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Amputation work injury after vicious pit bull attack

On Behalf of | Aug 3, 2012 | Workplace Injuries |

California readers may have heard about a woman who suffered serious injuries as a result of being attacked by a pit bull while she was working at a veterinary clinic. The work injury was witnessed by two of the animal hospital’s employees who came into the kennel area and saw the woman being attacked by the dog. The dog had the woman’s arm in its mouth and was shaking her violently.

The two workers struck the dog repeatedly until it released the woman. The victim was then transported to a local hospital where her arm was amputated at the shoulder. She remains in the intensive care unit of the hospital receiving treatment for her injuries.

The owner of at the animal hospital stated that the dog had been kenneled at their facility for nearly two weeks. The dog had also been previously kenneled at the facility and, according to the owner of the animal hospital, had never shown any vicious tendencies prior to this incident. The dog was taken into custody by animal control, and the case remains under investigation.

Working in an animal hospital or kennel can be risky, due to the unpredictable nature of some animals. Unfortunately, a work injury can occur just about any place, whether in California or elsewhere. In this instance, resulting investigations may focus on exactly what occurred and what safety measures could help prevent similar attacks in the future. In the meantime, the victim obviously has a long road to recovery. She will likely receive comfort in learning that workers’ compensation benefits may apply, providing funds for medical expenses and her lost income from work while she recuperates from her devastating experience.

Source: NewsHerald.com, “Woman mauled at vet’s office,” Jessica McCarthy, July 20, 2012

  • Our firm handles situations similar to the ones noted in this post. To get more information about our practice, you can visit our Modesto workers’ compensation page.

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