The Danger of Dog Bites and Amputation

Two years ago this Christmas, Robin Sullins suffered a dog bite injury that led to the amputation of both her legs and all eight fingers. Daily Mail reported that Sullins was simply breaking up a fight between two family pets when she suffered a minor bite. However, after two days she “became violently ill.”

This accident proves that dog owners and pedestrians—even those living in smaller towns like St. George, Utah and elsewhere—should exercise extreme caution around erratic animals and to contact a lawyer when an injury does occur at someone else’s expense. 

According to Daily Mail, doctors said that Sullins was “infected with Capnocytophaga Canimorsus, bacteria commonly found in the mouths of healthy cats and dogs and not normally dangerous.” 

However, once the bacteria entered her bloodstream, Sullins contracted sepsis, which has adverse effects on regulatory and inflammatory mechanisms, as explained in the article. Blood vessels in her hands and legs began to clot, and in no time she lost circulation, leading to the multiple amputations. 

Whether in St. George or another residential area, this type of freak accident could happen to anyone. In Sullins’ case, she owned the dog that infected her, but if someone else had been bitten by this animal, legal action could have been taken. A dog bite lawyer could have sued the family for medical expenses and a number of other damages.

Another example of a dog bite that resulted in amputation occurred just last month. The Examiner reported that dog owner Dora Pennington suffered a brutal attack by her American bulldog in a residential area, similar to St. George. 

According to the Examiner, the dog “severely mauled Pennington’s left food, seriously damaged the right foot, pulled out a large portion of her hair and had torn off most of her clothing” by the time officers arrived. Pennington’s left foot was amputated after she was hospitalized.

Often, a dog bite lawyer deals with cases in which people suffer serious injuries such as these. However, when the owner of the dog is the victim, finding compensation for medical costs can be difficult.

The Penningtons had only owned their bulldog for about a year. When officers arrived on the scene, the animal was still acting aggressively, and in order to reach Mrs. Pennington to provide care, the dog had to be put down immediately. 

Whether in St. George or another location, a lawyer can help victims of personal injury, especially when small injuries lead to serious medical issues.

Emily Culp is a legal writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Robert J Debry. Follow on Twitter.