Teen’s Life Forever Changed After Vicious Dog Pack Attack Raises Complex Legal Questions in California

The severity of Tracy’s injuries was immediately apparent. Emergency medical teams transported her to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital, where medical staff worked tirelessly to treat extensive lacerations and bite wounds covering virtually her entire body. The teenager ultimately required over 500 stitches, a testament to the brutal nature of the attack.

“They bit every part of her body you could think of except for her ankles,” Tracy’s stepfather Carlos Ramirex explained to ABC 7 Los Angeles. “What was going through my mind was the worst. It was not one dog or two dogs, it was a lot.”

This tragic incident presents a complex web of potential legal liabilities that Tracy’s family and their legal representatives will need to carefully navigate as they seek justice and compensation for her injuries.

Primary Dog Owner Liability

Under California Civil Code Section 3342, dog owners face strict liability for injuries their animals cause to others in public places or lawfully on private property. This statute eliminates the traditional “one bite rule,” making owners responsible regardless of the dog’s previous behavior or the owner’s knowledge of aggressive tendencies.