A judge from Harris County in Texas has awarded a former owner of a dog boarding business $1.3 million compensation for an injury due to a dog bite.
Amber Rickles was running a dog boarding business in Spring, Harris County, when she received a request from Jennifer Romano in January 2013 to board her pit bull. Romano told Amber that the dog had no behavioral problems while it had been in her possession, and Amber accepted the request.
After four days of looking after the dog, Amber left a message on Romano´s phone asking to ask her to retrieve the dog because it was being aggressive towards the other dogs. On 7th February – one week after entering the boarding kennels – the dog attacked Amber and fractured her wrist when it bit her.
Amber was taken by ambulance to an emergency room, where surgeons attempted an internal fixation of her right ulna. Unfortunately Amber developed an infection in her wrist which delayed her recovery for six months, after which Amber underwent a year of physical therapy and rehabilitation.
As a result of the pit bull attack, Amber has lost grip strength in her dominant right hand and has permanent scars down her forearm. She was forced to close her dog boarding business and was out of work for a year before she found employment where the weakness in her right wrist has not a handicap.
After seeking legal advice, Amber claimed compensation for an injury due to a dog bite against Romano – alleging that she had been misled about the dog´s aggressive tendencies. Romano´s disputed the claim and said that Amber had advertised herself as a fully-qualified dog trainer when she was not.
The claim for compensation for an injury due to a dog bite went to the Harris County District Court, where it was schedule to be heard by Judge Patricia J Kerrigan. However, after Romano failed to appear in court, the Judge found in Amber´s favor and awarded her $1,302,296 compensation for an injury due to a dog bite to account for her past and future pain and suffering, her loss of earnings and her medical costs.