Oregon Injury Lawyer Blog
A Gladstone man and his 7-year-old daughter are recovering from their injuries after a 90-pound pit bull mix attacked them outside a friend’s home. Police later shot and killed the animal.
The Oregon dog attack occurred last Wednesday while 7-year-old Jayda Kempas was playing on a tire swing. Without provocation, Titan reportedly jumped up and clung to her left leg, pulling her off the swing and onto the ground.
Jayda’s father, Steven Hehr, heard screams and rushed to her rescue. The 31-year-old Oregon National Guard sergeant managed to get the pit bull to release his jaw from his daughter’s leg, but then the dog attacked him, biting his leg, hands, and chest in an attempt to grab his throat. Hehr also dislocated his shoulder during the incident.
Neighbors and friends came forward to help him, with two men hitting the dog about 40 times with an aluminum baseball bat. Two other people managed to tie straps around the dog’s hind quarters and get a noose around his neck. Clackamas County Sheriff deputies, who were called to the scene, eventually shot Titan.
Jayda sustained severe lacerations and puncture wounds on her legs. She underwent surgery for her injuries last Thursday. In addition to dislocating his shoulder, Hehr sustained bite wounds on different parts of his body.
At the time of the dog attack, Hehr’s friend Alan Clinansmith was in possession of Titan. He was trying to find a home for the animal. The pit bull belongs to Gresham resident Rick Harrison.
Oregon Dog Bite Incidents
If you or your child was attacked by a dog in Oregon, you may be able to fie a personal injury claim or lawsuit. Oregon’s “one bite rule” holds a dog bite owner strictly liable for personal injuries if he or she knew or should have known that the dog can be dangerous. Dog attacks and dog maulings can lead to serious injuries—even death.
Pit bull mix attacks 7-year-old, her dad in Happy Valley, OregonLive.com, November 20, 2008
Father Fights Pit Bull To Save Daughter, Fox 12 Oregon, November 20, 2008
Related Web Resources:
Dog Bite Liability, Insurance Information Institute, August 2008
National Dog Bite Prevention Week, CDC
The best way to pursue to your Oregon dog bite claim or lawsuit is to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer right away. In cities throughout Oregon, contact Portland Dog Bite Attorney Matthew D. Kaplan today.
