Grandmother Injured in San Antonio Dog Attack Receives $250K Settlement
San Antonio, Texas (PRWEB) January 14, 2014 -- A grandmother, who endured a dog attack in San Antonio while walking with her young grandchildren, received a settlement of $250,000 with the help of personal injury attorney and Carlson Law Firm Partner, Edna Elizondo, the firm recently announced (Cause No. 2012-CI-05882, 438th District Court, Bexar County).
According to police reports regarding the dog attack in San Antonio, the woman endured scarring and emotional trauma stemming from the attack, where she struggled to protect the children from the dog.
The settlement Elizondo achieved for her injured client comes on the heels of a vicious dog attack that made news in Houston, drawing attention to the laws and potential damages tied to dog attacks in Texas.
“Dog bite cases are different than other cases because they do involve reliving a very traumatic event,” Elizondo said. “Usually, when a person is attacked, the attack is ongoing for a few minutes. Victims have to relive that trauma and it can become very emotional. As a result of the post traumatic stress, one must be sensitive when addressing the situation with the client.”
Holding pet owners responsible for the injuries and trauma experienced by victims of an animal attack is an important aspect of dog bite cases that was brought to light in 2007, with the passage of Lillian’s Law. The law makes dog owners criminally responsible for injuries and death caused by dogs that have previously injured or are not secured properly. Under Lillian’s Law, when a death has occurred, convicted dog owners face the possibility of spending as many as 20 years in prison.
“The most challenging aspect of this case was the fact that it involved more emotional injuries than physical injuries,” Elizondo pointed out. “We had to understand how our client felt at the time of the attack and how she continued to feel after the attack. We had to become “emotional” with her to get some understanding of this traumatic event. We had to understand the victim’s state of mind when the attack was ongoing and during the recovery phase.”
Despite the multitude of personal injury cases Elizondo and The Carlson Law Firm tackle, (including car accidents, commercial wrecks, medical malpractice and product liability) dog attacks are no less traumatic or life altering for some of the victims the firm represents.
“Regardless of the situation, as with any case, my goal is that clients feel that they have been represented with the highest amount of ethical integrity,” said Elizondo. “Unfortunately, I can’t undo what they have been through, but I would hope that they feel that justice has been accomplished and that they have a friend in our firm.”
While the San Antonio dog bite case was settled out of court, the firm places specific pride in preparing their personal injury cases for the possibility of going to trial. Though many personal injury matters are settled outside the courtroom, preparation for the possibility of a trial situation is often on the forefront of the minds of Carlson Law Firm attorneys, many of whom posses years of trial experience.
“I am proud of the fact that we were able to handle this case with high sensitivity and compassion. Our client went through a very traumatic event and we were able to handle those issues in a sensitive way, yet, we were able to prepare our case in an aggressive manner should we need to go to trial," Elizondo said.
For more information about Partner Edna Elizondo and The Carlson Law Firm, call 800-359-5690 or visit http://www.carlsoninjurylawyerssanantonio.com/
Carissa Hampton, The Carlson Law Firm, http://www.carlsonattorneys.com, +1 (254) 526-5688, [email protected]
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