A dog bite expert witness opines on a case involving a police dog who bit and held suspect, causing significant injuries. The police were called to a home for a domestic disturbance in which the plaintiff’s wife was seriously injured and required hospitalization. The plaintiff hid in the brush behind his home. Police sent a trained canine to search for the plaintiff. Police located him lying down. The dog was a few feet away. Even though police could see the plaintiff’s hands, he refused to raise them and the dog continued to advance, ultimately biting him in the thigh and upper arm. Police never ordered the dog to stop advancing or stop biting the plaintiff and the dog had to be physically removed from him.
The plaintiff suffered a loss of muscle function and permanent disfigurement to one arm. He had more than $13,000 in medical expenses. The plaintiff filed numerous claims against the officers and their department, including claims for negligence and excessive force.