading to serious dog attacks, should be held financially responsible for the injuries their pets cause to others. Several California cities and counties are now updating their dangerous dog codes imposing stringent regulations on dog owners including requiring them to carry liability insurance. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a dog attack, please call an experienced California personal injury attorney to find out more about your legal rights and options.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.