Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
A woman was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital Tuesday with non-life-threatening injuries after being attacked by a dog.
The woman, according to reporting from WSVN Miami, was a caretaker at the home where the attack took place around 11 a.m. in Hialeah. She was bitten on both of her arms.
Following the attack, the dog was detained in a cage awaiting officials with animal control after its owner surrendered it into the custody of Miami-Dade Animal Services. In footage broadcasted by WSVN, it looked as though the dog was an American bulldog. A similar dog, allegedly of the same breed, was seen lounging in a kennel in the home’s backyard.
As of Wednesday, officials confirmed that the animal had been euthanized.
Additional details, including the animal’s official breed or what led to the attack, were not immediately available Wednesday.
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners, a personal injury law firm with offices in Miami, Key West and Orlando, has nearly five decades of experience handling all manner of injury types, including animal attacks. In that time, our attorneys have secured numerous record verdicts and settlements for clients who have been injured or their loved ones killed due to the negligence of a corporation, management company or individual. Leesfield & Partners has been routinely recognized by national and local entities including The Best Lawyers in America, Florida Legal Elite, South Florida Legal Guide Top Firm and Top Lawyers, South Florida Business Journal Key Partners Award, and Super Lawyers.
Most recently, the firm’s Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, Partner Justin B. Shapiro, and Carlos A. Fabano, a Trial Lawyer at the firm, were selected for the 2025 Florida Super Lawyers list. Trial Lawyer Evan Robinson was also selected as a 2025 Rising Star by Super Lawyers.
It is our skilled trial team’s compassion, diligence and knowledge of the law that has earned Leesfield & Partners a reputation as one of the top personal injury law firms in the state.
Florida Law
In Florida, dog owners are strictly liable for injuries caused by their dog, even if the dog has no prior history of aggression. Victims may be entitled to recover damages for medical expenses, lost wages, pain, suffering and emotional distress.
On July 1, the Pam Rock Act was put into effect in Florida. This law was named for Pamela “Pam” Rock, a mail carrier who died after being mauled by a pack of dogs with a history of violent behavior. Under the new law, owners of dogs considered to be “dangerous” must microchip their animals, secure them and have at least $100,000 in liability insurance. If an animal is under investigation, authorities will be able to confiscate the dog and humanely euthanize them, under certain conditions. If an owner does not give up their dog after a crime has been committed or does not come forward after the dog has caused a serious injury, there will be harsher penalties for the owner of the animal.
Ongoing Cases
Leesfield & Partners’ attorneys advocate tirelessly for every client to pursue the maximum compensation and best possible outcome in each case, including animal attacks. But Dogs are not the only pets responsible for causing serious injuries to neighbors, friends, and other visitors to their homes.
In ongoing litigation being handled by Trial Attorney Eric Shane, a pet bird is responsible for causing serious injury to our client. In that incident, which occurred at a Marathon, Florida, condominium community’s pool, our client was folding towels when her neighbor set down her pet bird to perch on a nearby fence.
The bird, who has a history of violent behavior and has attacked multiple people in the past, reached out and bit our client’s hand. Our elderly client was so startled by the painful bite that she fell violently to the ground.
Previous Cases
Leesfield & Partners attorneys have seen some of the most gruesome dog attack injury cases in recent years. In a case involving a 77-year-old Leesfield & Partners client, the woman was viciously attacked by a neighbor’s dog while walking her own dog to check the mail. Her dog, a Welsh terrier, was on a leash while she walked to the mailbox. A neighbor’s large dog, also on a leash, lunged for the terrier as they approached, causing the neighbor to lose control of the leash.
In an attempt to protect her animal, our client stepped between her pet and the aggressive animal. As a result, she suffered horrific bite wounds to her right elbow, forearms and broken bones in her left hand.
A $1.5 million settlement was secured for the woman in that case.
In another case handled by the firm, a young woman was attacked by a dog while out for a walk. The woman was on a sidewalk when a Chesapeake Bay Retriever rushed at her, escaping from an unlocked gate. The dog lunged for the woman’s neck but she was able to use her arm and shoulder to push away its snarling jaws.
A dog sitter who was watching over the animal failed to intervene or attempt to control the animal. Emergency services were called by people who passed the attack in their car.
The woman’s arm suffered the brunt of the attack and a chunk of flesh was ripped off. A six-figure settlement was reached in that case.
In both of these instances, dog attacks were covered by the pet owners’ insurance policy.
If you believe you have an injury claim after an incident with a pet in Florida, don’t wait. Call Leesfield & Partners for a free consultation at 800-836-6400 or 305-854-4900.
