On December 4, 2022, a Texan teen suffered injuries after dogs attacked her in Burkeville. Let’s explore the details of the incident with Ehline Law, and our Texas dog bite personal injury attorneys.
17 Dogs Stretch out a Teen on the Highway in Burkeville, Nearly Killing Her
Shelly Engel, aged 19, was walking on Highway 87, a regular route for her to commute to work, when 17 dogs approached and started attacking her.
The dogs bit her, forced her to the ground, and stretched her out in the middle of the highway. Fortunately, a citizen saw the incident and stepped in to save her life before her family needed a Texas wrongful death lawyer.
Engel Looking to Press Charges Against the Dogs’ Owner
The dogs remained aggressive when the Burkeville Fire Department reached the accident scene to provide medical assistance.
Shelly Engel spoke to the media about her injuries following the vicious attack and stated that she was glad she didn’t get killed and would be pressing charges against the dog’s owner.
After the incident, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office reported that they cited the owner and put one of the dogs down.
According to reports, the community had serious concerns in the past about the house where Shelly got attacked. Abigail Klempky, one of the neighbors, stated that she and her family don’t feel safe in the community.
Is the Dogs’ Owner Responsible for Damages to Shelly Engel?
Texas follows the one-bite law, making it challenging for injured victims to hold dog owners responsible for dog attacks.
Under the law, Shelly Engel must prove that the dogs attacked another person in the past or the owner knew or should’ve known about their dog’s vicious propensities. If it is the first attack carried out by the dogs, Shelly Engel may not have a valid case.
However, Shelly may be able to pursue a personal injury claim against the dog owner for negligence. If the incident occurred on a public street and the dog owner was negligent in keeping the dogs inside their house, Engel may have a negligence case.
For a successful negligence case, Engel needs to prove the defendant’s lack of ordinary care in preventing the attack.
Dog Bites Can Be Terrifying and Traumatizing
We’ve heard of many accidents on the news, including the two-vehicle auto accident on Tuesday evening involving a Jasper County patrol car that suffered another damaging blow after the shed the car was in broke down by high winds as severe thunderstorms passed the Jasper area. But we’ve not come across an incident involving 17 vicious dogs and a teenage girl.
The “Shelly Engel injured in dog attack in Burkeville,” which occurred on Sunday evening, is one of many dog attack incidents that result in severe emotional distress to the victims.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dog bite attacks can have a serious psychological impact on children, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, cynophobia, agoraphobia, struggles with body image from disfigurement, and impaired child development.
Psychological problems can adversely impact a victim and their life, requiring constant therapy, which can cause a serious financial burden. It would help if you were not responsible for the financial costs of an accident due to the owner’s negligence.
An experienced dog bite attorney can help investigate the case and bring a civil action against the negligent dog owner to recover compensation. We wish Shelly Engel a successful recovery and hope she gets access to the legal help she deserves.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Ehline Law Texas Dog Bite Lawyers
If you suffered injuries and emotional trauma from a dog bite attack in Texas, contact us at (833) LETS-SUE for a free consultation, as you may be eligible for compensation.
Attempting to handle a dog bite case on your own can backfire, but with the help of our experienced dog bite attorneys, you may stand a chance in holding the dog owner responsible for your loss.
