HELP, my sister's dog bit the fireman

If an ambulance had to be called why wasnt the dog put away in another room?
Hopefully the fireman will view it as the dog trying to protect the home from what it viewed as an intruder.There is of course NO Way to know what he is thinking or what he will do.Has anyone tried to contact him to apologize?

We tried to contact him today, but he won't be in till Thursday.  The dog was in another room, but when I went into that room, I forgot to close the door behind me and the dogs got out.  We were so nervous about my mother and of course weren't thinking.

my neighbor's sister lives alone with a large black/silver GSD. The dog protects her - she is the dog's life and vice versa.
She had to call 911 one evening as she fell and injured her hip. Unable to put the dog into another room she did tell 911 that her dog would probably not let anyone in the house.
They came into the house and one guy got bit. But a LARGE dog.
They didn't sue her....they knew the dog was there, had been warned. I would iimagine this kind of thing happens quite often when people are hurt/sick and EMTs have to come aid them.
my BIL was an EMT and got bit by a doberman in a car. There was an accident and trying to reach the dog's owner the dog, of course, reacted.
 

I was on the fireman's end a few years back. I sued. They still have the dogs, though hopefully kept on leash now.

I don't want to sound too harsh and I hope your mom is OK.  But, with aggressive dogs (for whatever reason) you have to constantly be on guard and you cannot "not" think.  It's a constant issue in all kinds of situations.  But, it's unacceptable to forget or not think.  You just can't with these types of dogs or they aren't for you. 

Are you offering something for his medical bills? Is your insurance on the home aware of the situation? Your homeowner's would be cuplable in this incident since it happened in the home...they'd be the ones being sued. It is when inside a home, hard to "take" a dog because in that situation a good lawyer that your dog was aggressive due to strangers and a perceived threat to a person he loved. But you or your insurance are absolutely 100% responsible for his medical expenses, pain and suffering, etc. IMO.
 
The size/breed of the dog is a non issue...it just means the fireman was hurt and not seriously maimed.

I would be pro-active on this thing.  Many lawsuits could have been avoided if the respondent had done something to placate the aggrieved party.  Don't wait to be served before you take action.
 
Of course the fireman was rude.  He was bit by the dog 3 times.  Get over it and try to fix this thing.  If he works Thursday, I would have the MOST PERSONABLE member of your family go to his station to apologize and offer to pay any bills resulting from the bite.  Meet him face to face.  Almost no situations are improved by getting lawyers involved.

ORIGINAL: workingpaws

I was on the fireman's end a few years back. I sued. They still have the dogs, though hopefully kept on leash now.

 
Just an opinion, but unless the dog was totally unprovoked and did serious damage I would never sue someone over it, and if it was a minor scratch as long as they could prove the dog had it's shots I wouldn't even call animal control over it. But I also feel that any dog can bite at any time whether provoked or not.  With my dogs I have two that can be out with people over and one that can't.  No one that isn't well known to my dogs enters my house until my dogs are crated. 
 
I would be shocked if a fireman sued over a 10lb dog biting him.  How much damage could it have done????

 would be shocked if a fireman sued over a 10lb dog biting him.  How much damage could it have done????

 
Shelby I understand what you are saying...but owners of large dogs who have NIPPED...not bitten, NIPPED have lost dogs because of it....the situation is not considered...only the dogs size or BREED. PB people can tell you the numbers of "cute widdle toy dogs' getting away with OUTRIGHT biting people and nasty temperaments in general...is totally completely out of the realms of fairness and equal application of the law. Were I a person bitten by a small dog...if I had to go for treatment of ANY kind I had better get a call offering to pay it all...or I WILL sue.
 
And I'd sue because the size or breed of the dog does not matter....owner responsibility DOES.

Gina, I understand your point about paying for any kind of treatment.  That would be all I would sue for (court costs also) if they didn't offer, not any extra.  But if I had to have some sort of treatment I wouldn't consider that minor.
 
I guess my thought was that there are so many people who would do anything for money, and it irks me to no end when they'll use anything and everything to get it.  It would definitely have to depend on the situation. I'd have to take into consideration why the dog bit me. 
 
I guess I should have worded that better and said "If you offered to pay for any medical treatment I would be shocked if they sued"
 
My 5 year old hasn't left for school yet and I'm currently running on 1/2 finished thoughts.....lol

I'm not sure how it is in other areas of the country, but my DH is a firefighter and any and all medical expenses would be covered by the city for an on-the-job incident like this.  The city also provides excellent health coverage, so I can't imagine any large medical bills.  Short of a longterm disability, I can't imagine feeling the need to sue.  We all know that there are people who will grasp any opportunity to sue though, so avoiding that possibility is always the best plan.
 
Just wanted to add that a coworker of mine had a gardener who was bitten by his dog.  The guy didn't sue or anything, but he did go to the Dr., who filed a bite incident report.  When the homeowner's insurance co. found out, they gave him 2 choices.  Get rid of the dog or find another insurance co. 

I'm not sure how it is in other areas of the country, but my DH is a firefighter and any and all medical expenses would be covered by the city for an on-the-job incident like this.  The city also provides excellent health coverage, so I can't imagine any large medical bills.

I agree, most is probably covered, but there is at least a ED co-pay for city workers (around $50) for those here in Los Angeles and of course the cost of ABX ($10-20 co-pay usually, standard of care for dog bites these days). I think it would be the right thing to do to cover all of these costs. It's still at least $60 that he paid. Just be glad he did't call animal control, one of my patients was bit by a dog and got an abscess, she reported the dog and they confiscated it and put it to sleep Scarry situation for all involved I'm sure.

Ummm, hurt on the job= no copay, no lost time, because an on the job injury is covered by workers comp.  Dogs are a known and common hazzard for firefighters.
 
Yep, the dog should have been put up.  But, stuff happens and when you need to call 911 for a family member, the brain cells tend to fire more slowly than they should.  Please don't throw stones at the OP unless you've been there, done that.  I totally understand how she could have forgotten.
 
I agree that someone should go see the guy....especially with a basket of fresh muffins or something yummy for him to share with the whole crew...and apologize up one side and down the other.

I already answered this in the behavior section.  I will tell you again, the fireman can and may decide not only to sue but to force euthanization. 

As far as workman's comp ... a very iffy situation.  My brother was hurt at work and has been fighting for over two years now.  Workman's comp is not always that easy to get. 

Here for instance...mail doesn't have to be delivered to a house with a dog that may be vicious.  Rescues do not have to enter a house with a dog that may bite and a policeman can instantly shoot the dog if it is a threat.  There was just a big lawsuit here over the mail not being delivered to a house and the neighboring homes until the dogs were no longer permitted out at delivery time.

I understand how things happen quickly but it is also very important to keep a cool head in these situations.  Easier said than done sometimes I will agree.

Whatever the outcome my thoughts are with you and your family